If some asked, “What’s your brand?”, what would you say? Are you consciously working on your brand? In this week’s episode Drew, Tanner, John, and Andy revisit the essential topic of personal branding within the field of emergency medicine. A reboot on an episode from season one, this discussion delves into defining one’s professional identity and offers actionable steps to maintain and evolve that brand throughout your medical career.
What does it mean to build your brand?
Your brand is an extension of who you are and who you want to be. Many of us have slightly different personal and professional brands. Your brand is ultimately how you present yourself to the world around you. It is important to understand your brand because even if you’re not actively working on it, you have a brand, and it is being perceived by the people around you, whether you like it or not. When you come on shift and people know who you are and what your style is, it makes all the difference in how they interact with you. Your brand can change over time and often will change based on the feedback you are getting from those around you.
Examples of some brands you may recognize from the ED:
- The “calm and reassuring” physician during a crisis.
- The “go-to” person for specific procedures.
- The “excellent communicator” who effectively explains complex issues.
- The “team player” who fosters a positive environment.
- The “burnout” person who is grumpy on shift and may have a short fuse with patients and staff.
Why does it matter?
It matters particularly at work because having a good brand and being the person people can trust leads to increased respect, better collaboration, mentorship opportunities, career advancement within the hospital system, and greater patient trust. You want to do everything you can so that when you walk through the door, the response from your coworkers is one of relief and not one of discomfort or indifference. Another important question that you can use as a measure of your brand is whether or not you are the doctor that people around you would want taking care of themselves or their loved ones.
Key Ingredients for Building Your Clinical Brand:
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- Authenticity is Key: Be genuine and align your brand with your true values and strengths.
- Maintain Clinical Excellence: Be sure to stay up-to-date, develop expertise, and commit to excellent patient care. It is hard to maintain a good brand if people don’t trust you to take care of patients.
- Develop Strong Communication Skills: Be clear and concise, listen actively, and always maintain a professional demeanor.
- Present Yourself with Professionalism and Collaboration: Be respectful of your entire team. Be reliable and always be open to feedback.
- Be Consistent: Building a brand is a marathon, not a sprint.
Common Pitfalls:
- Inauthenticity
- Neglecting Relationships
- Poor Communication
- Burnout
- Unethical Behavior
- Being Closed Off To Feedback
Take Home Points:
- Your brand is who you are.
- Brands can change over time, but it takes work.
- Building a brand is a marathon, not a sprint.
- Understand that you can put work into your brand, but you can’t control how others perceive your brand.
- Always keep working on your brand and don’t think your brand is better than anyone else.
Post by Patricia Capone, DO PGY3
Looking For More?
Check out our original episode on this topic: Episode 14: #BrandBuidling
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