How do other people describe you?
More to the point – how do they RAVE about you?
I spent the first half of my career writing ads for some of the world’s most loved brands. Defining any brand begins with understanding how it is different than its competition.
That process begins by describing the brand in just one word (usually an adjective). To explain what I mean, let’s take a look at the car industry.
Porsche is fast.
Volvo is safe.
Subaru is practical.
Any strong brand can be summarized by one adjective. Porsche, Volvo, and Subaru have each carved out their own fascinating niche. As a result, they stand out in a cluttered category.
The same is true for YOU.
To stand out, you must know how you add value.
Certain words describe who YOU are, at your best.
These words are usually adjectives, because they describe how you are most likely to perform exceptionally well.
What are YOUR “specialty adjectives?”
These words describe how you are most likely to over-deliver, and how you are best suited to stand out and rise above the crowd.
I want to help you get the credit for what you’re already doing right.
Here’s a cool opportunity to get you started:
I developed a tool to build your personal brand, called Your One-Hour Personal Brand™. (If you’re like me, your attention span won’t last much more than an hour!)
In less than 60 minutes, you’ll know exactly how to sell yourself, and your ideas. You’ll see exactly how you’re most likely to make a positive impression, over and over.
In my research, I’ve studied YOU – and the words that describe how you add value.
For instance, THE ACE leads with Alert + Power.
At their best, they are:
1. Decisive
2. Tireless
3. Forthright
This is how THE ACE is perceived in the best possible light.
This type of personality is best described with these 3 words. When they speak, they are decisive. Their working process is tireless. And when they’re asked questions, they are forthright.
In my research of over one million professionals, I found that the high performers have a “specialty.” They over-deliver in specific areas.
When you took the Fascinate® test, you learned which words describe YOUR specialty.
These words define how you are naturally suited to add value.
Rather than trying to constantly reinvent how you speak and write and work, you can simply use these words as a compass, pointing you in the right direction.
Here’s another example.
THE CONNOISSEUR leads with Prestige + Passion. They are:
1. Insightful
2. Distinguished
3. In-the-know
People will respond most positively to The Connoisseur when they speak and write in ways that are motivating and engaging to others.
What are the 3 adjectives that best describe YOU?
Your adjectives aren’t just words. They help you identify the areas of work in which you can make a big difference-- without becoming exhausted or overwhelmed. There’s a clear relationship between your Wellsprings, and your adjectives.
The goal here is to help you shape ALL your communication, so that you can feel relaxed and confident when you communicate.
Once you identify your most valuable traits, you can be rewarded for what you’re already doing right.
You already have extraordinary traits. They’re just waiting to be discovered and brought to the surface. Yet the painful truth is this:
If nobody knows about your top qualities, then you’ll never be rewarded for them.
How to apply your 3 key adjectives? Excellent question.
Start by thinking about the situations when you want to impress and influence your listeners.
(For me, that’s a keynote speech. Or a media interview. Or even the first day of school with my kid’s new teacher.) How about you?
When do you need to play your A game?
A few ideas to apply your 3 key adjectives:
1. Stand out with your marketing materials
2. Introduce yourself in a presentation
3. Give your resume or website a laser-sharp focus
4. Describe yourself in a job interview
Once you know how other people see you at your best, it becomes way easier to sell yourself and your ideas.
I want to make sure you know the words that describe YOU at your best, so you can impress and influence every time. (To find out more, check out One-Hour Personal Brand.)
I’ll be back soon to give you more ways to apply your specialty words.
Once you and I find these words, it’ll be far easier to let these words do the talking for you.
Instead of hesitating, and appearing insecure, you’ll have the “go to” words you need to immediately position yourself.
Now I’m off to meet my kids’ teachers before the first day of school. As a Catalyst, I’ll be energizing, social, and out-of-the-box.
I'm bold, artistic and unorthodox! yeah baby!
Bold, artistic and unorthodox 😉
Realistic, Intentional and To-The-Point
Expressive, stylish and emotionally intelligent
Oh, I like that one! Which one is it?
Dignified, Stable and Hardworking
Clever, Adept, Contemporary
Empathetic, engaged, passionate
LOVE this. One question: Do we play up OUR words... or do we try to appeal to those who are a different profile by using THEIR words?
For instance: if I'm a Maverick Leader but my ideal client is the Mediator (because they need my services and strengths the most)... do I play up MY Pioneering • Irreverent • Entrepreneurial side... or do I try to play to THEIR Steadfast • Composed • Structured?
Thank you!
Hey Lain! How do you know that your client is the Mediator? Curious minds... 😉
What Lisa said. I would love to know how/why you match what you offer with the qualities of a certain personality type. When I think about horse lovers and nature lovers wanting what I offer through my art, I meet lots of very different horse and nature lover personalities hanging out in online communities based way more on shared values than shared personality styles. So I'm all ears!
Oh, forgot this part...I'm a Rockstar (bold, artistic, unorthodox) yet feel about as UN-Rockstar as I can imagine since I hate being on a stage. Bold yes, but stages give me the willies and make everything I want to say sound irrelevant because I can only connect one on one.
Hey Sally... just redid the assessment... and my avatar changed, as I thought it might. From Trendsetter to Rockstar.
Any comments?
Sharon
Hi Sharon! Gina from Team Fascinate here. In general, we advise people to resist taking the assessment more than once, as the first time you take it, you are definitely coming in without any bias. The truth is that your results can change a little if you take it again, due to your familiarity with the system and other changes happening in your personal or professional life. In general, however, even if your Archetype changes, either your Primary or Secondary Advantage should remain constant, and it's pretty rare that your dormant Advantage changes (did yours?). It looks like you have slid along the row of Secondary Innovation, between Primary Prestige and Passion. And I'm betting that Cutting-Edge, Elite and Progressive are probably still pretty accurate, even though Bold, Artistic and Unorthodox might be a better description of who you are today. The main thing is to focus your energy on the Advantages that rate the highest, and steer away from your lowest-ranking Advantages. Your Archetype is the roadmap to the most important tool we can give you: the Fascination Anthem. Have you developed an Anthem yet?
"Clever, adept, and contemporary." I find it fascinating that this category is referred to as "The Provocateur." I've wanted to see myself as provocative and rememberable; I just thought it was prideful to think that about myself. I want to learn a healthy way to view myself (not steeped in negativity yet not arrogant, either). It's my quest this year: to find my true personal value, so I can learn to live a better, more intentional life doing good and blessing those around me. I hesitate to buy-in to what you are offering, but I am definitely intrigued.