Self Branding is the necessary trait required for a Project Manager to brand project, team and self

1. Branding techniques
in Project Management
Self Branding of
Project Manager –
the Key for success
-- VSR
March 2009
The views mentioned in this document are solely by the author and
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does not reflect the views of any organization or entity - VSR

2. Presentation Outline
What is Self Branding?
Self Branding Techniques
Self Branding Material
Company Branding Vs. Self Branding
Summary: Self Branding
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- VSR

3. What is Self Branding?
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4. What is Self Branding?
• “Self-branding is nothing but taking
advantage of right opportunities at right
time, outperforming the tasks, and
communicating about the success and
failure stories to different stakeholders at
appropriate time”.
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- VSR

5. What is not Self Branding?
• Self centric boost up rather
demonstrating expected results and
performance.
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- VSR

6. Benefits from Self Branding of a Project
Manager
1. Visibility and image in the organization
2. Natural choice for the challenging
engagements & career growth
3. Acceptance by management, peers, experts as
value adding agent
4. Opportunities to influence some of the
organizational decisions
5. Interest from team members and peers to work
with project manager
6. Excellent networking with external
professional bodies and learning
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7. Self Branding Techniques
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8. 5 Powerful Self Branding Techniques
1. Delivery Excellence
2. Volunteer Leadership
3. Individual Social
Responsibility (ISR)
4. Trust & Confidence
5. Communication
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9. Self Branding Techniques: Delivery
Excellence
• Continuously improving
• Self performance
• Team performance
• Project performance
• Organization performance
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10. Self Branding Techniques: Volunteer
Leadership
• Project managers who
demonstrate volunteer leadership
by participating in various unit
and organization level activities
will automatically get good
image.
• For example, Project Managers
could contribute for Knowledge
Management activities, training
activities, consultancy for other
internal projects and corporate
social responsibility activities etc
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11. Self Branding Techniques: Individual
Social Responsibility
• Actively participate in Project
Management community development
activities (Project Management,
Program Management, Project Portfolio
Management, Leadership etc) in
association with professional bodies
like PMI and internal organization
entities
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- VSR

12. Self Branding Techniques: Trust and
Confidence
• Trust and confidence building are
very essential elements for self-
branding of Project Managers
• Organizations always look for
trusted and dependable Project
Managers. Any element of mistrust
might cause serious implications on
future opportunities of project
managers.
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13. Self Branding Techniques:
Communication
• Timely and Right communication at
appropriate platforms and forums
about success and failure stories is
a very powerful self-branding tool.
• Project Managers need to excel to
the extent that various stakeholders
speak about them at different
occasions.
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14. Self Branding: Impact of Overselling
• Over-selling is not good for the project manager. Project
managers should be very cautious about over selling to
avoid creating an insecure feeling to other stakeholders.
• Aggressive self branding without listening to the
stakeholders will back fire the project managers.
Communication skills of a project manager would play a
very vital role in self-branding. The branding should be
stakeholder driven.
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15. Self Branding Material
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16. Self Branding Material
• Project Manager’s Web site
• Project Manager’s Blog
• Success stories/accolades within internal news letters
• Open house meetings with team
• Timely communication with stakeholders using Status Card/
Health Card
• Guest lectures in different professional forums
• Leadership roles in various non project related activities
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17. Company Branding Vs. Self
Branding
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18. Difference between Company Branding
and Self Branding
Branding Tool Company Focus Area Project Manager Focus Area
Service Quality Differentiation from Competition Differentiation from Peers
Alliances & Create Business Pipeline Create Opportunity Pipeline
Partnerships (alliances with different vendors, (partnership with individuals,
academic institutes and other professional bodies and other
organizations) organizations)
Strategic Relationships Relationship with senior leaders Relationship with Peers, Team
like CXO, BU Heads etc to Members, Customers and Project
increase Market share Management Community to increase
Self brand/ image
Strategic Investments Strategic investments for Strategic investments for honing skills
Business Expansion (E.g. Knowledge Contribution,
(e.g. Money, Infrastructure, Effort Volunteer activities etc.)
etc)
Social Responsibility Corporate Social Responsibility Individual Social Responsibility
Events Sponsorships, Guest Lectures, Guest Speeches / Key Note
Exhibition Stalls to market the Speeches at different forums/events
company services and products to self-brand project manager
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19. Self Branding : Summary
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20. Self Branding Tips: Tip 1
• Differentiate from other project managers in
the areas of delivery acceleration, team delight,
and customer delight
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21. Self Branding Tips : Tip 2
• Be creative and innovative and continuously
suggest ideas for improving project
performance, team performance and
organization performance
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22. Self Branding Tips : Tip 3
• Take advantage of opportunities and
demonstrate volunteer leadership. This would
differentiate from other project managers.
• Just limiting to day-to-day project work is not
enough and Project Managers need to go extra
mile to add continuous value to different
stakeholders
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23. Self Branding Tips : Tip 4
• Demonstrate Individual Social Responsibility
(ISR) by contributing Knowledge to the
different community groups like Project
Management, Program Management,
Leadership etc
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24. Self Branding Tips : Tip 5
• Communication is the power. Continuous
communication with various stakeholders
about various happenings irrespective of
success and failures is essential to create
positive branding.
• Communicating the unpleasant news with
stakeholders very proactively and managing
the same will create tremendous branding
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- VSR

25. Thank You!
VSR
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