Who are you? That question has confused and defined many men throughout the ages. The general consensus is that whoever is able to find themselves, their purpose and why they are here would experience great success in life. Those that struggle to find themselves and their path would be left to hoping, wishing and searching for the true meaning of the reflection in the mirror. This pursuit of self often translates into success or lack thereof within the workplace. Many people either excel or underachieve based on their view of self and where they see themselves in the future. They also understand that future outcomes are based on today's actions therefore if they do much today they will have much in the future and if they do nothing today then they will have nothing in the future. To develop "You: The Brand", you have to have quite a few characteristics that are displayed by today's strongest brands. When you hear people speak about top brands such as Coca Cola, Microsoft and GE, you think of things such as dependability, visibility, innovative and successful. These are qualities that each of us should have in developing ourselves as a brand. The people that are most successful understand themselves so well that they are in essence their own brand and they sell themselves with the utmost skill, they become the person they want to be.

A key step in developing "You: The Brand" is to develop unwavering confidence in yourself. Confidence is defined as belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities. In order for you to show others that you can provide what they are looking for, you have to believe that you can provide what it is they need. There have been many situations where I had no idea how to reach the solution that someone required of me but because I spoke with confidence people were more then comfortable that I could figure it out within the required time frame. When approaching a problem you have to believe that you can either figure out or find the solution. There can never be a problem without a solution. The issue that most people run into when they approach a problem isn't that there is "no solution", it's that they don't have enough confidence in "their" ability to find the solution. Remember, people don't know what you are capable of until you let them know, if you are confident that you can do anything then people can either believe you or sit back and watch you achieve it.

Communication is another key skill in developing "You:The Brand". Communication is the key to solving many problems in today's society. Not only is communication the key to solving problems but communication is a primary key in advancing in career and business aspirations. Effective communicators are able to easily and efficiently speak their thoughts, intentions and desires. They are able to communicate so well that their audience is able to see a visual picture based on their oratory explanation. Many times when we watch talk shows, newscasts, or any talk based media we find that we are drawn in more by hosts who can communicate at the highest levels without filler words such as ah, um and so. I am a part of the professional speaking organization known as Toastmasters International and when I give speeches I am critiqued based not only on my presentation but my adequate usage of words. I always thought I was an effective communicator but I wasn't aware of the filler words that I used in speaking and how fast I spoke. The people that I were around most spoke that way so I never noticed that I spoke the same and since people have short attention spans, I had learned to speak as quickly as possible. Within a few presentations I had corrected my word usage and now I speak clearly and more slowly to make sure I pronounce all words to further impact my point.

Communication is indeed a lost art but speaking without substance is a quick way to turn people away from "You:The Brand". We have all come across people who talk much about nothing. You have to have knowledge behind the words you use so that when you speak on topics, people listen. John Maxwell said that only 1/3 of all adults read a book after high school. How can we acquire knowledge if we don't read? I make it a point to read many websites and many books on the topics that I strive to become knowledgeable in. Daily I read books and websites on leadership, technology, ministry and web design. It has been said that if you read 3 books on a topic then you are knowledgeable, if you read 5 books you are well versed in it and if you read 10 books then you are an expert. I found that when I spoke on topics, many people would listen because I had researched the topics prior to speaking. I learned in the book of Proverbs that the wise are quick to listen and slow to speak, but fools are quick to speak and slow to listen. Therefore I would listen and learn from many on topics and when I could add to the conversation I would then speak. In my previous article "Reading is fundamental, research is critical", I wrote that research is critical to advancement and when you stop learning you stop growing.

The final step to developing "You: The Brand" is to become unique. When you look at the major brands, you see they are unique in their field. Coca Cola has a secret formula that makes it unique from all other beverages. Microsoft is the only company that provides all the software and computer related solutions that it does. When you start to look at what you are bringing to the table, you need to make sure that you are unique from your competitors. You want to make sure that the solutions you provide, talents you bring and leadership you exemplify sets you apart from anyone or any company that tries to out perform you. Your approach, insight and process should be one that shows that you may not be the cheapest, fastest or shortest way to the solution but you are the best and your way is the only way they should use.

Right now take steps to become the person you want to be, start to walk in who you believe you are and you will become that person. The steps you take today get you closer to your goals of tomorrow.