The 48 Laws of Power for Your Personal Brand

In order for power to be used for good, more good people need to have power. Let’s talk 3 key laws of power for your personal brand. 

Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power distils three thousand years of accumulated ancient wisdom into key takeaways for your personal development and personal brand.

Power is an uncomfortable topic for most. However, as Greene states: 

“Power is a game. This book is meant to show you how it’s played—whether you like the game or not.”

Greene isn’t encouraging you to use all the rules of power, but rather to be aware of the existence of all of them and choose which ones interest you. He writes the book with a matter-of-factness that speaks to the reality and irony of power.

So, why does the conversation about power matter when it comes to your personal brand? Another book on power, 7 Rules of Power by Stanford Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer, puts this perfectly: 

“If you want power to be used for good, more good people need to have power.”

While ‘power’ is a dirty word for many, if you don’t have any, others who do have power can wield it against you. So, in any case, it’s better to try to understand it. If you aren’t self-empowered, others have power over you. They can keep you in your job at all costs, they can cause you to compromise on your values. Personal power in your personal brand is your insurance policy against things that may threaten your well-being, beliefs or morals. When power is used for good, it also means you can live with purpose and influence others. Even Mother Teresa had power.

So, let’s embrace this uncomfortable conversation and find the gems for creating power for your personal brand

1. Re-create Yourself (Law 25)

Law 25 - Recreate Yourself says: 

“Do not accept the roles that society foists on you. Recreate yourself by forging a new identity, one that commands attention and never bores the audience. Be the master of your own image rather than letting others define it for you.”

You are the Creative Director of brand You. If you don’t take the time to define yourself, with intention, others will do it for you. 

One of my favourite definitions is that your personal brand is: 

• What people think about you

• How do you make them feel 

• What they say about you (especially when you’re not in the room)

• How they remember you

This means you already have a personal brand. Personal branding is simply choosing to be intentional about what it represents.

The book reminds you that the character you were born as isn’t necessarily who you are. You are a product of what you inherited, your parents, friends and peers. But you can also remake yourself. Like an artist, you can work on yourself like clay. 

The idea of self-creation comes from the arts. Historically, only society's most powerful had the freedom to shape their public image and identity.  The rest played the role society demanded of them. A dream of so many gone before us is now a privilege most of us can freely exercise. 

2. Enter Action With Boldness (Law 28)

Law 28  - Enter Action with Boldness says: 

“Timidity is dangerous: Better to enter with boldness. Any mistakes you commit through audacity are easily corrected with more audacity. Everyone admires the bold; no one honours the timid.” 

For those who value humility, this is a confronting concept. There are certainly parts I don’t agree with, but it’s an interesting idea overall. And, by applying the concept to personal branding, it becomes a useful proposition. It speaks to the maxim, “fortune favours the brave”. 

Imposter syndrome can hold you back from your personal brand potential. Perhaps you don’t share their knowledge because you aren’t an ‘expert’. And the world misses the value of your contribution. Some work up the courage to start a bold new path in their professional life, yet do it timidly. When the power of vulnerability dominates the conversation, we can forget that confident leaders instil confidence in others. Would you buy a product or service from an unsure entrepreneur? Would you want to be led into battle by an always uneasy leader? 

Courage is feeling the fear and acting anyway. While you might feel the fear, consider the benefits of entering boldly. Enter a new job or career path, like it makes the most sense in the world. You have the capabilities and confidence necessary to succeed.

3.  Create Compelling Spectacles  (Law 37)

Law 37 - Create Compelling Spectacles says: 

“Striking imagery and grand symbolic gestures create the aura of power—everyone responds to them. Stage spectacles for those around you, then, full of arresting visuals, radiant symbols that heighten your presence. Dazzled by appearances, no one will notice what you are really doing.”

For me, the biggest takeaway for the personal brand here is the reminder that humans are visual creatures. Whether you have a bold personal brand look and feel or not, the law highlights the importance of our visual identity. Even if you don’t wish to make a spectacle of yourself, the premise is still important:

“Never neglect the way you arrange things visually. Factors like color, for example, have enormous symbolic resonance.” 

For the art of creative flair made simple, Greene goes on to say: 

“Most effective of all is a new combination - a fusion of images and symbols that have not been seen together before, but that through their association clearly demonstrate your new idea, message and religion.”

In branding, the use of symbols, imagery and colours is what makes you identifiable in the marketplace. It’s the foundation of branding's historical roots. 

Don’t allow power, in the wrong hands, be wielded over you. Empower yourself through your personal brand.