MENTORS Magazine

60 | MENTORS MAGAZINE | EDITION 1

silience and you have the ability to change it.

A useful tool for recalibrating your mindset is

mindfulness, which makes you aware of

when you are focusing only on what’s wrong

in your situation or engaging in negative self-

talk. Knowing your personality style and how

it affects how you deal with people and situ-

ations gives you the tools to be flexible in

your interactions with people whose styles

are different from yours.

Some ways to boost your self-awareness:

What can you do this week to focus on a val-

ue you would like to integrate more into

your life?

Do you often feel that you “have” to do

something? Ask yourself, “What would

realistically happen if I didn’t do this?

What do I want to do? Is there room for

negotiation?” The point is not to ignore

commitments but to make sure you don’t

overwhelm yourself.

Be aware that when you become seriously

stressed, it can amplify the more negative

aspects of your personality type. When

that happens, remind yourself to pause

and employ your stress-management

strategies.

Brand isn’t just about the attributes that de-

scribe you—for example, strategic, detail-

oriented, collaborative—it’s about the im-

pact you make with your customers. Togeth-

er, attributes and impact will create the rep-

utation that gets you recommended to oth-

ers and makes individuals want to learn

more about your expertise. I have taken my

brand very seriously since I began my busi-

ness 25 years ago. I make sure I attend in-

dustry conferences, and always focus

on ways I can offer more value to my cli-

ents. When you do this, you will be seen as

an expert and become a thought leader in

your industry.

To boost your brand:

Every Friday, ask yourself, “What impact did I

make in my business this week?”

Make sure your brand is clearly reflected on

your LinkedIn profile with a professional

headshot and a summary statement that

reflects your attributes and your impact.

Connection is about cultivating relationships

and building a support system of people you

can trust. It is not about gathering as many

business cards and LinkedIn connections as

possible, but about creating and nourishing

trusting relationships. As an entrepreneur,

you cannot underestimate the importance of

connecting with others. Every month, meet

with someone who can inspire you or moti-

vate you. Alternatively, find an organization

you can develop a community with; you