We often think of our personal brand as the way we are seen by others. It’s a topic that only comes to mind when we are searching for a job or trying to position ourselves for a promotion.  In reality, the art of self-branding is much deeper. You must first understand that your personal brand is a compilation of: life experiences, personality, strengths, and passion. Life choices and the feedback you receive from others also add to the layers of dimension that make up your brand.

Successful people “self-actualize to their strengths”, Joe Gaglio a senior partner at Deloitte said at a recent Challenge Detroit leadership development workshop. His reasoning comes from a foundational understanding of human psychology. In order to become truly successful at something, we must first be comfortable in our own skin. By learning to empathize with ourselves, we can better understand our strengths and weaknesses.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Do you take charge in business situations, or do you seek to entertain? Do you dislike conflict and wish that everyone on your team would just be happy or are you content on barking out orders? There are many online quizzes that can help you quickly determine your personality type. The key to driving the most out of your self brand is to first understand what makes you, you!

TAKE THE PERSONALITY QUIZ (4min)

Once you have a better sense of who you are, you will be able to better communicate your ideas. By understanding who you are, you will be better positioned to collaborate with individuals of different personality types. The worst thing you can do is to falsely represent your personality. Everyone can spot a fake, so it’s important to play to your strengths.