Branding and community
An article in Wired Magazine about branding and community made me think about personal branding. Does the idea of “personal branding” make you shudder? Think of it as being a trusted advisor to others in your field.
Rule 1. Take part in your community. Trin Basra, executive creative director at Sparks, “When people share space, energy and emotion, trust forms faster and lasts longer. That’s where connection stops being abstract and starts becoming real.”
Rule 2: Offer more than you take. Build your personal brand on trust because your community is stronger when relationships outweigh transactions.
Rule 3: Measure this effort in genuine interactions. Get past the veneer of introductions and dig into substantive debate, learning and empowerment. Don’t just show up, dig in deep.
Building community
Communities are built by people with similar interests and thrive with people who gain energy from each other and trust one another. My network includes some bada$$ women who find community, resiliency and inspiration when we spend time together. After all, according to Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, “Well-behaved women seldom make history” and people challenging norms benefit from finding community.
- Learn new techniques and share information
- Support each other with resources
- Develop your personal brand
- Tell our stories of overcoming challenges
Trusting your community can take time. Building relationships requires an investment. Keep in mind, spreading yourself too thin won’t allow you to build trust. And showing up sporadically won’t allow you to build relationships.
Thrive in communities
In February, I had amazing conversations across my communities:
- A CISO breakfast helped me parse out resiliency and durability
- Denver Woman’s Pres Club new members demonstrated the power of storytelling
- Rocky Mountain AI Interest Group shared how trust, safety and quality are table stakes for successful AI-enabled services for education
- Women in Technical Infrastructure leaders called for authenticity and trust
- Denver Woman’s Pres Club’s “how-to” on book marketing showed us the power of our tribe
- Global Leadership Institute leaders discussed what authentic leadership looks like
This month my Venn Diagram of communities overlapped and, like George Costanza, I was uneasy with the collision. How would a nerdy woman in tech leadership do with creative women writers? Will my women in technical infrastructure friends be bored at the AI for education interest group?
Turns out that when you invite your tribe to join you in exploring the other circles of your Venn Diagram, the drive home is filled with engaging conversation and new perspectives.
Blue Cairn 