“What do in-house counsel need to know about personal brand and how can it help them?”
Last week, I was the speaker at a program for the Association of Corporate Counsel, and this was the first question out of the gate.
Afterwards I asked myself, why does anyone who is not aiming to garner new business need to be concerned about personal brand?
There are a few reasons:
1. It is easier to do your job when people within your company know that you are respected, and have a reputation for good work and trustworthiness. You will be better able to get projects completed if people respect and like you.
2. Opportunities may come to you that you might not have even had on your radar. These could be speaking engagements, task forces within your company or promotions.
3. You will be more likely to build a network outside of your organization that can serve as a source of industry information, support and insights.
So how do you develop a strong personal brand?
It’s not simple, but there are a few basics:
Do great work, and take responsibility to push forward with your own continuing education. Without actually being very good at what you do, nothing can really help create a long-lasting positive personal brand.
Treat everyone with kindness. Even the greatest masterminds of M&A, while they may be loved by their company’s leaders, if the professional staff dislikes them, will find friction in getting their work done.
Decide on a niche. Think about what it is that you want to do and exactly in what niche you want to excel. Knowing that you can’t be everything to everyone is an important step in developing your interests and your reputation.
Thank you Mitchel Kay and Elena Antonetti for hosting me with your colleagues from ACC. It was a great experience!