Authenticity is at the Heart of Every Brand

 

30x30x30 Blogathon Post #16:  June 16th – Sharon Gilmour-Glover

Sharon Gilmour-Glover continues the third week of the Blogathon with her post on Day 16. I first became connected with Sharon when I stumbled upon the website for her business, Clarity For the Boss. Sharon specializes in creating clarity for businesses and individuals struggling with uncertainty and change. She defines ‘clarity’ as having a new pair of glasses with the right prescription! Sharon’s post on authenticity being at the heart of every brand plays very nicely into clarity. We certainly have the most clarity in our career and lives when we are being authentic.

Have the clarity about your authenticity and enjoy Sharon’s post.

 

The 30x30x30 Blogathon is happening every day in June! Click here to add to your feed, and you won’t miss a day!

 

 

Authenticity is at the Heart of Every Brand

 

So you know how when a really great opportunity comes along, and you say, “Yes, I’d love to. Thanks so much for the invitation.”

Then, all of a sudden you realise you have no idea how to deliver on this great opportunity?

That was me in relation to writing this post. I was honoured to be invited but I’m not a personal brand expert. When I told Peter I didn’t know what I could contribute he said, “Write about what you specialise in. Be yourself. You don’t have to be what you aren’t”. In short, be authentic. 

The Power of Authenticity 

Authenticity is at the heart of every successful brand, whether personal or corporate. Being authentic, living from the core of who we really are, helps us to hang in when the going gets tough. It connects us to our passion, reveals our strengths and is that drive inside of us that doesn’t let us let go of what we really believe in.

It sounds so easy, just be who you are, but it can be incredibly difficult. And very, very scary. Authenticity can cost us a lot. From the moment we are born the people around us and the communities in which we live, start to teach us what is right and wrong and how to live “successful” lives. For the most part, it’s a good thing but an unintended side effect is that sometimes, we get the message that there is really only 1 right way to be and live. If who we really are, if what we really believe, differs significantly from what the majority of our community believes is the right way, our life is going to be very challenging.

Authenticity demands vulnerability. That’s why it can be so difficult and lots of people and many of companies don’t live and make decisions from their base of core values and deeply held beliefs. What if what we believe in goes against common practice? What if everyone finds out what I really believe and think I’m stupid? Or worse yet,

“What if I live authentically, put myself right out there and I am just not good enough?” Tweet This!

Then what?

Be Authentic and Change the World!

Steve Jobs got fired from Apple. Dr. Brené Brown spoke from a place of authenticity and had a break down as a result. But both of these people have changed the lives of millions of people because they had the courage and tenacity to be who they were in the world, even though it wasn’t always easy.

I’ll bet if you stop and think about the people you admire, the businesses you are loyal too, the art, music, books and food that draw you, what they all have in common is that in their own way, they are expressing something real, consistent and authentic. And that is the true secret of sustained success whether we are talking about personal or business branding.

That takes me right back to the beginning of this post and Peter’s excellent advice; write about what you know. Be yourself. Those are words we can all live by.

And I Want to Thank You…

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Peter for including me in this blogathon. It is a thrill to be included in such great company from all over the world. I would also like to thank Peter for being an inspiration. I have immense admiration for people who follow their passion, even when the road may not be so straightforward and personal branding in Japan strikes me as being challenging. Peter, I wish continued success and I’m so pleased we connected.

 

 

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