In the competitive landscape of corporate America, having a strong personal brand can make or break your career.
While we often think of a personal brand as more appropriate for entrepreneurs or public figures, it is a critical component for employees at all levels who want to stand out, advance their careers, and make a lasting impact within their organizations.
So, how do you build a personal brand at work? Storytelling, of course.
The Role of Personal Branding in Career Success
Carving a path for yourself in corporate America takes vision, planning, and a strategy. You should absolutely use storytelling to help you reach the next level.
In a crowded job market, personal branding helps you stand out. You differentiate yourself from others by clearly articulating who you are, what you value, and what you bring to the table. A strong personal brand makes you more memorable and can open opportunities for career advancement.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record: Be yourself! Consistent and genuine storytelling fosters trust. When colleagues, managers, and stakeholders understand your values and see consistency in your actions and words, you build a reputation of integrity. This trust can lead to increased responsibilities, promotions, and leadership opportunities.
Personal branding increases your visibility within and outside your organization. By sharing your stories, achievements, and insights, you position yourself as a thought leader and a valuable contributor. This visibility can attract mentors and networking opportunities that are crucial for career growth.
Real-World Examples
The women listed below enjoyed or enjoy long careers at big-name companies in part because they use storytelling to bolster their personal brands.
- Bozoma Saint John, former chief marketing officer at Netflix, built a powerful personal brand through her storytelling and her personality. Her career journey includes stints at PepsiCo, Apple, Uber, and Netflix and is characterized by her ability to weave personal experiences and professional achievements into stories that keep her in demand. Her authenticity and bold storytelling made her a prominent figure in corporate America, which is how she landed a full-time role on “The Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
- Sylvia Kwan is the Chief Investment Officer at Ellevest, and she uses storytelling to challenge what we typically think of as the traditional investment narrative, which often excludes women and non-white people. “The investment industry just was, by default, built for men,” she explained to Forbes magazine. Kwan believes that storytelling is crucial to changing this narrative. By sharing stories about impact investing, Kwan engages women who are interested not only in building wealth but also in making a positive social, economic, or environmental impact. She believes these stories can transform the investment industry by reflecting women in various roles and inspiring others to follow suit.
- Shannon Nash is the CFO at Wing Corporation, an Alphabet company, and she uses storytelling to highlight social inequities. When she stopped practicing law to take care of her autistic son, Debbie Allen (yes, THAT Debbie Allen) hired Nash to lead and grow her dance academy. The job offered Nash the flexibility she needed to care for her son and a way into the world of storytelling. Nash told Forbes magazine, “I saw how [Allen] told stories and how that turned into all these opportunities, all the success. I started embracing how you can use storytelling to advance things both that you truly care about, but also advance your business.” Nash uses storytelling through documentary filmmaking to uplift social causes she cares about. Her first movie, “Colored My Mind” won best film documentary at the American Pavilion in Cannes. It uncovers the inequities of autism and delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis in Black and brown communities. Her second film, “OnBoard,” (2024) tells the nearly-forgotten story of the first Black woman board member Patricia Roberts Harris and the struggle still in 2024 to achieve board diversity.
Strategies for Maintaining a Consistent and Authentic Personal Brand
Storytelling can help you grow your career into the future you see for yourself. Here are five tips to help you create your personal brand strategy:
- Know Your Core Values:
Identify the principles that guide your decisions and actions. By telling stories that consistently reflect your core values, you help build a coherent personal brand. For example, if integrity is a core value, share stories that highlight your commitment to honesty and ethical behavior. - Share Genuine Stories:
Being your real self is key to personal branding. Share stories that are true to your experiences and reflect who you really are to resonate more with your audience and build trust. Avoid embellishing or fabricating details, or you risk damaging your credibility. - Leverage Multiple Platforms:
Use various platforms to share your stories and build your personal brand. This could include internal communications, social media, professional networking sites like LinkedIn, and industry conferences. Be sure your stories fit the platform and the audience at the same time you stay consistent in your messaging. - Seek Feedback and Reflect:
Regularly seek feedback from colleagues, mentors, and peers about how your stories and personal brand are perceived. Make adjustments as needed to be sure your personal brand remains relevant and impactful. - Align Personal Goals with Organizational Goals:
Be sure your personal brand aligns with the goals and values of your organization. Demonstrate how your personal mission complements the company’s mission to position you as a key contributor to its success.
Final Thoughts
If you’re interested in taking steps up the corporate ladder, personal branding through storytelling can help you on your journey. Stories build trust and boost your visibility, and a compelling personal brand opens up new opportunities and drives career success. Embrace storytelling as a primary tool to achieve your career aspirations and make a lasting impact in your organization.