How Project Leaders Can Boost Their Personal Branding

Transcript

STEVE HENDERSHOT

Personal branding can involve a lot of things: YouTube tutorials, LinkedIn posts, conferences, webinars, podcasts, even TED Talks. Project professionals are using these mediums in their personal branding, sharing their expertise, experiences and lessons learned to stand out as dynamic, forward-thinking leaders.

If you like the idea of taking your personal branding to the next level but you’re not sure how, well, you’ve come to the right place.

NARRATOR

The world is changing fast. And every day, project professionals are turning ideas into reality—delivering value to their organizations and society as a whole. On Projectified®, we’ll help you stay on top of the trends and see what’s ahead for The Project Economy—and your career.

STEVE HENDERSHOT

This is Projectified®. I’m Steve Hendershot.

We are living in the age of the influencer, an era when getting noticed often happens only after you’ve made yourself noticeable—whether that’s as a blogger or as a speaker or on social media platforms like LinkedIn.

For some project leaders, putting yourself out there is natural and fun. For others, it can seem like the very opposite. Yet at this point, most folks would probably acknowledge the importance of doing something to showcase the technical skills, power skills and overall value you bring—to your industry, your project management peers and your next potential job.

But how do you take your personal branding strategy to the next level and create a practice of engagement and content creation that’s sustainable over time? For guidance, Projectified®’s Hannah LaBelle and I chatted with two project leaders who know a thing or two about strong personal brands: Yasmina Khelifi, a senior project manager at Orange in Paris; and Fahad Ahmed, head of IT at Jubilee General Insurance in Karachi, Pakistan. Their personal branding doesn’t just showcase their experience and expertise. A major focus is sharing knowledge and lessons learned from their careers to help other project professionals in the project management community.

MUSICAL TRANSITION
HANNAH LABELLE

Fahad, Yasmina, thank you for joining us for this joint discussion today. What spurred you to focus on your personal branding? Yasmina, let’s start with you.

YASMINA KHELIFI

When you mention “spurred you,” I have the feeling it was intentional. But that was not the case for me. My first intention was to share my lessons learned. Why? Because over my career as a project manager, I made mistakes, and I think I made several mistakes because I got negative feedback. So my very important point was sharing lessons learned so that other project managers do not fall into the same traps.

HANNAH LABELLE

Fahad, what about you?

FAHAD AHMED

The PMP exam was considered as one of the toughest exams. So it was very much intentional because my objective was to help all the PMP aspirants. I developed my personal brand so that I can help people out in passing the exam.

STEVE HENDERSHOT

So you both started with a service or project goal in mind. Was there a moment for each of you when you sort of realized, “Hey, I’m an expert. Maybe if I lean into this, there’s some professional possibility there that’s worth some time and thought and effort”?

YASMINA KHELIFI

I think that is what people told me. It’s important also to listen to what people tell you. Sometimes it is hard to accept positive feedback, in my case. But I think it’s quite important, and people told me, “Ah, yes, you are good in project management.” So that’s the feedback first I got, and based on that, I began to develop some content and share content around international project management. So I don’t know for you, Fahad.

FAHAD AHMED

I get a lot of advice from my peers. I used to coach them, and then they used to say that “Man, you’re really good at that. Why don’t you do it professionally, or adopt it as something that you can take into the future?” Almost a decade ago, there was a concept of Google Groups and forums. So I started writing consciously on certain problems, not only just [with] respect to [the] PMP exam, but also started delving into the issues and challenges that a project manager faces. And I started to get [an] overwhelming response because people then started to think that I can connect with them. I can understand what the issue is [that] they’re facing, and I can really relate to it.

STEVE HENDERSHOT

So, Fahad, you just kind of mentioned that you had some forums that maybe you were already part of that made sense, and I think both of you are writers so you had your medium of choice, but then you get to questions around—Yasmina has done e-books and some longer-form writing projects, but there’s also the whole social media side of it—so how did you figure out where to focus your efforts? And then the sort of staying on schedule, time management, “How much do I give to this? How do I protect that time to make sure this stuff gets done?” How did you work out the day to day?

FAHAD AHMED

After multiple experiments, and again, with the passage of time, there are multiple platforms, but I found LinkedIn as the best way to connect with like-minded people. We have [a] project management fraternity. When I started writing, I started getting queries in my inbox, and again, people tried to contact me all over the globe. So then I made a conscious effort of writing at least twice a week on LinkedIn, touching on those areas—schedule management or cost management, risk management, maintaining relationships within projects, how to manage megaprojects, and how the complexities can be managed. So again, over the period of time, I saw a pattern and what content attracts most people, so I made a conscious effort about writing on those areas, and then again, start improving as I get the feedback.

YASMINA KHELIFI

I have begun my journey in personal branding as a project manager since 2019, so it’s quite recent. I also love LinkedIn a lot because, for me, it’s a way to connect with people around the world, and with friends, colleagues and other project professionals. So since 2013, since I got my [PMP] certification, I began to make some posts on LinkedIn. Now, for two or three years, I try to keep a kind of content calendar—so to try to publish two or three times a week, and different types of content to keep the cadence as Fahad said, maintaining the connection with people, because on LinkedIn, you can really talk to the world, and I have met wonderful and amazing people.

HANNAH LABELLE

Thinking about social media, what role has that played in building your personal brand? We have talked about LinkedIn, but let’s kind of really hone in on what would be your top personal brand-building tip for other project professionals on LinkedIn?

YASMINA KHELIFI

I think the two tips I would give is to publish consistently. So if you begin to publish on Monday the first week of March, for instance, and then nothing after, well, you are not going to build an audience, a following behind you. Because, at the end, at least for me, using social media, using LinkedIn, is a way to get connected with more people and to have more visibility. So consistency, I think, is important and also to have different types of content. For instance, for me, I use writing and high-profile publications, and I share podcasts, usually. I do not share so many videos. So focusing on two or three things is important, especially as a beginning. What about you Fahad?

FAHAD AHMED

I also believe that consistency is very, very much important. It helps your followers, social network peers, and again, all of those who are looking out for your content. We are sharing certain content to help people out, or sharing our thoughts. They also share that within their network, so again, it has kind of created a ripple effect. And it really adds credibility that you are a consistent person, and you are what you claim to be on a social media platform.

The second thing that helps me a lot is getting a little bit of emotion in what I write. Now, it’s very much important, whatever you’re writing, it gets related to the audience or followers: “This is what we experienced. This is the emotion we felt. And yes, this is something that we can actually adopt,” or “This is a real solution to a problem that we are facing.” Now, that helps a lot because if your content provides certain information in a very monotonous way or monotone way, your outreach will not be that great on a consistent basis.

HANNAH LABELLE

We’ve talked about some of the avenues you use for sharing your thoughts, but how did you decide what topics you wanted to focus on in your personal branding?

FAHAD AHMED

My focus for the last couple of years has been solely on leadership, specifically on project leadership. There’s a lot of content, a lot of tips, about project management, but again, as a project manager, or I would say as a project leader, it is immensely important for all of us to understand our role. Because the bigger the project, the more team members you have—your position or your role becomes immensely important.

There are topics, there are points, situations which are not covered in books, which are actually experiences that we come across on an everyday basis. Now, it’s very much important that you position those points as something that can provide leverage to our followers or our readers. And then they can actually get some grasp out of it so that they can help themselves, or they can get the problem resolved. So over a period of time, I specifically focus on project leadership, because on general leadership, there’s a ton of content available. On project complexities, working with management which is far older than you—so again, what challenges a project leader can face.

YASMINA KHELIFI

In terms of skills, I understood that I wanted to focus also on project leadership, international project management because it was at the intersection between the languages I love, the project management I also love and the collaboration. It’s a way to be more creative for me. But perhaps some of the listeners may also think, “How can I find the skills I can highlight?” Because sometimes it’s not so easy. So what I did very recently, I sent an anonymous survey to colleagues I work with, and I asked them three questions: What expertise do you associate with me? Can you name two strengths you see? And can you name two areas of improvement? And I just wonder why I didn’t send this survey earlier because it was very interesting, the feedback I got. So I think it’s perhaps a way to find those skills you’d like, your expertise you’d like to highlight, in terms of personal branding.

STEVE HENDERSHOT

Sending the survey out to get feedback is a brilliant way to sort of recognize opportunities to improve. Anything you’ve gleaned by watching peers in the marketplace, or just people you admire on LinkedIn or other networks? Whether it’s a misstep or an example you want to emulate, what are ways that you have altered your own practice based on things you’ve observed?

YASMINA KHELIFI

It’s a good question in fact. Having a website can be also a way of personal branding. I did it very late, to be honest, because in a website you have to have content, by the way. Because if you put [up] a website and there is nothing there, it has no value. So in that case, when I began to build it, I had a look at different websites of thought leaders to know how to structure it.

In terms of content creation, another way to create content, we talked a lot about LinkedIn. We have LinkedIn articles, posts, and lately, you have also LinkedIn newsletters. And in that case, when I created my LinkedIn newsletter, I had a look on how other people are doing [it]. So it’s always good to observe what people are doing, but also, it’s not to be too ambitious and to be realistic. What about you, Fahad?

FAHAD AHMED

Yeah, thank you, Yasmina. There’s a saying, “Today’s reader is tomorrow’s leader.” As authors, we read a lot. So again, researching on peers and newsletters, and again, staying relevant, is very much important. I network with people, somebody who’s superior than me, who I think is making breakthroughs, and I question them a lot: “What’s working with you? What new knowledge you’ve acquired? What new certification you’ve acquired? How’s it helping you in your career? How is [it] helping you, actually, in your professional life? What difference has it brought in your professional journey?”

STEVE HENDERSHOT

Let me ask a question specifically about thought leadership. By embracing that mantle, you also take on some expectations. With project management specifically, what steps do you take to make sure that you are on top of all the trends, and then how do you think about working that into your personal branding?

FAHAD AHMED

I am always look[ing] out for new pieces of information, articles, books, e-books that come out on specific new knowledge with respect to project management. I’m a very social person. I have a lot of peers or professional friends who work at rather different domains and have different kind of certifications. So I talk to them a lot.

YASMINA KHELIFI

To keep up to date with the latest trends in the profession, I use a lot ProjectManagement.com, because there are articles, blogs, webinars. And it is also a way, when I think something is very interesting, I can share it. And content sharing is also part of personal branding. I also subscribe to some newsletters, LinkedIn newsletters of thought leaders in project management, like Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez or Ricardo Vargas. Lastly, I have begun recently to listen to more podcasts, like Projectified®, or other podcasts of thought leaders.

HANNAH LABELLE

We’ve talked a little bit about staying on top of things, but so, when it comes to your personal branding, was there a time for either of you when you faced a setback in building your personal brand?

YASMINA KHELIFI

English, the language. I’m not sure it’s a setback, but it can be a big roadblock. Something that can block some of the listeners, because if you want to talk to the world, or international, I have to communicate in English. That is not my native language. I didn’t study in English, either. So I had to overcome this imposter syndrome, and fortunately, I had a good supportive network.

FAHAD AHMED

I’m going to share a little story. Sometimes, it happens that, if your professional brands become so strong that you’re perceived as a certain entity, it becomes really difficult for you to break the ceiling. Since I was so much into project management and PMO, people used to think that I can only be associated with project management and program management. That was not the case. I was looking at different aspects of my organization. Currently I’m working as the head of IT. Information technology has always been something that I’m really fascinated with, so I’ve been looking at all the domains that are included in information technology.

But again, a time comes that I wanted to move a little bit upward. Not away from project management, but something that is more, I would say, to a top level. So I’ve been always branded as someone who’s a project management [and a] program management expert, and I may lack expertise or acumen to handle such a position. I had to work consciously on those parts, so that balance is not out.

STEVE HENDERSHOT

So, Fahad, given this experience, have you made changes to your personal brand over time, either to emphasize a new area of expertise or maybe to try out a different platform?

FAHAD AHMED

I am planning to launch a YouTube channel of my own that’s specifically focused on project leadership and other aspects of not just project management, but again, on leadership as well, like conflict resolution and collaboration, collaborative efforts for transformational projects. Topics which are considered very complex and not covered in detail.

Also, one of the ideas is to use the native language to come up with short videos so that people can get benefited out of that. I think that there’s a wider audience out there who is actually waiting to get some content in their native language because they’re more comfortable in listening to something they can easily digest, rather than in some other language.

HANNAH LABELLE

Now let’s talk about how boosting your personal branding has affected your career. What have you seen as some big payoffs? Better projects? An increase in pay? Greater networking?

YASMINA KHELIFI

When you begin, you have to define some goals. For me, it was sharing lessons learned, sharing knowledge, increase visibility.

I didn’t make personal branding to have a better promotion, a better pay. It was visibility. So in that sense, it worked, because for instance, I made a webinar externally, and then someone in the corporate contacted me and said, “Yes, can you make the same webinar internally?” Another point, I am also part of Women Role Models, where I work, and when I was interviewed for that, I said, “Ah, you know, I am volunteering at PMI Germany in the group Women at PMI Germany. I made a lot of things,” et cetera, et cetera. So it helped me to gain credibility in that field for the internal group I was part in. What about you, Fahad?

FAHAD AHMED

When I started volunteering, in the year 2010, I started as a low-level volunteer in the local chapter, and it was a good 12 years’ learning experience. It gave me a lot of visibility, [a] lot of credibility. And I’ve been seen as a subject matter expert within my community locally and also internationally. Now, it gave me a lot of benefits. For example, I’ve been recognized as not only a thought leader but also somebody who can actually execute projects, plan projects. I get a lot of consulting opportunities, I would say. These were really fascinating because not only it gave me rich experience, it also helped me understand the pain points or the challenges that [an] organization goes through.

So there was a rapid progression in terms of professional career that I experienced. When your skill set increase[s], obviously your value increases. It resulted in great job offers, and also, my reputation grows. I’ve been the chapter president, I was featured sometime in the local television shows, and also sometime radio shows. It really helped me. As a problem-solver and somebody who really likes to help people, I use this credibility to help organizations, especially nonprofit organizations. I go and conduct pro bono sessions, all so that I can help them with respect to project management, with respect to project leadership. And again, it really helped me create great relationships. So not only I got good job offers, I also have opportunities to create great friendships.

STEVE HENDERSHOT

I also want to talk about professional certifications. What effect do those have on your personal brand?

YASMINA KHELIFI

Well, a lot. For me, it gives a lot of credibility. It’s really associated to project certifications that are also well-known in France, to be honest. Another point, I love certifications independently because I have also language certifications. So it brought a lot of credibility and a lot of sources of learning and connection. So for instance, we’ve a PMI-PBA business analysis [certification]. I am contacted regularly because people ask, “Oh, how did you prepare for the certification?” So certification is really an important part because for me, my personal brand is really project management.

FAHAD AHMED

Thank you, Yasmina. Very rightly put. Not only it gives you credibility, it sort of provides us a structure. Organizations have different cultures, different methods of doing things, but when you’re a certified person, you have a structure so you can tailor that, and again, improve that accordingly. Certification gives you that edge that you are equipped with the best practice. You know what methods are successful and being used all over the globe by thousands of professionals, and [certifications] give you that confidence that you are among one of those.

If you want to position yourself in the job market, or even if you want to migrate to another country, it gives you a lot of mileage and a lot of visibility in that vicinity as well. So if you are moving to other part of the world and you’re a certified project manager or certified program manager, the acceptance rate will be tremendous.

HANNAH LABELLE

Fahad and Yasmina, we’ve come to our last question: What is your top piece of advice for project professionals looking to take their personal branding to the next level?

YASMINA KHELIFI

It’s important to define the goal, the keywords of expertise, also, the channel you are comfortable with to begin with, and after, you can diversify when you feel more self-confident. And then to be consistent and not too ambitious. Lastly, to have a supportive network, because it can be sometimes hard or you can be too humble and you say, “Okay, it’s bragging.” But personal branding is not about yourself. It’s really about the value, the experiences you can share with people. So do not consider personal branding like bragging, because it can be a roadblock. And take the next step. You have to begin, and begin small first.

FAHAD AHMED

Yeah, absolutely. One thing that I would like to share is building [your] personal brand helps you showcase your strengths. Now, people who are in project management, who want to come into project management, budding, aspiring project managers or program managers or portfolio managers, when you build your personal brand, apart from all the other wonderful things that Yasmina just mentioned, you become part of that group. You are able to share, you’re also able to receive suggestions or solutions or thoughts that we really need. Project management is a very overwhelming job. You tend to do so much in a short amount of time. There’s so much stress. So sometime around, you get lost into that profession of yours. But when you build a brand, you become part of the group. There are people who’ve actually gone through this all over, again and again. I can use those strategies. I can use their suggestions to improve and become a better project manager and a better person.

HANNAH LABELLE

That is a wonderful way to end it. Fahad, Yasmina, thank you so much for this conversation today. We have really enjoyed it.

FAHAD AHMED

Thank you, Hannah. Thank you, Steve.

YASMINA KHELIFI

Thank you, everyone.

NARRATOR

Thanks for listening to Projectified®. If you like what you heard, please subscribe to the show. And leave a rating or review—we’d love your feedback. To hear more episodes of Projectified®, visit Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Stitcher, Spotify or SoundCloud. Or head to PMI.org/podcast.