What is personal branding?
When we talk about personal branding, many people automatically think of ‘being an influencer’: posting daily, having a flawless aesthetic and chasing numbers. The problem is that this approach confuses the means with the end.
In a personal branding class on the Woman, Engineer and Executive programme (Nebrija University), Mariví Campos shared an idea that really stuck with me: the PIE model (Performance, Image, Exposure), which highlights something as true as it is uncomfortable: professional success depends not only on performance, but also on image and exposure (10% performance, 30% image, 60% visibility). We may or may not agree with the proportions, but the message is clear: doing the job well is essential, and even so, it is not always enough if you are not understandable and findable.
At work, personal brand isn’t measured by how many people see you, but by how many people trust you. And that trust is built on your leadership style: how do you prioritise when everything is urgent? How do you make decisions with incomplete information? How do you keep the team focused? That’s where a question arises which, for me, changes everything: how do you lead when no one is watching? Yes, just as you read it. When there is no applause, no immediate recognition. When there is pressure, urgency, conflict or uncomfortable decisions.
That’s why, before asking yourself ‘what should I post?’, there is another key question: ‘what kind of leader do I want to be?’ And I’m not just talking about those in a position of authority, but anyone who exerts influence: the one who steers a conversation, the one who brings an idea down to earth, the one who keeps the team focused, the one who raises the bar without burning anyone out.
In this article, presented as an interview and a how-to guide, I’ll explain how to build a personal brand through leadership. Once that is clear, then yes, LinkedIn (or any channel) ceases to be a showcase and becomes a tool.
What is a personal brand?
For me, a personal brand is about the world being able to recognise the talent you already possess. That’s why the key here is to discover your strengths and learn to express them in a way that is understandable and discoverable. Not out of ego, but because the world—and your organisation—needs to clearly identify that value.
If you want to build a personal brand, the first step isn’t to post. The first step is to know how to explain your value using specific words. An exercise that helped me enormously was writing down my 5 actual skills at work (the ones that recur project after project) and translating them into the language the market already uses.
In 2021, I did that exercise using a list from the HR Observatory, and it helped me to put a ‘market-friendly’ name to things I was already doing: cross-functional skills, negotiation, conflict resolution, leadership, results-orientation (among others). That exercise has two immediate effects: you get to know yourself better and, above all, you position yourself better.
I would do the same today, but updating the ‘dictionary’ with recent references. For example, LinkedIn has highlighted skills such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, strategic planning, decision-making and adaptability for Spain in 2024. It’s not about copying a list, but using it as a mirror: what is the market term for what I do?
And, from there, it’s much easier for those words to appear naturally on your LinkedIn profile (headline, about you, and experience).
Here are the 2 steps:
- Write down your 5 skills in your own language. For example: strategic thinking, negotiation, global vision, resilience, people leadership.
- Translate those skills into the current vocabulary of in-demand competencies. If you want an extra guide to update your profile for 2025, you can refer to employability reports such as those by Randstad, which compile recurring competencies across different sectors.
What are the key aspects?
For me, personal branding doesn’t start with content; it starts with leadership. And here, leadership isn’t about a job title. It’s about influence. It’s how you work under pressure, when you need to prioritise, and when no one is watching.
In a practical guide, the key aspects are:
Values
These are your principles put into practice. So, before you think about LinkedIn, it’s worth answering one question that puts everything into perspective:what kind of leader do I want to be?
Not in aspirational terms (I want to inspire), but in practical terms: how do I want people to describe me after a meeting with me? What energy do I leave behind? What do I facilitate?
Choose 3 professional values. For example: clarity, service, generosity, healthy rigour, calmness, courage.
Visible behaviours
Values do not build a reputation unless they translate into behaviour. That is why this point is key: how does what you say you are actually look like?
For example: if your value is clarity, it shows in the way you wrap up meetings with the ‘what’, ‘who’ and ‘when’. If it is focus, it shows in the way you filter, prioritise and shield the team from distractions. If it is generosity, it shows in the way you give credit publicly and help others to grow. If it is high standards, it shows in the way you demand quality with context, not with pressure.
Boundaries
This is the point that builds your brand the most and the one that is most often forgotten. ‘Non-negotiables’ are the boundaries you maintain so that you can perform well without burning out and lead with consistency. Mind you, these aren’t whims; they’re rules that protect you.
Examples: don’t treat urgent requests as the norm without discretion, don’t accept meetings without a clear purpose or agenda, don’t say yes to everything just to look good, don’t live in “always available” mode as the standard.
Once you have your identity, behaviours and non-negotiables, the final step is to know how to explain them in words others will understand, and to repeat them consistently in your day-to-day life (and, if you’re active online, on your LinkedIn profile too). In this way, your personal brand ceases to be something you do and becomes something you are in a recognisable way.
What are the benefits of building a personal brand?
The best way to understand the benefit of a personal brand is not to think in terms of followers, but in terms of decisions. At work, what opens doors for you isn’t being seen, but being chosen. In my case, for example, when someone recommends me, they say I’m a problem-solver and I make things happen. And that, more than just an adjective, is a way of working that is reflected in decisions.
That’s why, when your personal brand is well-developed, three very noticeable things happen. The first is that you stop being just another option and start being ‘the person for this’. You notice this when your name comes up in conversation without you being there, to set up a project, sort out a mess or get something off the ground.
The second is that conversations start at a higher level, meaning you get straight to the important stuff (priorities, decisions, next steps). For example, in marketing, you notice this when presenting a proposal; in business, when people ask for your recommendation.
And the third is that you’re given more autonomy. Less micromanagement, fewer “CC me” requests, fewer redundant checks, because people know how you prioritise, how you communicate and how you wrap things up.
That’s why a personal brand isn’t built just by posting. It’s built on how you lead when no one is watching.
How can you build a personal brand?
Quick guide to building a personal brand if you’re short on time and have zero desire for posturing:
Identify your 5 moments of truth
Start with real-life situations where your reputation is on the line: a tense meeting, an emergency, a conflict between departments, an uncomfortable decision or a mistake. Choose two or three that recur in your work and write down, for yourself, these very simple phrases:
- I want to be remembered for…
- People can expect from me…
- When under pressure, I…
- I don’t compromise on…
- I strive to…
- I’m learning to…
Don’t look for the perfect phrase. Look for the one that is true.
Make your approach visible
A format that works is: situation → decision → learning. It’s concrete, it’s credible and it shows how you think.
- Situation: what happened
- Decision: what you chose (and what you ruled out)
- Learning: what you would do the same or differently
Focus on the learning
Measure what truly matters to you: messages saying “this helped me”, invitations, opportunities, or collaborations. And, above all, whether what you do every day resembles the kind of leader you said you wanted to be.
And if you want to get started on LinkedIn, here’s the framework I used myself when I set out to professionalise my presence on this platform:
- Position yourself: choose 2–3 areas where you can contribute with authority and consistency (not “everything”).
- Optimise your profile: ensure your headline and ‘About’ section state what you’re known for (and that your key skills appear naturally throughout your profile).
- Create conversation-starting content: don’t just post; encourage interaction (questions, insights, real-life examples).
- Build a community: providing thoughtful and consistent comments builds your reputation more effectively than simply ‘posting for the sake of posting’.
- Maintain a realistic pace: consistency without compromising quality (even if it’s just twice a month).
- Measure what matters: not just reach; also quality conversations, useful messages and opportunities that come your way.
What role can new technologies play in personal branding?
AI can help you build your personal brand, but it can also destroy it. Not because of the tool itself, but because of how it’s being used; many people copy, paste and publish without questioning anything.
The problem isn’t AI; it’s giving up critical thinking. Because your personal brand isn’t built on perfect texts, but on something far more valuable and difficult to imitate: your judgement, your talents, your way of thinking and making decisions.
This simple rule works for me: use AI for the form, but don’t delegate the substance to it.
- Form: organising ideas, structuring, editing, removing repetitions, generating versions.
- Substance: stance, judgement, decisions, boundaries, learning. That’s what makes you recognisable. That cannot be automated.
If you want to use AI without losing your voice, there are three questions you should ask yourself before hitting send:
- Do I agree with this?
- It seems obvious, but it isn’t. If you don’t question it, it isn’t yours.
- What would I add from my own experience?
- A real decision, an example, a nuance, a mistake, a conversation. Without that, it sounds generic.
- What sentence would no one else but me write?
- If the answer is “none”, it’s time to review. Personal branding lies in the nuance.
In short, AI speeds things up, but differentiation still lies in the human touch. And, today more than ever, the advantage isn’t in posting more; it’s in communicating something where you can tell there’s a person behind it.Start of formEnd of form
Conclusions
We are entering an era where generating content is incredibly easy and, precisely for that reason, content is worth less. What will be worth more is what cannot be copied: judgement, consistency and the way you lead when no one is watching.
If I had to summarise this guide in one idea, it would be this: work first on your leadership, then your language, and only finally your platform. Because a personal brand isn’t built to be liked. It’s built so that your talent is understandable, discoverable… and trustworthy.
Ultimately, your personal brand is the result of your leadership. And that’s why, before opening LinkedIn, it’s worth asking yourself honestly: what kind of leader do I want to be… when no one is watching?
