Role Model Event
Zug, September 5, 2019

A far cry from when a brand was a physical symbol of property ownership, today the term brand in business has evolved to imply how a customer (or potential customer) perceives a product or services, and particularly what value they expect to get from it. This modern definition of “branding” now applies equally to how our employers, colleagues or prospective employers perceive us as individuals, and the benefits they expect to get from working with us. Such career relevant aspects were explored in depth at this Advance @ Thomson Reuters Role Model Event.

By Heather Force, Employee Experience Strategy, Digital Employee & Partner Technology Thomson Reuters

At the Power of Personal Branding Role Model Event at Thomson Reuters in Zug, Pamela Strozzi, Head of Customer Experience at Thomson Reuters, made it easy to think about the “brand” we wish to convey to find out what people actually perceive, and to influence that perception in order to use personal brand to achieve our own goals.

Know your brand

It starts with thinking about how you want your personal brand to be described, in a single word. Then, since a brand exists in the eye (and heart) of the beholder, find out from others how they perceive you. Pamela recommends asking 10 people – who will be brutally honest with you – to pick a single word that defines you in their eyes.

Evolve your brand

Where you discover a mismatch between the brand others see and the one you want to convey, Pamela recommends using the attributes that others do see to bring to light the ones they don’t. You can do this by working on projects, or in roles, where you can get your foot in the door using the attributes they know you have and then actively demonstrate the one they didn’t know about in the course of your work.

Shape you brand outside-in

Consider also how your brand may evolve due to outside influences. Without changing how you behave, how you are perceived may be entirely different depending on the context. Whether the working environment has changed, or simply that different people are seeing you through a different cultural lens, it’s important to consider what adjustments may be necessary to ensure the brand you want is the one that is coming across. Note that this may also require different approaches in different types of interaction: whether you are in person, in teleconferences, or online in your social media profiles.

Get value from your brand

All this, though, requires a purpose. Know what you want to achieve, and what aspects of your brand are needed to get you there. Keep in mind, though, that this is not about changing who you are, but about recognizing who you are and ensuring through conscious steps, behaviors and actions that others see the best of that.

Be true to yourself

Following the talk, Pamela was joined by two Thomson Reuters colleagues, Priscilla Hughes, General Counsel Enterprise Centre & Chief Compliance Officer and Jeff Patrias, Head of Brand Marketing for a panel discussion, where the strongest underlying message from the talk came shining through: however you approach your brand, and whatever you do to evolve it – be true to yourself.

A big round of applause …

… once again and a big thank you to Pamela for her inspiring talk, to Priscilla and Jeff for sharing their insights on the panel and to everybody involved to make this valuable event possible!