Expanding Your Brand

March is National Women’s History Month in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. In 1987, Congress passed a joint resolution which designated March as “Women’s History Month”. Moreover, there is an official government sponsored website dedicated to promoting activities and knowledge around National Women’s History Month. Although the websites and various activities highlight the contributions of women in various fields the importance of gender equity in our society is not always appreciated by many. Linking gender equity in the workplace to the development of a robust personal brand that highlights your skills and talent is necessary for career progression. However, this is often a challenge to both minorities and women. Clark, highlights how building a personal brand “has some unique challenges for female professionals. Research has repeatedly shown that women are subject to a phenomenon known as the “likability conundrum.” In an article highlighted by Marianne Cooper, she notes that “To be clear, it is not that women are always disliked more than men when they are successful, but that they are often penalized when they behave in ways that violate gender stereotypes.” To navigate the likability conundrum, Clark proposes three strategies: 1) Network both inside and outside of your organization, 2) Control your narrative, 3) Share your ideas publicly. Overall, these sound strategies are essential to building a professional brand, and Clark highlights on essential principle “if we don’t control our own narrative and show the world what we can contribute, odds are very few people will actually notice.”

Article: How Women Can Develop — and Promote — Their Personal Brand by Dorie Clark

URL: https://hbr.org/2018/03/how-women-can-develop-and-promote-their-personal-brand