See a photo of Cindy, her bio, Part 1 of this Q&A, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.
Q&A with Cindy Atlee, Question 5:
Q: Personal branding is probably the hottest area of career 
development and job search right now — but every practitioner recommends a different way of developing one’s personal brand. Can you make a case for why an individual should consider your firm’s approach?
A: Well, for one thing, I’d recommend my approach because it’s story-based! And that’s important because there’s no better way to define your personal brand than by exploring the story you’re most moved to tell in the world (you can find out more about yours by taking the free story typing tool on my website. Since story is an access to the unconscious material that shapes who we really are, it’s through story that we can discover the essence of what defines us.
In my world, personal branding is about discovering what I call your “animating essence” — the deep meaning at your core that literally brings you most alive in the world; that helps you express your real purpose and power in the world. For me, personal branding isn’t at all about packaging up an identity, or trying to lure other people into an association with you. It’s about defining who you get out of bed in the morning to be, and living your life accordingly. It’s about unleashing your enthusiasm, your zeal — even your ardor — all of which is a lot easier to do if you’ve nailed a “happy ending” that matters most to you, and found a way to live it and share it with the world. In the workplace or in an entrepreneurial venture, this means you learn a way of being and communicating about yourself that can be recognized, appreciated and valued.
Not long ago, [A Storied Career] featured a post about personal branding that quoted Olivier Blanchard (in a pretty scathing indictment of the whole concept). Among other things, he posed the following question: “Can you realistically remain “authentic” and real once you have surrendered yourself to a process whose ultimate aim is to drive a business agenda? . . . You know what we used to call people with ‘personal brands’ before the term was coined? Fakes.”
Well, I think Blanchard has been paying way too much attention to Kim Kardashian! There’s nothing inherently fake about a personal brand unless you set out to be calculating, manipulative and/or insincere (and I could be wrong about Kim; maybe that is the real her we hear so much about!).
Of course you can remain authentic in a process that’s ultimately driving a business agenda. Is every organization or brand marketer with a goal also inauthentic? Authenticity is based on making a true and deep connection with those around you, and it’s totally okay if that helps you contribute to and prosper in the world while you’re doing it. You don’t even have to call the process personal branding (I like defining identity much better myself). If your real goal is to express what’s best, most powerful and most passionate about you, then you’re automatically in authentic terrain when you’re exploring the essential story you were born to live.
If you want to articulate a leadership mission and vision that aligns your personal motivation with organizational goals, then you’re in authentic terrain. If you want to engage and inspire others with a distinctive leadership voice, then you’re in authentic terrain. If you want a platform for sharing what really matters to you, and maybe even use it to make the world a better place, then you’re in authentic terrain.
Now, if you’re out marry an NBA player for a few weeks. . .well, that’s another story ☺.