Podcast Summary: Coaching Real Leaders – How Do I Define My Personal Brand at Work?

Podcast Information:

• Title: Coaching Real Leaders
• Host: Muriel Wilkins, Harvard Business Review
• Episode: How Do I Define My Personal Brand at Work?
• Release Date: April 21, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of Coaching Real Leaders, Muriel Wilkins engages in a transformative coaching session with a guest pseudonymously named Alex. The episode delves into Alex's struggle with defining his personal brand and advancing to senior leadership roles. Through a candid dialogue, Muriel helps Alex uncover his strengths, address feedback, and realign his career aspirations.

Background of the Guest: Alex

Alex introduces himself as a seasoned consultant with extensive experience in the consulting industry. He began his career at a Big Four firm, rising to senior manager before opting out of the demanding partner and managing director tracks due to the extensive travel and lifestyle demands.

Alex [01:11]: "I started out as a Big four consultant. I worked my way up to becoming an experienced senior manager, as they say. When I was looking at what the partner track looked like and what the managing director track looked like, I realized the amount of travel and the lifestyle was not what I wanted."

Over time, Alex transitioned to more localized consulting roles and eventually took a VP position at a smaller company. These experiences have shaped his understanding of the executive roles he aspires to.

The Challenge: Defining Personal Brand

Despite his achievements, Alex feels stagnant in his career progression. He aspires to move into executive roles but senses an invisible barrier holding him back from being recognized as a senior leader.

Alex [02:46]: "I've always had this goal of being an executive in some kind of organization. There's something holding me back from being either seen or me being proactive in identifying the things that I need to work on to be viewed as that senior executive."

Muriel identifies that the core issue revolves around Alex's personal and professional branding and his ability to advocate for himself effectively.

Feedback and Self-Assessment

Muriel initiates the conversation by asking Alex about the feedback he's received regarding his leadership potential. Alex highlights two main areas:

1. Self-Advocacy and Networking:

   • Alex acknowledges the need to better articulate his value and make it visible to decision-makers.

   Alex [04:19]: "The biggest one has been my ability to self advocate... making sure people know the value that I'm bringing to the table."

2. Executive Presence:

   • He has worked on his executive presence through classes and workshops but struggles with consistency.

   Alex [04:19]: "I've taken classes and have tried to work on how I present myself in meetings and on conference calls."

Defining Value Proposition

Muriel helps Alex distill his strengths into a clear value proposition. Alex realizes that his primary strength lies in bringing logical structure and clarity to ambiguous, large-scale problems.

Alex [16:11]: "The value that you bring is you bring logical thinking to big, big problems to create clarity."

This realization marks a pivotal moment, allowing Alex to see his role as transforming chaos into clarity—a valuable asset for any organization.

Aligning with Senior Leadership Roles

Alex grapples with aligning his identified value proposition with traditional senior leadership roles. He expresses uncertainty about fitting into roles like CFO or COO, feeling that his strengths are better suited for positions like Chief Strategy Officer or Chief Development Officer.

Alex [16:35]: "I like the execution part of it. So even though there's a strategy portion, I tend to like a 20% strategy, 80% let's get things done type of guy."

Muriel points out the possible disconnect between Alex's skills and the expectations of conventional senior roles, emphasizing the need for alignment between his strengths and the roles he targets.

Discovering Authentic Brand

The conversation shifts towards authentic self-expression. Muriel encourages Alex to articulate his career story authentically, focusing on what truly resonates with him rather than what he believes is expected.

Alex [32:39]: "If I had to explain it to myself, I would say, you know, Alex, you help business leaders get things done."

This self-defined brand statement embodies Alex's genuine strengths and preferences, providing a solid foundation for his personal branding efforts.

Building Confidence and Relevance

Muriel and Alex explore the importance of conveying his value proposition with conviction. Alex realizes that by clearly stating his brand—helping business leaders get results—he can confidently advocate for himself.

Alex [37:42]: "The second one feels more me... That feels more authentic."

Muriel advises Alex to tailor his message to different audiences, ensuring that his value is relevant and resonates with their specific needs.

Muriel Wilkins [42:45]: "It's not about being a chameleon. It's making it relevant. The value that you bring to the table is driving to the so what for them."

Conclusion and Insights

By the end of the session, Alex gains clarity on his personal brand and how to effectively communicate it. He moves from a state of self-doubt to one of confidence, ready to articulate his value authentically and relevantly to potential sponsors and employers.

Alex [46:33]: "Honestly, I feel a lot clearer. At the beginning, I was a little all over the place, but now I have a definite path."

Muriel reinforces the importance of self-advocacy and believes that Alex is now better equipped to navigate his career trajectory with a well-defined personal brand.

Key Takeaways

• Self-Advocacy: Clearly articulate your value and make it visible to key stakeholders.
• Executive Presence: Consistency in demonstrating credibility and relatability is crucial.
• Authentic Branding: Define your personal brand based on your genuine strengths and interests.
• Relevance: Tailor your value proposition to resonate with different audiences and contexts.
• Confidence: Believe in your value proposition to advocate effectively for your career advancement.

Notable Quotes:

• Alex [02:46]: "I've always had this goal of being an executive in some kind of organization. There's something holding me back..."
• Alex [04:19]: "The biggest one has been my ability to self advocate... making sure people know the value that I'm bringing to the table."
• Alex [16:11]: "The value that you bring is you bring logical thinking to big, big problems to create clarity."
• Alex [32:39]: "If I had to explain it to myself, I would say... I help business leaders get things done."
• Alex [37:42]: "The second one feels more me... That feels more authentic."
• Alex [46:33]: "Honestly, I feel a lot clearer... I have a definite path."

This episode offers profound insights into personal branding and executive presence, illustrating how self-understanding and authentic communication can propel career growth. Alex's journey serves as a valuable blueprint for professionals seeking to define and advocate for their personal brands in pursuit of leadership roles.