Personal Brand, Meet Moral Compass.

"A personal brand is the unique combination of skills and experiences that make you who you are. It is how you present yourself to the world." - Caroline Castrillon, Forbes Magazine

The idea of a 'personal brand' is very on trend right now, and only gaining traction in our digital age. Being in marketing, I've researched many of the whats, whys and hows of establishing your own personal brand – and there’s a wealth of information out there. However, what’s really been on my mind lately is the concept of intertwining your code of ethics with your personal brand. Can it be done successfully? In other words – can it be done in such a way that your professional reputation is helped, rather than harmed?

It’s an interesting question and one that opens a can of worms – because naturally, the answer is subjective. What one person may applaud, another person will reject. Of course, we’ve all seen this issue play out on a global scale over the last couple of years. COVID-19 ceased to be ‘just a virus’ long ago. Today, it’s a political beast – and one that has fractured friendships and families in a multitude of ways.

After pondering this idea for some time, I let Google do its work and found this article. While it is a couple of years old (I was surprised at the lack of recent pieces on this subject, especially in today’s climate!), I found its ‘ethics assessment’ really illuminating. To lift directly from the author herself:

“Below are a few questions to reflect on toward our journey to ethical branding:

1. What does ethics mean to me?
2. What characteristics do I have which make me an ethical person?
3. How do I express my ethical values in my daily work? Relationships??Attitude??Behaviors?
4. How can I instill a culture of ethics in my workplace or communities? If one does exist, how can I continue to strengthen it?
5. What are the benefits of individuals perceiving me as an ethical person?”

I’ve long seen myself as an ethical person; someone who is on the ‘right side of history’. However, from a professional standpoint, I’ve stayed silent on many issues I feel strongly about for fear of alienating or even damaging my – you guessed it – personal brand. In fairness, this silence was not only accepted but encouraged up until relatively recently. To borrow a loaded phrase: don’t ask, don’t tell. But in these times of rainbow capitalism and the oft-ridiculed cancel culture, I’ve personally reached a watershed moment.

In considering the questions posed above (the third question in particular), I realised I don’t overtly express my ethical values in my daily work. And that made me sad. Now, I’m not kidding myself that at this stage of my career, I hold any kind of sway or importance. I’m just beginning to dip my toe into the waters of leadership (note to self: think of a better analogy). However – I believe in the power of raising your voice, no matter your place in the world. And I’d rather set a precedent now, early in my career.

So with all that being said – and returning to the opening quote for a moment – I would like to present myself to the world thus. I trust science. I am pro-vaccine. I abhor?racism, homophobia, transphobia, and sexism.?And when it comes to Australia Day, I think we should change the date.?

Even in today’s world, I know the above statements can invite controversy. But our world is changing. And I want to change too. I want to proudly and unapologetically make my moral code known, and incorporate it into the personal brand I intend to build. One of hard work; meaningful contributions; new challenges; and ultimately, the courage of my convictions.?