How Project Leaders Can Boost Their Personal Branding

Yasmina Khelifi is a French project manager with 3 PMI certifications. She has been working in an international environment for more than 20 years. Yasmina can speak 6 languages and has an MSc in Mobile Telecommunications. She is a passionate PMI volunteer. Yasmina's new co-authored book 'The Volunteering Journey to Project Leadership' (CRC Press). is now available. Connect with her to continue the conversation.

  Career Development  

“Personal branding” is a scary term to many project managers. For some of you, it’s a strange concept because we are not a brand or a product, but human beings with unique experiences to share. It’s the value we all bring and the impact we make that matters. Yet some of us assimilate with the social media circus for the exposure.

I was pleased to talk about personal branding for project managers in a recent Projectified® podcast. I want to continue the conversation here. Before beginning, I’d like to share a warning: If you work in a corporation, check to make sure what you can talk about in social posts, or be sure to put in a disclaimer (about being a personal view). Confidentiality is also vital.

4 Myths About Personal Branding

1. It’s not common in my culture. Personal branding is less intense or more subtle in some cultures, but our narratives are part of our lives. We like telling and hearing stories. Personal branding is the story told about you; it’s better to take control of it than allow others to.

2. It’s boasting. Personal branding is not boasting. It's sharing experiences and lessons learned with peers and communities. Through these exchanges, you'll find new development paths.

3. It’s marketing, and I’m technical. Well, even technical experts need to communicate well about what …

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