Supporting Factors 

Why can you say this about yourself?

Supporting Factors start points

The final element is detailing the underlying truths that allow you to say this about yourself – the factors that makes your WhyMe? true.

Your definition must be based in truth otherwise it will not work – it should be a thoughtful expression of what makes you special.

Look back at the work you did in Worksheet 2 – your strengths / achievements / positive attributes. These should contain various talents, skills and achievements, which is the perfect starting place. Depending on how many you collated, they may all be relevant or you may need to cut the list down (or even add to it!).

You must ensure that you have a supporting example for each Value and Personality that you have selected, as your personal brand has to be rooted in reality. If you haven’t got something to support a particular Value or Personality characteristic, then you will need to develop something to underpin it. Developing something new is fine, as your personal brand should be partly aspirational, after all as humans we never stand still. Just make sure you identify any specific gaps and address them as soon as possible. If that particular Value or characteristic is important to you, you will find that relatively easy.

You may have several supporting factors for your individual Values and Personality characteristics – that is absolutely fine. However, it is worth selecting one factor as the main one – but don’t lose the others, just keep them as back up for when you need more examples.

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Authenticity comes from demonstrable truths, not unsupported self-description.

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Supporting Factors – Richard Branson:

Dyslexic and school dropout – but did not let that deter him as he started his first business – a magazine called Student – whilst a teenager (taking control of his destiny / anything is possible).

1971 to increase his funds he opened the first discount record store (creative).

1984 became majority shareholder in Virgin Atlantic Airways with just one plane. Despite formidable opposition from established airlines he built the company into a force to be reckoned with by the 1990s (anything is possible / leadership).

1986 part of a two-man team crossing the Atlantic in a powerboat (adventure / fun).

1987 crossed the Atlantic in a hot air balloon and in 1991 crossed the Pacific in a hot air balloon (adventure / risk taker).

By the 1990s the Virgin conglomerate comprised 100 companies (leadership).

2004 Created Virgin Galactic – space tourism company (action oriented / creative / fun).

Ok, so he’s a well-known high achiever and there are plenty more examples of his achievements and character, although not all are purely work related. You might say that the balloon crossings are mere publicity stunts, but they are more than that, they do epitomise his personality. He is a man of action, who likes to challenge himself by doing the ‘impossible and doing it first and having quite a lot of fun on the way’.