A really great blog about discussing the difference between "Personal Branding" and "Authentic Voice" ... in other words, the difference between using social networking to sell yourself and using it to sell something important to you. I'll agree with the author's basic premise, Personal Branding is a dishonest game, and Authentic Voice is extremely powerful. Have a read for yourself...
Don’t Let Personal Branding Stifle your Authentic Voice
There is a battle brewing between the concepts of Personal Brand and Authentic Voice.
If you’ve been paying attention at all (and I’m sure you have) you’ve seen the articles and the individuals touting personal branding. Everyone from Tom Peters to Seth Godin to Dan Scwabel is online telling you how to create your personal brand so that you can attract customers, jobs, and attention . Some even go so far as to suggest that personal branding can be good for you , that it can help you define who you are and where you are going.
To all of these personal branding proselytizers I say:
Back off.
Back off, because too much attention to "personal branding" will stifle authentic voice.
And none of us should stifle authentic voice, because authentic voice is fundamentally who we are.
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