When building a career organizations are looking a key areas of employee fit and growth within their company. This is a high level guide to what to focus on when building your career. Creating your brand.

1. Growing your career :
The PIE Model

2. PIE – A formula for success
Performance
• Entry ticket
• Reputation builder
• Starts the legacy … your
legacy
• Common denominator
in the promotion
process
• Confirms your ability to
take on more
responsibility
• Must grow to stay
above the bar as it is
continuously being
raised
Image
• It’s the message you
send before you
speak, whether
intentional or not
• Includes attire,
confidence and
demeanor
• Develops early in your
career
• Says “I’m ready”
• Every interaction
counts - make sure all
are positive
Exposure
• High career impact
• How others know of
your performance
• Makes you visible to
those who can
influence your career
• Can be enhanced by
network of
mentors, bosses &
champions
• People love it, but
can be good or bad
Your current performance lays the foundation for growth.
Based on book by Harvey Coleman - “Empowering Yourself - The Organization Game Revealed”

3. Steps to success
Performance
Image
PerformancePerformance
Image
Exposure
+ +
+
Performance is the foundation of career progression …
but it is only the entry level ticket.

4. Performance is key
• Make a difference on every job and perform each with the
goals of the organization in mind
• Develop a reputation for delivering results
• Take the hard job … err on the side of the bigger challenge
• Do everything with a sense of urgency and a drive to win
• Make each decision in the best interest of the business
• Take risks, present new ideas, but always relate them directly
to current business needs
Always with unyielding integrity.

5. Competencies are the knowledge, skills, experiences and
behaviors that distinguish performance.
Functional competencies:
Payroll, benefits, accounting and computer skills
Competencies
Non-functional or general competencies:
Team skills, leadership, industry knowledge, growth
focus, customer focus

6. Executive presence
• Articulate how the “big picture” translates into tactical plans
• Demonstrate intimate knowledge of the business and your
function
• Exude confidence not arrogance
• Learn excellent presentation skills
• Maintain composure under pressure
• Learn to command control of a room
• Interact effectively at all levels of the organization
• Consistently deliver excellent results
Project an image of confidence, competence and credibility.

7. Reputation
• Reputation counts – it is how you are perceived by others
rather than the true state of your intentions that counts
• Your reputation is within your control – decide what you
would like to be known for and then conduct yourself
accordingly
• If there is a disconnect between what you would like to be
known for and the perception of you in the organization, begin
now to improve your reputation
Impressions of you form as a result of your behavior and the
things others observe or hear about you.

8. What is a personal brand?
You transfer a customer four times to different departments and she never has her problem solved.
That's your brand.
You get a phone call at the end of the day as you are walking out the door and stay 3 hours longer to
resolve the issue. The customer is delighted. That’s your brand.
You charge a customer extra for something they thought was included in the original price. That's
your brand.
A co-worker calls in sick so you volunteer to help complete some of their tasks and keep the project
on track. That’s your brand.
You step into an elevator with a senior manager and she asks you what you are working on today.
You say “nothing much”. That's your brand.
You step into an elevator with a senior manager and she asks you what you are working on today.
You talk about how you are analyzing recent MITR trends to identify repeat RTS incidents to drive
productivity in your team. That's your brand.

9. Image + Reputation = Brand
Image
What you project and others see.
Reputation
The impression others have of you. It is developed
over time by your actions, behaviors and results.
Brand
Your image + your reputation + exposure. A
reflection of the value you bring to the organization.

10. Image
You can change your image if you are
open to self-improvement.
The only way to see yourself as others see you is to
ask others for an honest assessment of what they see
If your goal is leadership, it is helpful to take a
measure of your image and compare it with the image
of other successful leaders in the business
If you are not sure if your image is consistent with your
career goals, ask for guidance.

11. Reputation
If there is a disconnect between what you would like to be
known for and the perception of you in the organization,
begin now to improve your reputation.
Reputation counts – It is how you are perceived by
others rather than the true state of your intentions
that counts.
Your reputation is within your control – decide what
you would like to be known for and then conduct
yourself accordingly.
Impressions of you form as a result of your behavior and
the things others observe or hear about you.

12. Brand YOU Building Blocks: The 5 “P’s”
Positioning
– What unique benefit do you provide?
Product
– What do you offer?
Packaging
– How do you look to others?
Price
– What is the cost vs. benefit relationship for you?
Promotion
– How will “consumers” become aware of you?

13. Personal branding
Your brand encompasses your image, your reputation and
the extent of your exposure.
• Character
• Education and knowledge
• Experiences with other jobs, countries and cultures
• Competencies and successes
• Roles in your family and community
• Values, morals, passions
You are a total package.

14. Be cautious … Too much can be harmful
You need to be . . . But not . . .
Confident
Talkative
Thoughtful
Respectful
Determined
A leader
Stretching yourself
Competent
Grounded in the present
Focused on the future
Interested in personal development
Overbearing
Monopolizing
Too quiet
Afraid to speak up and out
Overly pushy
Clueless about how to follow
Unrealistic
Unaware of your development needs
So focused that you miss opportunities
Miss out on today’s experiences
Obsessed

15. Personal Brand Elevator Speech
A personal brand elevator speech is a clear and simple
message that states who you are and why you are an asset
to the business.
Imagine a chance meeting with your manager’s leader in an
empty elevator with 90 seconds to ride. Introduce yourself,
describe your brand and your contribution to the business.
Use the speech whenever you are presented with an
opportunity to meet other business associates.