Avoid Ego-Driven Personal Branding to Boost Your Professional Credibility
C. Lee Smith
SalesFuel CEO, Sales Credibility Authority, Certified Behavioral Analyst, International Bestselling Author and Keynote Speaker. I multiply revenue opportunities by elevating credibility with buyers. Ask me how.
Having a strong personal brand is crucial for establishing yourself as an expert in your field – especially with Gen Z decision-makers. But it’s important to remember that personal branding is what you want people to think about you, while credibility is what they actually think.
Social media has given us the power to build our personal brand in a way that has never been possible before. We post videos, articles and links to content that we admire. If we’re not intentional about the story we’re telling, we’re missing an opportunity to build something even more important than our personal brand – and that’s our credibility with key decision-makers.
Simple stated, if your goal is to be an "influencer," your follower count is a top priority. For some, it's an unhealthy obsession. In business, however, it's better to influence the people who count than to count the people you influence.
I recently spoke with Elizabeth Rosenberg , personal branding expert and Founder of The Good Advice Company , and the conversation turned to?how business professionals can avoid what she called “ego-driven personal branding.”
"Leaders make a?mistake when they are living and leading in fear of being accepted as our authentic selves. And when they want to be famous, well known, or popular vs. wanting to make an impact,”?she told me.
In other words, many of us are focused on the wrong tasks. In the pursuit of likes and followers, it's easy to drift away from the content that truly represents us.
Elizabeth encourages us to uncover our unique story?and the key life experiences that have led us to become business leaders. Usually, this is linked to our desire to make an impact on the world.?
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This resonated deeply with me. For example, when I speak on stage, I always share my “origin story” to help people get to know where I came from, my mission to make the sales profession a more respectable one and why I care so much about it.
This style of brand building can be uncomfortable because you are letting people into your private world. When you reveal these experiences and how you are managing them, your authenticity comes through and your credibility increases. People pay attention to what you have to say because they can relate to you, not just as an expert, but as a human.
In my role, I guide executive leaders, entrepreneurs and other professionals who are struggling to find their purpose by leveraging their?natural work traits to align their personal branding with their genuine selves. These efforts are pivotal not only for personal growth but also for enhancing your professional credibility in the digital space.
If you understand your purpose, you will find it easier to work on your personal branding efforts on sites like LinkedIn, YouTube?and other social media.?If you come across as knowledgeable, relevant and relatable, you will see your credibility rise. And that’s what makes it far easier to influence others and achieve what you really want.
To hear a full interview on the Manage Smarter podcast, visit