What’s Your Big Idea?

Now that you know how to capitalize on your strengths and make your weaknesses irrelevant, you can work on the big idea of your personal brand.
What’s the big idea? People talk about the big idea of someone’s personal brand quite often really. You’ve probably even made big idea statements yourself. They sound like these.

• Call Mario. He can do anything.
• That Vanessa, she’s so sweet.
• If you want it organized, Anne’s the one.
• Martin’s a whiz. He’ll have this figured out in minutes.
• I don’t know about Cat. She can’t find anything. Look at her desk.

There’s no question that folks who make such statements have a big idea about the people they’re describing. The descriptions might be accurate, or they might not be. The point is that the people talking believe them. The people being described have communicated those traits strongly over time.

The big idea of your personal brand is the most powerful point of your unique value. It’s the one sentence that folks can believe in it and can share with others easily. As I said earlier

Everything about you contributes to your personal brand–everything you say or don’t say, what you wear, your tone of voice, the look of your space, the look on your face, the way you shake hands. The quality of your work is an immense part of your brand, but not, by any means, all of it. Even there it matters whether it’s on time, done with friendliness, with teamwork, with innovation and flexibility.

I Promise

Now is the time to decide the answer to this question

If you were known for one attribute, skill, or competency what would you want it to be?

It’s a tough question, I know. However once you decide, you will have found your big idea–the focus of your personal brand. That will be what everyone sees when they see you, your work, your signature. It’s the promise that you stand for. Think of your big idea as a promise that you know you will always keep.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles