In a recent interview with Mohammed Al-Taee, I made the point that career management is already personal brand management, but that the next challenge is that “each of us needs to become, as Chris Brogan and Julien Smith have pointed out, a trust agent." But what exactly does it take to be a trust agent?
In their brilliant book, Brogan and Smith have established a framework for building trust that is comprised of the following six constellations of behaviors:
- Make Your Own Game. Trust agents are typically "gate jumpers" or "hackers" who are able to find ways be original and to stand out.
- One of Us. They are able to relate to a specific community that comes to see them as belonging, and therefore more credible.
- The Archimedes Effect. They know how to leverage relationships and resources to expand opportunities and influence.
- Agent Zero. They are typically at the center of wide and powerful networks, and often use their influence to help others connect.
- Human Artist. Trust agents have polished interpersonal skills and understand people; they know how to work well with, and empower others.
- Build Armies. They also know how to bring people together to accomplish more than they could possibly do alone.
Fortunately, many of the behaviors that Brogan and Smith describe are consistent with what we typically recommend for extracting, expressing, and exuding one’s brand. Yet, it’s clear that building trust requires ongoing engagement. So much so that it seems to me that having a clear brand with solid messages is baseline. Taking steps to establish your reputation as a trust agent takes you to the next level.
What do you think?
Cross-posted at The Personal Branding Blog
