Why Leaders Need to Start Thinking About Their Personal Brand

The idea for this article came from a conversation at my daughter’s daycare dinner.

I was chatting to another mum who, it turns out, is a leader in her field. She works in the not-for-profit space, heading up an organisation that does incredible work.

During our chat, she mentioned that her executive team had encouraged her to start developing her personal brand and growing her profile, but she wasn’t quite sure where to begin or what that even looked like.

We spoke candidly about it. She admitted she had ideas, opinions, and insights but didn’t necessarily have the time, space, or structure to bring them to life in a way that felt purposeful or aligned.

And that’s when it hit me: so many leaders find themselves in this exact same position. They’re being asked to show up online and share their expertise, but they’re unsure how to do it in a way that doesn’t feel forced or disconnected from their values.

The Importance of Personal Brand in Leadership

Your personal brand is essentially your professional reputation made visible. It's the way others perceive you, not just your title or your resume, but your voice, values, and vision.

In a world where audiences are increasingly turning to people over companies, your personal brand matters. Especially in leadership roles. It helps:

• Humanise your organisation

• Build trust with your stakeholders
  Open doors to media, speaking and partnership opportunities

• Position you as a thought leader in your industry

• Inspire and influence from a place of authenticity

But what if you're unsure where to start?

That was the core of our conversation. Where do you begin when you're told to "build your personal brand"?

Start With What You're Already Doing

As we chatted, I asked her a simple question:

"What are you already passionate about or naturally talking about?"

She lit up talking about her work. She had a deep understanding of systemic challenges, grassroots initiatives, and the future of community-led solutions. She had lived experience, thought-provoking opinions, and had even written a book.

But none of that was showing up online.

Your personal brand doesn’t need to be created from scratch. Often, the seeds are already there. You just need the space, structure, and strategy to bring it forward.

A Simple Thought Leadership System

I suggested she start by creating a thought leadership series, a content system that anchors her insights around a central theme.

Here’s a simple framework that might help:

1. Define your focus
   What do you want to be known for? What conversations light you up? What feels timely and relevant in your industry?

2. Create one long-form piece a month
   This could be a blog article, a LinkedIn post, or even a short podcast. Start with something that feels natural.

3. Repurpose that content
   From your long-form piece, you can break it down into:

• 2-3 short social media posts

• 1 newsletter

• A speaking point or quote

4. Create a series
   A series provides consistency and structure. In her case, since she had already written a book, I suggested each chapter could become a blog post or content theme. If the book is digital, she could even use read AI to help summarise and repurpose it.

Overcoming the Fear of Visibility

One of the biggest blocks for leaders building a personal brand is the fear of putting themselves out there. It can feel vulnerable.

But here’s the truth: if you don’t shape your narrative, others will shape it for you.

By proactively showing up and sharing your insights, you're not only positioning yourself as a trusted voice, you're also modelling what leadership looks like. You’re showing your team, your stakeholders, and the broader community that expertise doesn’t always have to look polished or perfect. It can be human.

For Leaders Inside Organisations

This isn't just for founders or entrepreneurs. If you’re in a leadership position within an organisation, building your personal brand can amplify the impact of your organisation. It doesn’t detract, it elevates.

And in a world of faceless brands, your voice brings credibility, trust, and relatability.

Final Thoughts: Start With Curiosity

That night, we didn’t come up with a full content plan or brand strategy. But we opened a door. And that’s where it begins.

Start by asking:

• What do I care about?

• What would I like to be known for?

• How can I bring more of that into how I show up online?
  

You don’t have to figure it all out at once. Just begin.

And if you want support in building your thought leadership system, your personal brand strategy, or turning your existing insights into something powerful, I’d love to help.