Today's competitive and quickly changing workplace has altered the rules on how to get ahead. In a CEO survey we conducted, top executives noted that a key to their own personal success was based on building their career by using their strengths. Sunny Kobe Cook, author of "Common Things, Uncommon Ways", and INC Magazine's 'Woman Entrepreneur of the Year,' points out that you truly are CEO of your own career.

Sunny, who went from being a secretary to running her own multi-million dollar business, noted "'Using your strengths on the job is the key to BIG success. I was always aware of my own shortcomings, so I surrounded myself with people who allowed me do what I was good at, being certain that they had strengths that filled in for my weaknesses."

This approach allowed Sunny to build a successful retail empire. "It's hard for people to acknowledge what they are good at," said Sunny. "Too many people devalue themselves. The best advice I can offer is to tell people to get clear on what their strengths REALLY are. Just because you do certain tasks doesn't mean you are particularly good at them. You must develop your talents, and take responsibility for advancing them. I have found that the best job performance comes from an individual who is happy using his or her strengths at work."

Acknowledge Your Career Identity

Arlene, Executive Director for a nonprofit organization, was miserable when she encountered big problems on her job. Although she was terrific at media relations, fundraising events, and program development, she was pitifully poor at accounting and budgets. This weakness was actually jeopardizing her position with the organization. Working together during her career counseling sessions, we identified and evaluated her key strengths; then determined what her professional reputation reflected. Finally, we developed a strategy to forge ahead into a new job that better aligned her strengths with the job requirements. This approach helped her land a terrific job where they have a controller who handles financial decisions, and her duties are focused in areas in which she is most gifted. Arlene knew she couldn't overcome her weaknesses, so we found an environment that was compatible with her strengths. Incidentally, this new job also came with a much higher salary. Her new employer placed a high value on Arlene's talents and accomplishments. And, she reports that she's never been happier.

So what is BRAND YOU?

"Career identity" or "personal brand" is your professional reputation. These terms, which we call "Brand You," refer to the way you appear to the world around you. It reflects other people's opinions of you as a worker, the associations they make when they think about you, and their evaluations of what you do or don't do well.

Brand You communicates your career identity to the world. Brand You is based on the authentic, talented, and genuinely unique and special person you are. (It is not faked or artificially created, or some packaged piece of advertising.) The components of Brand You are the essence of you as a person. It includes: your work strengths, your image, your passion and your personality traits, along with perceptions of you in the eyes of others, which when applied in a work environment enhances your productivity. But you must know yourself well -- especially if you wish to leave a positive memorable impression with bosses, coworkers, and hiring managers.

Begin today! Develop a clear picture of who you are. Sunny Kobe Cook suggests, "Poll your co-workers and those close to you. Ask them, 'What do you think I am good at?' And don't dismiss what they say. Acknowledge it."

This is great advice, since it is other people who will recommend you for a project, a new job, or a promotion. Identify and then continue to master your talents. Begin by writing down three steps you can immediately begin to work on that will allow you to develop your strengths. Improving on those strengths is the driving force behind any successful career.

Read more about personal branding in Robin's book: "Soaring on Your Strengths"

Copyright 2007 Robin Ryan. All rights reserved.