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How are you managing your Jet Stream? Building a personal brand.

"Never judge a book by its cover" - well, eBooks have certainly changed this, for me, because its not about the cover, its about the content, the advertorial and the recommendations of other readers.

When I was a teenager, I read a book that had a profound impact on me - A Patch of Blue, by Elizabeth Kata.

The story is about a young white blind girl who meets a black man and falls in love.   The realisation of how much of our judgement of people is based on their externals, was both depressing and empowering.
  • Depressing because if you don't fit into preconceived ideas of what success looks like, you are at a disadvanatage
  • Empowering because that knowledge allows you to work at making the best of yourself by reading widely, practising lifelong learning, as well as looking professional (industry appropriate) and being reasonably well organised.
Angela Peacock and the People Development Team, have done great work around conscious and unconscious bias, and the impact it has, inter alia, on career advancement.

The way we look makes a difference, like it or not, but so does skill,  knowledge, work ethic, the way you present yourself and the principles you live by.

Is building a personal brand insincere?   It shouldn't be.    It should be about personal development and growth, as well as understanding how people react to you.

The jet stream principle is about what remains when you leave a room.   Do you just vapourise, or is your positive impact floating in the air for a long time after you have gone?

Links, References and Notes

Business Connexion:Accsys
email:      tschroenn@accsys.co.za
twitter:   @TerylSchroenn
Note

Thank you for reading Teryl@Work.   Should you wish to use any of the material, please acknowledge this blog as the source

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