Monday, 14 October 2013

This seems to be a depressing legacy of our education system, which leaves young women undermined by a lack of self-esteem. As a result, it's important to focus on how a strong personal brand can help women progress and develop confidence in their careers.

A 2012 report commissioned by Dove and led by the Future Foundation stated that only a third of 11- 17 year-old-girls feel confident that they will go on to have success in any chosen career. According to the report, this means that our world could be deprived of 42,000 successful female entrepreneurs by 2050.

 The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2012 Women's report surveyed 67 countries and found that 45% of businesswomen in developed Europe were afraid of failing, compared with 25% in Sub-Saharan Africa and 31% in Latin America/Caribbean.

These statistics led me to think about branding and confidence. We spend a lot of time thinking about the vision, mission and values of organisations – but what about the individuals in them? Deciding on a leadership style and then projecting it consistently is just as important.

We've all seen established brands flounder when they lose the ability to innovate; it's exactly the same for individuals. Confidence, knowledge and expertise need to be continually developed and updated for momentum to be maintained.

To model success for emerging leaders, we have only to look at the constant reinvention of home-grown entrepreneurs such as JK Rowling or Baroness (Martha) Lane-Fox. These women are committed to developing their personal brands and are specific about the causes to which they give back through mentoring and philanthropy.

With that in mind, here are some tips on personal branding:

• Have confidence in your identity. Employers want to hire people who are confident in who they are (know themselves) and authentic (are themselves). Trying to be something you're not doesn't work.

• Know what you stand for. When interviewing, I want to know what people stand for and what ideas they have. An early command of personal voice gives huge insight into the level of a person's self-confidence and the best won't waver from their core values.

• Tell the story. Human beings connect with stories. The most compelling leaders are expert at telling their personal story – what their passion is, where the idea has come from and why it is important. This is the place from which success and the ability to be distinctive emerges.

• Focus. The start-up entrepreneurs whom I mentor usually start by telling me about the big ambition. However, what's usually needed is to focus the idea in terms that investors and customers can readily understand. Keeping it simple is essential.

• Understand where you can add value. Social media content is synonymous with brand creation and reputation. At Cause4, our graduates drive our social media presence via our daily blog. This allows them to develop their personal style. They can be "quietly noisy" online, focusing on topics where they have something new to say – and the connections and knowledge created undoubtedly add value to our brand.

The well-known maxim that people make a decision about you within 30 seconds of a meeting means that projection and style are important. The best leaders will make an impactful first impression with a wholly authentic voice, and starting this process as a graduate or early in your career can do no harm at all. The Gaurdian UK