More and more corporations are realizing that defining their role in social responsibility is an important part of the business. This serves to empower the brand, as well as to increase revenue. This goes for the personal brand as well. However, just as they do for corporations, social responsibility efforts have to be based on the core values and principles of the individual.
Every year around this time, I like to take a look at my personal development. This includes activities such as setting goals and revising my personal mission statement. This year, I focused especially on how I want to contribute to society by being more careful about the environment, mentoring entrepreneurs to success and being even more inspirational to the people I meet.
During this time of reflection was when I realized that the core values and principles defined in my personal mission statement are very consistent with my thoughts in the present moment. What I need is a Personal Social Responsibility (PSR) plan to empower my values even further and make them actionable. Let’s take a look at how you can use PSR to enhance your personal brand.
Differentiation through Personal Social Responsibility
Corporations cannot obtain a true culture of social responsibility without employees that are taking social responsibility seriously. This requires employees who transmit positive energy to others in the organization, make a positive contribution to corporate and social objectives, and do not excessively or unneccesarily contribute to atmospheric pollution and natural resource consumption. But to be the employee that fits the profile, you first have to define your individual values and goals, and in doing so define the ways in which you want to be socially responsible. Is it about recycling? Showing respect to fellow humans? Reducing your carbon footprint? Here are some steps to guide you:
- What are you passionate about? Make a list of the areas in which you would like to personally improve from a social responsibility perspective. What are you interested in? Where is your help most needed?
- Define what you would like to do- Once you have defined what your social responsibility commitment is all about, figure out what you can do in that area to improve your everyday life, and that of others. How can you incorporate it into your life and your work?
- Do it! Go out into the world and make it happen! As Mahatma Gandhi said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world”. It is not enough just to have a nicely drawn out plan on paper. You took the time to brainstorm and write out the steps, now see your plan through to completion.
Not only will this define your personal brand in a new way and add a new level of differentiation to it, but also help the world be a better place!
Ola Rynge is an entrepreneur with a passion for the personal development side of personal branding (covered in this blog) as well as the application of personal branding and social media for entrepreneurs and small businesses (covered in The Rynge Blog).Follow Ola on Twitter, LinkedIn & Facebook.
