Multi-talented people are usually the most conflicted – they are walking warehouses of opportunities waiting to be fully realized.
My world as a professional identity strategist is replete with exceptionally talented individuals at all career levels and ages. One of my recent group coaching sessions was comprised of a Wall Street top executive, a college student, and a start-up entrepreneur. Despite their range of professional backgrounds and stages in life, their dilemma was the same. They were all struggling to funnel their wide range of talents into one career path - they needed a way to tell a cohesive career story.
This struggle is one I can relate to. I once needed help unleashing latent aspects of my expertise. I had started a social enterprise connecting American pro bono consultants with direct fellowship opportunities at African startups. Running this international leadership pipeline program, I had to wear several professional hats. I was a regular keynote speaker at conferences. I was the career and transition coach to our Fellows at their crossroads. I was the connector for our partners’ investment deals. I acted as an advisor to the U.S. State Department and to other countries my organization worked with. These roles elevated me to become a thought leader in my field but I still felt restricted. I wanted a way to synthesize these skills to go further - I needed a way to tell a cohesive career story.
Building a personal brand resolved this conundrum for me. Personal branding allowed me to house my many talents and took my professional aspirations even further. I was able to expand my sphere of influence and help business executives facing the same puzzle to successfully follow a similar path.
While I've learned many things along the way, these are three key discoveries I made to help accomplished and ambitious individuals move their careers forward:
As multi-talented, you would be multifaceted –It’s only human to be multi-faceted, and talented people tend to have more career options. Building one’s brand starts with a simple yet counterintuitive premise – we are not what we do, what we do is an expression of who we are. Whether an entertainer, engineer or entrepreneur, it is imperative to understand that our roles don’t define our identity, they are only an outlet for our personal brand. This discovery empowered me with a panoramic perspective to find balance and achieve a sense of clarity and articulation.
The problem is not finding the right talent but the core – Rather than get overwhelmed in the multiplicity of options, finding one’s core transferable asset can be a wonderful call to action. In coaching sessions I ask my clients (or tribe as I call them), “What is your survival skill? What is the one skill you could depend on to support you outside of your current means of income?” The answer to this question is a clue to finding your core.
Give yourself permission to be a brand – Conflict persists when we postpone the inevitable. A personal brand makes it possible to mesh one’s many talents into a singular expression. Your talents and expertise then become portfolios and products, and your personal brand is open for business.
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Are you planning your next career move, seeking a transition coach or personal brand advisor? You can reach out to Gbenga on his website or catch his next Tell Your Story series in a city near you.