Getting an invisible personal brand

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I know. Getting an "an invisible personal brand"Is an oxymoron, a contradiction. Our personal brand exists because there are others, and if it is invisible it doesn't leave personal brand.

For once, let's go to the heart of the matter. You don't want anyone to find you, neither in a phone book, or in lists of alumni college or Internet. You will leave brand in a closed inner circle, but for purposes outside the circle, you want an invisible personal brand, undiscoverable, non-existent at all.

Is it possible to get an invisible personal brand?

It's hard, but not impossible. I know, although I do not share, your motivations. Perhaps you are not what is known as a "social being”. Perhaps you have a criminal past and you do not want to be found. Maybe you're a "big shot" and you prefer to remain anonymous. And I do not rule out that, simply, you're very jealous person of your privacy and does not want a trace.

Before the Internet was somewhat easier now to get an invisible personal brand. Now the plot thickens, since even the most passive Internet users can make a mistake and give your data to malicious sites regarding privacy.

There are two scenarios to leave no trace, for simplicity we will call it the easy and difficult stage.

Easy scenario. Today there is no trace of you on the Internet

If your personal brand digital is nonexistent today, the first, congratulations. Is not easy. You belog to the 0,1% living beings "connected" undetectable. You had to overcome many pitfalls, or rather, e-traps.

To ensure that this continues, I give the infallible key: Become anchorite. What you read. Forget the smartphone, the wifi, returns to the role, recover old Olivetti. Go away, lonely, a chapel or a monastery of monks / nuns who have taken a vow of silence. Get changed the name, ideally with surname García or Rodríguez.

Of course, forget family and friends, coworkers, collegues of studies. Your upcoming events of networking of will be with spiders, birds, butterflies, a serpent, and plants, a lot of plants.

The difficult scenario. There yours trace on Internet, and you would like to remove it

Here the plot thickens. But do not despair. There are solutions, although you are in the 99,9% of people (in the OECD) which has left digital trail.

You have your own motivations, and certainly they are justified. Leaving a personal brand is something natural, it means what you say and, above all, what you do, has consequences for others. The problem often is in the lack of control of the digital world. Internet is full of trolls with bad intentions that, in real life, pretend to be good fellows.

Thus, let me give you some clues to clear trail and avoid leaving it.

Key 1. Join the Robinson list

Have you heard about it? I think only exists in Spain, for the moment. It is a service that prevents companies send you spam. Is free, easy to manage. You can avoid calls, mails ... from companies that have not authorized to do so. Here's the link to the Robinson List.

Key 2. Remove all your social networks, websites and other environments that are within your reach

If you want to disappear, obviously you'll need to start by removing things. This is the easy part. The problem is that sometimes we create network profiles for years and do not remember neither the mail with which we joint. In this case, send an email to customer service (notice, It's not easy) and you explain the case. Eventually they will understand you and delete the account.

Where is the problem? Well, you can delete your Twitter account -for example-, but the retweets that have made you other will not be cleared. There you will find the material you have yours (before deleting profile) and ask those who have shared to delete those messages. I know, It is laborious, but I have already warned that we are in the difficult scenario.

Key 3. Locate external websites that mention you and negotiates remove your tracks

This can be done by specific engine searches, for example putting your full name in quotes. That includes images, content writing, videos ... The difference in unquoted or is not important:

For example, If I search Guillem Recolons I get 61.100 results, but from page 4.000 Many of Google results refer only to Guillem or only Recolons. If I search "Guillem Recolons"encounter 44.000 results, but all allied and accurate. That means there is no more accurate results near 20.000 results that have nothing to do with me.

From this point, you must begin negociation. According to the so-called "law of forgetting" Google, if it is content with many years, you have the right to have it removed. My advice is that you do with a lawyer, you may spend some money, but you'll gain hours of life and you will save many concerns.

If you're census in any country of the European Union, Here's the Google form called "Withdrawal according to the Privacy Act EU”.

Nevertheless, we have some very complicated: eliminating official positions in companies. If you are or have been administrator, attorney, treasurer or any deed required function, my advice is to go directly to a law firm.

Key 4. Do not point it at official competitions (or Leete before the fine print)

If you're runner in Spain, possibly you know that anyone can see your brand on the web Runedia. How? What you have not asked permission? Surely yes, But we do not read the fine print.

There are plenty of traps on the Internet that can give us a distaste. I know many of my clients before the first session I knew his home address and home phone. How is it possible? For websites with bad intentions, kind Softonic, that in exchange for download a "free" software are left with your details and sell them to third parties. You can avoid reading the fine print or just looking for a payment page. Everything too cheap it's eventually expensive.

In general, distrusts everything on the Internet bears the word "free" as for me, give my data is breaking my privacy.

Key 5. Remove your email accounts, telephone number and applications

All email accounts you used so far for social networks, online shopping, business groups, school, gmail, must be removed. You can create a new, yes, from an internet cafe, from a non-recognizable IP, and does not contain your name.

Same with mobile phone. You can now sell or give away, and make a model vintage Nokia without an Internet connection with a new number. Waivers to instant messaging, logically (Whatsapp, Messenger, Telegram…) because if not, your data is held by giants like Facebook ...

In consecuense, remove all applications, but not before unsubscribe officially, with elimination of your data. On the contrary, will continue running through the digital underworld and not achieve one Invisible personal brand.

OK, I welcome you to 1990

You've got it. No need you to go to Mt., but remember to take the life we ​​led up 1990. Go to a pay phone to call. Send letters with no return address. Do not use any electronic devices, and lead tracking or less if geolocation. Read newspapers and books on paper (while there)…

You've got nearly a Invisible personal brand. At least, It will only be visible to you who you choose. It is a life choice, and you have every right to do so. I still do not know anyone who has gotten, this social isolation is complex. If you know someone, I invite you to have that experience in the comments, Maybe we can write a book ...

Have a nice week!

Image by Tottem Torro on Shutterstock.com

Differences between personal brand, reputation and online reputation

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I wanted to talk to you about Online Reputation and its relationship to real reputation “and” personal brand. Everything is debatable, there is no exact science on this, but I hope to help you understand something important: personal brand, online reputation and reputation are different things.

Online reputation can be fleeting

If our personal brand is a solid foundation, generated by what we leave in others (perceived identity) and what we are (identity), reputation is the result of our actions (or inactions) seen by others. And the Online Reputation is the result of a positive, neutral or negative perception that it occurs in the Internet environment.

A person can enjoy an excellent reputation “and” and poor Online Reputation. That's a fact. I worked for managers whose reputation among peers, team and customers is impeccable, but their Online Reputation is negative. Let's see what can be the main causes.

Negative online reputation due to digital absence

That's the most common case. Some companies “hide” their staff, or managers thereof, by ignorance, obviated minimal presence in the network. The no presence brings out what I call digital trash, that is to say, everything you do not want it to appear on the network: personal information, public legal affairs, negative news. Here the principle that applies here is to take control of our digital brand.

Wrong digital protocol

To be an engineer you need to study four years, so to transfer your reputation to the network you need a minimum of training. Or, delegate to someone in the organization that manages for you (I do not recommend it except for a trial period). Develop the value proposition, the message for each stakeholder, the tone, the content, interactions… not far from the real world, but it requires its protocols.

Wrong storytelling

The digital narcissism, always talking about oneself or one's company bores flies. It is important that digital storytelling is interesting, generating interaction and, above all, value. Share contents of other companies or individuals doesn't hurt, on the contrary, eventually we become good content curators (one of the competencies of 21st century).

Share contents of other companies or individuals doesn't hurt

A few years ago, the spanish singer David Bisbal published an unfortunate tweet about Egypt during one of his trips. That could affect his Online Reputation, but all their real or personal brand reputation staggered. Sometimes, even these mistakes have their positive side: humanise, because they put the person as a mortal like others.

Those who might be punished by a “bad” Online Reputation are the most senior managers of organizations. To face this problem there are programs such as Executive Branding.

Cover photo by Sergei Nivens on Shutterstock.com

Events

TEDxEixample Salon

Albert Vilalta

Albert Vilalta, first Spanish man to get on a TED stage

TEDxEixample TEDx Salon is a small format (a single talk). It will be the 22 January at 19pm in the old factory Damm Barcelona. Free admission if you subscribe on this form.

We will have the privilege to have with us the architect specializing in sustainability Albert Vilalta. Albert was 2011 It was the first TED Fellow of Spain. His talk "Architecture at home in its community"Has more than one million copies in the TED platform.

 

#BrandingWeekRD

From 4 to 8 February will take place the Branding Week in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). This is an event organized by QUIFER Consultores full dedicated to Personal Branding. Among the workshops that will be held I feature:

  • Employee Advocacy
  • Healthy organizations
  • Political Personal Branding
  • HR Digital Transformation.

Branding Week RD

I will be part of the group of trainers and speakers together with Eva Collado, Paula Fernández-Ochoa and Nancy Vazquez. For registration, contact Anabel Ferreiras at www.madi.digital/brandingweekrd.

 

Ebook Personal SWOT

I am preparing a book on the steps to create a personal SWOT. It will be exclusive to subscribers You're not yet?, cheer up!

Believe it or not, an entrepreneur is a person

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Yes, the businessman He has had a bad press as a collective. Likely due to the opacity in how they communicate (communicate in the). Fortunately, something is changing. And those beings who like iron now show their vulnerabilities, His emotions, human condition.

The entrepreneur is like you.

The businessman It is like you; it's more, you, You may not know, also you are an entrepreneur.

A company no longer a task involving some difficulty. And I wonder daily affronts not many of these difficulties? You did not take complex decisions that can harm a few to benefit a lot?

And reminiscing Tom Peters, each of us is a businessman your YO, S.L. We have the ability to manage many small departments that depend on us: I+D, production, branding, marketing, finance, RH, Logistics… You are like the entrepreneur, with the difference that you will auto-you manage and businessman managed for many.

Our superpowers have always been there, but now we transmit without fear

Our Superpowers (Our values) now they make us proud, not shame us. It was a time to show certain values ​​such as solidarity, empathy, the intuition, the imagination… It was considered a sign of weakness businessman. competences soft They were not taken into account. It was what I learned, not how we applied and what we broadcast.

Hence that some were baptized as empresaurios. If we remember Gordon Gekko (Wall Street, 1987), all that mattered to businessman yuppie of those years was the success at any price, the luxury unleashed the accumulation of money. Was far concern for employees and partners or actual corporate values ​​that go beyond hierarchical and authoritarian leadership.

Values ​​are seeking values, power connection

The businessman, and that includes you, It begins to be interested in how that confidence is transmitted. The strategic vision of the business is no longer enough. Executives need to achieve a humanised vision. As claimed by the surgeon and writer Atul Gawande, “hires attitude and skill training”. The skills can be acquired, but the attitude (whose engine are our values) They come with us.

The profiles millennial They have understood like no idea, the prioritization Values ​​on competence. This allows the businessman have better integrated teams, shirt bearing the brand and proudly wear. It is no longer leads, with what-Lider. Do not believe it, if co-creates. And that is possible with integrated teams, motivated and related values.

Values ​​matter and purpose. More than ever.

Entrepreneurs Region Murcia

4th in full digital revolution, remember the words of futurist Gerd Leonhard “…anything that can not be scanned or automated be considered an outlier”. And I assure you that the values ​​and purpose are not robotizables. So every time, the businessman, It should take into account these two factors.

Anything that can not be scanned or automated be considered an outlier. Gerd Leonhard.

The a purpose It will help all who work behind a project to find the meaning of it. A place to see where they go, They know why they should get out of bed in the morning.

The values, meanwhile, will act as vectors emotional connection between those involved in the projects and their stakeholders, its stakeholders.

This week I had the opportunity to share this powerful triangle Purpose / Values / Connecting with a group of entrepreneurs Business Forum Murcia. Thank humanist friend Juanma Egea for having me. I checked live: a businessman It is also a person.

Executive woman photo by Nariz on Shutterstock.com

Agenda

  • 28N. Update Zaragoza. 28 November in Zaragoza active. free event. Registration on the website soon Zaragoza Activa. Do not miss my colleagues Victor Candel, Meme Romero, Elena Arnaiz, Eva Collado, and Juan Martinez (organizer and speaker).
  • 28, 29N. Workshop Personal brand and Relationship Management. Ferrovial, Euroforum II in San Lorenzo del Escorial. You can follow the hashtag #MarcaPersonalSumma
  • 1D. Personal brand 4.0. Personal Branding Lab Day. Since YouTube, 11 Personal Branding conducidas hours followed by Nilton Alicia Navarro and Ro collaboration with the Blanquerna Communication and International Relations and Infojobs. From 10 a 21h (GMT+1). Free. You can follow the hashtag #PersonalBrandingLabDay Personal Branding Lab Day 2018

 

Personal Image and Personal branding: is it the same thing?

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It is logical that confusion. When you hear someone say “that man conveys a very strong personal image”, the "party" begins.

The top of the iceberg

I usually say that personal image is one of the elements of personal communication that may have greater significance in the footprint we leave. Following the methodology of Personal Branding' Iceberg, personal image to the communication area, in the top of the iceberg.

A good personal image must be able to convey maybe not who we are, but how we are. That is the meaning, to give coherence through our gestures, tone, color and voice volume, Dress Style, way of walking, look, type of hairstyle, image sensors (jewelry, tattoos, accessories) on what we are.

Image codes disappear: We don't want to be like everyone else

Some time ago, codes were clear: a financial man could not go tattooed, a CEO had to be someone senior, an economist could not wear brightly colored, a lecturer business could not appear wearing jeans. Check out these paradoxes:

paradigms personal image

Josef Ajram, David Hernandez, Xavier Sala-Martin and Álex López

Here they are, Josef Ajram (Photo found in his site) tattooed hands up, David Hernandez (CEO of Pangea), such a centennial, Professor of Economics Sala-Martin (the picture Elisabeth Magre) looking colors and specialist of sales and social selling Álex López in a conference jeans and sneakers. A paradox is a strange or irrational idea that is opposed to common sense and to the general opinion. And that's why I like it.

In many enterprises, no matter what the business they are “dress codes” have been relaxed. I remember a few years ago Andrea Vilallonga and I gave training to Panasonic (visit her site Andrea Vilallonga) and the company staff told us that he had removed the dress codes. Tie was no longer necessary, and jacket only for salespeople. Even Japanese of Japan excuse the use of the tie when summer arrives.

Nevertheless, there are certain rules, and / professional image pros are here to ensure that these paradoxes lead to transfer consistent personal brand of its customers.

The confusion, saying “personal brand” when you mean “personal brand”

Some days ago, reading my Google alerts for “personal brand”, I found a link to the Spanish newspaper El Español, titled How to build your personal brand with autumn trends 2018. Till then, I thought that it was a serious newspaper. It is very clear that the headline should start with something like “How to enhance your personal image…”, but of course, it does not have the same impact and not so fashionable. They chose “How to Build Your Personal Brand…”.

We don't know who signs this aberration, It seems to show a certain “jaleos”. If in doubt, editorial content is, and therefore, endorsed by the newspaper brand. Let's see. If you are able to “build” your personal brand with this fall trends, What will happen when winter arrives? OMG! Too much work!

A perversion to use a word like “personal brand” in a place that does not belong can only obey two reasons: 1. Ignorance: The article was written by the scholarship holder (with due respect) 2. Malice: They have used the wrong term to attract idiots like me to read this load of nonsense.

Executive Branding, personal branding and personal image

During executive branding projects I use to work on the management personal branding. I usually included at the end of the process a personal image specialist so that everything results aligned. Here nonverbal language is in its broadest spectrum, nobody believes that it is limited to a personal shopper. How to speak in public, the gestures, the looks, silences… They are analyzed thoroughly and provide guidelines for improvement, while maintaining the essence of the person.

There are great professionals in this field, self Andrea, my colleague and friend Beth Borés, from a more scientific level María A. Sánchez... If there's a place the world fan of the advisory personal image is Brazil. The next 5, 6 and 7 November 2018 I will be in Sao Paulo together with Ilana Berenholc and Reinaldo Campos imparting workshop BRAVE (Brand Value Evolution) personal branding to a image consulting staff.

Have a nice week, and do not forget your personal image is part of your personal brand.

Cover photo by mentatdgt on Shutterstock.com

Agenda

What is the positive impact on society want to leave? You got it? It called purpose

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Why do you wake up every morning, beyond money or happiness? Are you in your hands better world, or a small part thereof? Why or who you're ready to fight? What makes that sometimes do not remember lunchtime? and add What is the positive impact on society want to leave?

We welcome the Purpose, to purpose, the vision, the search for meaning.

Some time ago I published on this blog post The person as a unique, a review of the magnificent book by psychologist Viktor Frankl “Man's Search for Meaning” and its observations on the purpose during their captivity in several Nazi concentration camps during World War 2. One conclusion of their studies is that people with a higher purpose, something that was waiting for them beyond the fences, They survived better than others.

In the field of organizations, as I said Ivan Diaz, branding expert and founder of Branzai, “Reality, is that the whole company that has elements of focus, ie propositions that help to walk in the same direction, It grows above average. It's more, any company that has defined a Brand Purpose, It is highly likely to have greater brand culture, and that by itself already it makes you above average.”

The transcendentalist philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) he said “The purpose of life is to be happy. It is to be useful, be honorable, be compassionate, do that makes a difference that you have lived and lived well “. I agree, Happiness may be a consequence of your purpose and how you take it out, not an end in itself.

“I help to draw futures“. That's my purpose. It took me years to discover, and I did simply analyzing the positive impact of what I was doing in my work as personal burner.

Agree, and how does this apply in an organization?, who is the reponsable?

I recommend reading a great article Harvard Business Review called Creating a Purpose-Driven Organization, Robert E. Queen and Anjan V. Zhakor, two teachers and consultants. It's a long article but full of examples, fruit of their research and consulting experience.

It is extraordinary the mobilizing force of a good purpose. But demobilize his absence or purpose other than genuine. The article talks about a company that during the crisis of 2008 He tripled their income in subsequent years, fidelizó the better their professional and more. So, is not only an improvement of intangibles.

I know, You think it's much easier to write the purpose of a non-profit organization (ONG, administrations, public school, Public hospitals…). It is not like this. To a funeral home business can generate a positive impact on society, humanizing dealing with family, facilitating the procedures… The same with a company of military equipment did not the blue helmets of the O.N.U. They do not act as a peacekeeping force? No excuses serve. any organization (no criminal) creates a positive impact on society. You have to research what. And the most important, share it.

I can not agree more with the phrase Simon Sinek, leadership expert: “Customers never feel anything for a company until its people first sit”.

In any case, and again recommend reading the article, summarize their 8 keys to creating an organization with higher purpose:

  1. Display an inspired workforce.
  2. Discover the purpose.
  3. Recognizing the need for authenticity.
  4. Convert the true message in a constant message.
  5. Encourage individual learning.
  6. Convert to middle managers into leaders driven by objectives.
  7. Connect people with the purpose.
  8. “Break free” to the change agents

Connect people with their purpose

Quinn and Thakor conclude that “although a purpose does not guarantee economic benefits, We have seen impressive results in many organizations. And other research, particularly the study of Gartenberg, which included 500.000 people in 429 and companies involved 917 annual observations between 2006 and 2011- It suggests a positive impact on operating financial performance (asset performance) and forward-looking performance measures when the purpose is clearly communicated.

So the purpose is not just a lofty ideal; It has practical implications for financial health and competitiveness of your business. People who find meaning in their work do not accumulate their energy and dedication:. release them, challenging conventional assumptions about economic self-interest. They grow rather than stagnate. They do more, and make it better.”

Do you still think that the purpose due to an empty and simplistic rhetoric? If you have banished the idea, You have a mission as leader of your organization: connect people with their purpose.

 

Photo Colourful defocused glitter by SBW18 on Shutterstock.com

Executive Branding: Changemakers Executive

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It is interesting expression “the changemakers“ used by the authors of "Social Selling”, Tim Hughes and Matt Reynolds (Kogan Page, 2016). We might translate literally as "change makers", although the most accepted term is "agents of change".

Without a doubt, business drivers in organizations are sellers (commercial, account managers…) with executives who make the big decisions. But with the fourth revolution He has emerged a new figure: the Changemakers or change agents.

My colleague Eva Collado defines these the changemakers as informal leaders organizations, connected, formed, informed, and they end up taking key decisions before taking the big managers (Hughes calls C-Suites). Raquel Roca rather call Knowmads, these nomads of knowledge that many believe are always free agents, but really also we found in companies working for others.

Changemakers Executive

Executives of organizations no longer have only mission is to make the big choices, manage teams or clients. Top priority, in the connected economy, It is acting as the changemakers, as change agents. But, why?

Because Yesterday does not exist, although the brand has left the morning can affect us. And the decision, the change process, must be taken today. This temporary gibberish may be the key that justifies these new executives engaged as agents of change in a difficult environment. We live in Moving Waters, where not only past successes do not guarantee future success but deny them.

this barrizal, formed by atoms and bits (real and digital) It requires changing the mindset of executives to adapt to unforeseen situations, not yet discussed in case studies of business schools. If once we thought that failure is the prelude to success, now we should understand that change is the lever survival and growth.

We filled the mouth of digital transformation, but that's not the fuze change

The expression digital processing It is being spent overuse and misuse. I am working with a manager of an organization in the telecommunications area. Talking with him, working business model, I realize something important:

First it is required to work in the transformation of people and cultural change in the organization, and thence to the digital transformation

And that's where I see the true sense of change. The people, First. Organizational culture, after. And the digital transformation, at the end, as one of the shift line.

The mistake many executives in organizations is trying to implement digital transformation without having worked through a change of people and corporate culture. Start cart before the horse. We often get carried away by words rather than concepts and action plans.

the changemakers

Not everyone is ready for change. Source: Shutterstock.com

Executive branding para the changemakers

The executive branding is a process of personal branding plan for change agents, for professionals who must decide and manage the transformation.

Some business schools have already included in their training plans. But in my humble opinion and based on my experience, executive branding process is closer to the consulting training. We can not consider an individual who must make critical decisions as if it were a collective.

Branding for change agents is a very introspective process, that personal values ​​play an important role, and where empathy becomes the lever of transformation of persons and equipment. Organizations are its people. And those who run them should print your DNA and enrich corporate values ​​too poorly differentiated.

The executive branding is not intended only empower executives to develop your personal brand or train them in digital skills. It should be more ambitious and tidy, with the idea of ​​managing a permanent change in people, culture, organization and business development. Just so you can reach the digital transformation, a concept that has left 15 O 20 years of existence until millennials and centennials reaching positions of responsibility.

The process and the craftsmen

-and not dwell protect some method- desglosaré not process executive branding, but the resources needed to carry out.

Because for me it is consulting, are a bis aa. But a consultant to a "client", but from a computer to a customer.

  1. Introspective part requires, in my view, a person trained in psychology. Lately it has focused much self-knowledge in coaching, but I refuse to believe that four or five years of training in psychology can be compared to six months or a year of coaching. If there besides psychology coaching training, much better, but it is not essential.
  2. The strategic part requires two key elements: on the one hand someone with experience mentality and strategy, and someone with managerial experience and cultural transformation.
  3. Finally, the communication part requires someone with expertise and experience in this area. Someone who can not only develop but accompany an action plan to put the value proposition and change the service of the organization and its main stakeholders.

In summary, I would say to forge a changemaker are needed the changemakers. You have an inspiring week.

 

Dedicated to Christian Fernández, a true changemaker. And my good friends psychologists and branders Helena Casas, Fran Segarra, and Elena Arnaiz.

Images by shutterstock.com