Lee Sumner
Certified Professional Coach

for inspiration, strategies, and results

June 2006

Vol. III - Issue 6

Words of Wisdom

Top 10 Ways to Become
the CEO of Me, Inc.

2. Listen to your fan club. When people introduce you or talk about you to others, they often make some powerful brand statements and use adjectives that clearly describe you.

3. Write your vision and purpose to guide you as CEO of Me, Inc. Your vision is what you see possible for the world. Your purpose is your role in supporting that vision. What turns you on? Learning something new? Gaining recognition for your skills as a technical wizard? Shepherding new ideas from concept to market? What's your personal definition of success? Money? Recognition? Or doing what you love? However you answer these questions, search for job or project opportunities that fit your vision and purpose.

4. Ask yourself: What does my product or service do that makes it different? Give yourself the 15-words-or-less challenge. Take the time to write down your answer and read it several times. If your answer wouldn't light up the eyes of a prospective client or, worst of all, if it doesn't grab you, then you've got a big problem. It's time to give some serious effort to imagining and developing yourself as a brand.

5. Forget your job title. Ask yourself: What do I do that adds remarkable, measurable, distinguished, distinctive value? Forget your job description. Ask yourself: What do I do that I am most proud of? Most of all, forget about the standard rungs of progression you've climbed in your career up to now. Burn that "ladder" and ask yourself: What have I accomplished that I can unabashedly brag about?

6. Come to terms with power -- your own. The key lesson: power is not a dirty word! If you want people to see you as a powerful brand, act like a credible leader. When you're thinking like brand YOU, you don't need org-chart authority to be a leader. One key to growing your power is to recognize the simple fact that we now live in a project world. Almost all work today is organized into bite-sized packets called projects. This is ideal for growing your brand: projects exist around deliverables, they create measurables, and they leave you with braggables.

7. Read "Now Discover Your Strengths" by Buckingham and Clifton. This book (and the associated on-line test) helps you identify the top 5 strengths that you use to be successful. Find out your top five.

8. Review your feedback. Re-read your most recent performance evaluation or testimonials and ask yourself what they are really saying about you. Use a questionnaire to solicit feedback specific to your brand attributes. Ask people to identify the 5 adjectives that they most closely associate with you.

9. Remember, it all matters. When you're promoting brand YOU, everything you do -- and everything you choose not to do -- communicates the value and character of the brand. Everything from the way you handle phone conversations to the email messages you send to the way you conduct business in a meeting is part of the larger message you're sending about your brand.

10. Work with a coach. Coaches really get to know you and can help you clearly identify your values, strengths and passions. They can work with you to use your brand to achieve your goals. Email Lee and ask for your free Values Assessment.