Every time I am going to meet a prospective client I Google his/her name to find out more about that person. I am truly interested in understanding whether that individual is up to date in knowing and marketing his/her professional brand or what makes him/her distinctive. Or as William Arruda says: 'What makes you unique makes you successful'.
It is an evolutionary process that implies daring to dream BIG and self-explore and re-discover yourself with glasses that will go through every strength, skills, ability, previous successes, personal characteristics and lessons learned...your own expertise in that personal/professional self is what will make you successful in developing your own brand. There is just one single YOU! Once you have clarity on that dream and you have discovered what makes you unique, then there is time to design the path that will help you fulfill your destiny. And believe me, that path is brand-embedded and self changing.
All strong brands evolve with the times. You can read the current US automobile industry crisis in newspapers and their own critical evolution to adjust to a greener and a more fuel efficient demanding crowd.
Who does not know" 'Change you can believe in' as such a powerful brand backed up by not just words but facts. Independently of your political views you've got to admire the ability to put together such a powerful image in the voters' minds.
You MUST really know yourself, so you can have a successful brand.
If I ask you what makes you distinctive or what hiring managers ask a lot of times: Why should I hire you and you do not have an effective and passionate reply then, you are losing your momentum to distinguish yourself from the crowd, from those zillion applicants to the job you want...it is not what makes you right to a job what will get your foot into that office but what makes you the best possible fit for it.
Tom Peters in his marvelous way puts it this way: "We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You."
So, there you go, you either have a distinctive brand on these particularly competitive times or else!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
Creating, building and transforming an Affinity group to a Powerful network!
I have been fortunate to be part of the Founding committee of the V-AAT Professional network which first event was delivered VERY successfully last Thursday with 90+ participants and a growing waiting list. Having a great speaker like Dennis Tardan and its inspirational vision of what the future holds for a new network like ours was enough to get people raising their hands looking for an opportunity to share the words they never thought of sharing with other mostly Venezuelan professionals in the same room. A magical moment filled by pride, collaboration, openness, volunteering, knowledge sharing and willingness to keep the network moving on. Oh! A night I will never forget!
When I was approached by a V-AAT board member few weeks ago with quite a challenge to create something very unique and needed from nothing I had to rely in some few essentials:
1. Defining the common dream to connect our hearts to: Our Vision and goals for this network
2. Setting up the strategy to get to it (e.g. sponsorship and allies to connect people with the idea)
3. Resources available to open doors to a community used to work at their best by themselves but in need to be equipped more efficiently in how to share best practice/knowledge in the US with others wearing the same or similar shoes. This is the beginning of a transformational movement that will eventually switch all professionals involved from group members to Network members (and there is a BIG difference between the two!)
4. A challenging timeline!
We literally started from zero finding the speaker through a previous engagement he had at the HR Roundtable, then creating the opportunity in which the amazing happened when both of us - Dennis Tardan and myself - found out that we both were Appreciative Inquiry practitioners, in other words, the Power of Inquiry in full was proven once more on the execution of this beautiful 1st. time initiative.
Having a speaker made it easier to enroll sponsors (at least we thought so at the time!) and so, we knocked on all possible doors using all our professional and personal influences to impact with our words the perception that the future will not be less than magnificent for the evolution, development and growth of the network.
Networking made the difference and it was the key of success for the event! It made possible that we were able to speed our learning curve by the mentoring of folks like Angela Moretti of Houston Coaches and attract the attention of our next meeting speakers - Mike Demarest and Kevin Blasco - who as Senior Intn'l Recruiters at Conoco-Phillips will share some 'insiders' information' with the participants for the August 27th event.
A happy ending story that translates in a wonderful beginning that will prove:
1. A clear vision that connects the emotional intelligence to the intellects of those to share the journey with does wonders!
2. A strong professional brand that empowers people to give you a 'leap of faith' for a dream (or a cause if you feel more comfortable calling it that way) due to a proven track record of always delivering what's been promised!
3. A team that gets the best of its members, non-judgmental but open to new ideas and volunteers to make them happen!
4. The best that people have to offer when you expect the best they can provide! If you know you can and you share your belief on what others can do, the synergy magic will occur!
I am thrilled to be part of this team to share a wonderful journey that promises a future of changes for a community that is mostly composed by first generation professional immigrants to a Country that we have adopted as home!
Now, it is time to start the whole cycle again by recruiting sponsors and allies for the next event!
Do you want to be part of this V-AAT Professional Network and work with us by being a sponsor or volunteering your services? And do you want to get news/invitations for future events? Then, E-Mail to vaat_texas@yahoo.com .
Best success!
When I was approached by a V-AAT board member few weeks ago with quite a challenge to create something very unique and needed from nothing I had to rely in some few essentials:
1. Defining the common dream to connect our hearts to: Our Vision and goals for this network
2. Setting up the strategy to get to it (e.g. sponsorship and allies to connect people with the idea)
3. Resources available to open doors to a community used to work at their best by themselves but in need to be equipped more efficiently in how to share best practice/knowledge in the US with others wearing the same or similar shoes. This is the beginning of a transformational movement that will eventually switch all professionals involved from group members to Network members (and there is a BIG difference between the two!)
4. A challenging timeline!
We literally started from zero finding the speaker through a previous engagement he had at the HR Roundtable, then creating the opportunity in which the amazing happened when both of us - Dennis Tardan and myself - found out that we both were Appreciative Inquiry practitioners, in other words, the Power of Inquiry in full was proven once more on the execution of this beautiful 1st. time initiative.
Having a speaker made it easier to enroll sponsors (at least we thought so at the time!) and so, we knocked on all possible doors using all our professional and personal influences to impact with our words the perception that the future will not be less than magnificent for the evolution, development and growth of the network.
Networking made the difference and it was the key of success for the event! It made possible that we were able to speed our learning curve by the mentoring of folks like Angela Moretti of Houston Coaches and attract the attention of our next meeting speakers - Mike Demarest and Kevin Blasco - who as Senior Intn'l Recruiters at Conoco-Phillips will share some 'insiders' information' with the participants for the August 27th event.
A happy ending story that translates in a wonderful beginning that will prove:
1. A clear vision that connects the emotional intelligence to the intellects of those to share the journey with does wonders!
2. A strong professional brand that empowers people to give you a 'leap of faith' for a dream (or a cause if you feel more comfortable calling it that way) due to a proven track record of always delivering what's been promised!
3. A team that gets the best of its members, non-judgmental but open to new ideas and volunteers to make them happen!
4. The best that people have to offer when you expect the best they can provide! If you know you can and you share your belief on what others can do, the synergy magic will occur!
I am thrilled to be part of this team to share a wonderful journey that promises a future of changes for a community that is mostly composed by first generation professional immigrants to a Country that we have adopted as home!
Now, it is time to start the whole cycle again by recruiting sponsors and allies for the next event!
Do you want to be part of this V-AAT Professional Network and work with us by being a sponsor or volunteering your services? And do you want to get news/invitations for future events? Then, E-Mail to vaat_texas@yahoo.com .
Best success!
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