Discover and deliver on your ‘why’ with a bedrock Brand Declaration.
Deciding to buy—whether that’s investing in a product, a business relationship, a new hire or a business relationship—means deciding to trust. And a 2024 study, Trends in Personal Branding National Research, found that 74% of Americans are more likely to trust (and therefore buy from) someone with an established personal brand.
Another striking data point: 67% of all Americans would be willing to spend more money on products and services from companies of Founders whose personal brand aligns with their values.
In perhaps the most powerful statistic, 82% agree that companies are more influential if their executives have a personal brand they know and follow.
The data points to a stark realization that a trusted personal brand is not considered to be a game of vanity or popularity but a more critical component to how consumers make purchasing decisions.
But how do you build that trust-inspiring personal brand?
Let’s first look at the most trusted corporate brands for lessons on the important link between branding and trust. Then let’s dive into how you can develop your own executive personal brand using a Brand Declaration from Revealing Genius as your launching pad. This will be good for you, the people you most want to serve and the world.
In the words of educator, author and philosopher Howard Thurman:
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Corporate Brands Rated Tops for Trust Reap Benefits
Andre Benjamin, VP/strategy and partnerships for HundredX, which partnered with Forbes to develop its 2025 most-trusted corporate brands list, underscores the idea that top trust rankings correlate strongly with future purchasing decisions.
“The higher you are on the list, the more people want to buy from you,” says Benjamin in a Forbes feature article about the list. “It’s not squishy. It’s real.
“No one loves their phone company. No one loves a cable company,” Benjamin says. “But if you are doing a great job focusing on what those customers need and what engenders trust, you are rewarded relative to your industry.”
Being Good at What You Do Isn’t Enough
At this point, you might be wondering, “Can’t I just be good at what I do?” “Won’t being really good be enough to make people trust me?”
I’m sorry to say it, but no. They need you to express what your brand stands for.
A recent guest on my The Great Work of Your Life™ Interview Series, Dr. Ming Wang explains this well. As Dr. Wang sees it, the proverbial “10,000 hours” of doing something is simply the ante for doing it well. (Catch the episode and be sure to subscribe to the Revealing Genius YouTube channel!)
“What drives me and gives me the energy is the why,” Wang says. An M.D. and a Ph.D. in physics and the subject of the movie “Sight” starring Greg Kinnear, his “why” is to witness the moment when someone goes from being in darkness to seeing the light—because he has restored their vision.
“It is the ‘why’ we have to keep on identifying, sharpening and focusing,” he underscores in the show. Consider this: Leaders that people will die to follow know their “why.”
A Trusted Personal Brand Starts with a Brand Declaration™
A Brand Declaration is arguably one of the most important exercises you will engage in to pursue meaningful work. Think of it as a tool to excavate your True North, streamline the vocabulary and language to clearly and consistently articulate what your personal brand stands for, and affirm what you value most until you can feel it in your bones.
It consists of three parts: 1) defining your purpose, why you exist to serve; 2) your why, at what you are the best in the world with the transformation you create when you’re rooted in that zone of genius; and 3) your hows, your non-negotiable floor of excellence in terms of how you show up in the world.
It’s a time-proven tool to ground you in your core values and enable you to say yes to what gives you energy no matter what age or stage you’re in, particularly in times of transition. It will also enable you to gracefully shed things that don’t serve you anymore. It’s the foundation from which to build a trusted personal brand.
Here is the simple template for the output:
My Purpose
(This is why you exist to serve.)
My Why
(This describes at what, you are the best in the world, and the transformation (before and after experience) you facilitate when you are tapped into your zone of genius. Formula: To <contribution> so that <impact.>)
My Hows
(These are non-negotiable. In the absence of them, you cannot create an impact. Start with an action word. Up to nine is the best practice. )
Here are two examples:
Tomas A, US Marine Corps, First Lieutenant, former Director Public Health Workforce Data Systems for the CDC Foundation & Bureau Director for PA Dept of Health, public speaker, mobilizes resources at scale
My Purpose
Stirring Bravery
My Why
To immerse myself in service so that people and organizations shine.
My Hows
Exemplify service above self
Do the work
Stay calm and focused regardless
Help people to help themselves
Move with agility
Champion the trial of new things
Have fun
Exude confidence and excellence
Internalize the compliment (take it!)
————————————————————————————————–
Dawn M, Board Director, Finance Chair, Enterprise Transformation Leader, expatriate
My Purpose
I exist to serve by Embracing Grace
My Why
To drive systemic, lasting change by involving and honoring people so that they feel empowered and comfortable (even courageous) to forge untested paths and find the adventure in overcoming great challenges.
My Hows
Exude uncompromising character, integrity, humility, trust, respect
Raise the bar on accountability, by my example
Ideate to problem solve
Reconcile underlying assumptions
Listen then act
Strive for wisdom
What Happens When You Have Your Brand Declaration in Hand
With your Brand Declaration established, your network will see that you’re walking your talk. They will trust that you will consistently deliver on your purpose, your why, your hows and therefore be more inclined to “buy” from you. As a tangential bonus, you’ll also walk through any doorway with a palpable sense of agency and conviction.
The Brand Declaration leverages the Excavate-Tell-Affirm™ process which is quick, fun and iterative. You’ll not only clarify your brand now but also gain a process to revisit your brand at any time. Here’s a quick outline of the three steps:
- Excavate: Deep dive into your experiences, strengths and aspirations to uncover what you are uniquely equipped to offer to the world
- Tell: Identify signature stories, the only thing the competition cannot duplicate, that effectively communicates your brand and potential impact
- Affirm: Build clarity, confidence and conviction through targeted feedback and support.
Your Brand Declaration should feel authentic and, when it does, it will be heard, trusted and actioned.
We’ve seen our clients accept dream jobs and coveted board seats, give Ted Talks to standing ovations, make major pivots into having even more impact after accomplished careers and so much more, once they are grounded in their Brand Declaration. As Dr. Wang describes, knowing your “why” will give you energy—you’ll know you’re on the right track, doing what you do best in the world.
You don’t have to build your executive personal brand alone. In just two calls, we can help you create a Brand Declaration, in which you “give words” to your true North and calling. We believe it’s a leadership imperative. Schedule today! We will be honored to assist you with this important work.
