Controlling Your Narrative

Of the topics that I coach executives on, Personal Branding is the one that consistently gets the most traction. In many cases, executives’ self-perception and identity are transformed.?

About a year and a half ago, I hosted a Q&A focused on personal branding. During the session, a lawyer from Manhattan raised her hand and introduced herself. She mentioned her Indian background, expressing her concern about her brand being focused on her status as an “immigrant.”?

I took a moment to understand her situation. "So, if I understand correctly," I began, "you were born and raised in India, and you immigrated to the United States. You even passed the bar exam in New York. Is that right?" She nodded. Curious, I asked about her area of expertise, to which she replied, "Corporate law."

At that point, I saw an opportunity for her to take control of her narrative. "You're not just ‘an immigrant," I assured her. "You're a Manhattan-based corporate lawyer with a global perspective. Instead of using the term 'immigrant,' let's highlight your unique experience. And by the way, your English is excellent. Your accent is simply a reminder of your global experience."

The transformation in her expression was unforgettable. It was as if a tremendous burden had been lifted, and a radiant smile appeared on her face.

Here's the valuable lesson about controlling your narrative: you can either let it happen or make it happen. By taking charge of how she presented herself, this New York lawyer was able to make her unique, authentic personal brand shine.

But first, what does controlling your narrative mean?

Identifying Your Theme

It's crucial to recognize the power we have in shaping our unique narratives.

What if it’s hard to find your theme?? I’ll ask you this: ?Is there some part of you that you're not particularly proud of? Or something that you try to hide when you're at work??

Then, is there a way of labeling that attribute or creating a narrative around it that becomes a positive? It still has to be authentic, of course.?

Let me give you two examples:?

One of my clients, Arjun, appeared to be someone who rarely speaks. He was quiet and shy. Of course, he had technical capabilities and extensive experience behind him, but he rarely said a word. We worked together to create a narrative for him around the fact that he is “a deep thinker and a strong listener.”

Then, we have Judith, a CEO with a reputation for speaking so fast that many people cannot keep up. Of course, we worked on slowing her pace. We also worked on her narrative. "Yes, I'm working on it. Being a fast thinker sometimes translates to being a fast talker." This simple statement subtly conveyed her exceptional intellect without sounding pretentious. And trust me, there was no doubt about her remarkable IQ. By openly addressing her speech cadence and the need to slow down, all the while embracing her quick thinking, she crafted a smart narrative.

The Role of Leadership

If you want to be seen as a leader, use the word “lead.”

It’s shocking to me how many executives find this to be a revelation.? For most executives, their leadership is a key part of their personal brand.? Whether they are discussing their thought leadership or their team leadership, there are many ways to demonstrate your leadership style .

If you want to be seen as a leader, then use the word LEAD (or leader or leadership) in your narrative!

• “My name is Sam and I lead the west division.”
• “Based on the results of this project I led last year…”
• “In my path to leadership, I focused on …”

You get the idea!

Homework

Your homework this week is threefold:

1. Identify a positive trait (or expertise) that you want to reinforce as part of your personal brand.
2. Identify something you’re less proud of or perhaps something that you might hide at work (your sense of humour? your accent? your stature? your shyness?...). Then create a new narrative that makes you proud (yes, this takes some thinking).
3. Share both of these themes verbally and in your writing about yourself, whenever you have the opportunity!

If you want, share them with with me!? You can message me on LinkedIn or send me a message through the Talk About Talk website .

Talk soon,

Andrea

Dr. Andrea Wojnicki is a Harvard-educated executive communication coach. She founded "Talk About Talk " to help ambitious executives communicate with confidence and clarity. Focusing on personal branding, overcoming imposter syndrome, listening, demonstrating leadership, and formal presentation skills, Andrea provides 1:1 coaching, workshops, keynote speeches, and online courses. She also serves as a columnist at Inc. magazine and she hosts the Talk About Talk podcast , with over 150 episodes and counting.