“Feeling connection is the same whether I’m in front of an audience with a guitar, or behind a desk talking to someone about what they’ve done the last 40 years. As a corporate executive, you have to connect with people and then pick up that thread and pass it along to someone else.” – Tony Vlahos
Your story and the difference that you can make with it is something that can set you apart from others, and storytelling your career can be your secret competitive advantage. This episode’s Finding Brave guest shares why stand-out brands and the compelling stories those brands communicate are deeply connected to each other. And he reveals the components of a compelling story that you can use to start growing your brand today.
Tony Vlahos is the Chief Storyteller and Head of Brand and Learning for ExecuNet, one of the most trusted brands in senior-level executive job search and a premier destination for high performers who want to stay on top of their game in the world of work, as leaders, and as a matter of wellbeing.
Since Tony joined the company in 2007, membership has grown from 15,000 to over 800,000 executives, through meaningful marketing stories that capture attention, entertain, enlighten, and persuade all in the course of just a few minutes. The past several years the ExecuNet brand has also come to be known as the Storytelling Capital for Individual Executives seeking compelling ways to set themselves apart in the corporate world and achieve greater results in their careers and in business.
The impactful strategies that Tony presents here will change how you talk about yourself, and allow you to embrace and value all of who you are, which will be the quickest path to your ultimate success.
Highlights from this Episode
- What role having a creative soul has played in Tony’s career [4:30]
- What is storytelling as it relates to having a brand, and the ways that he and the team at ExecuNet help each of their clients do this [5:15]
- The essential components that make up a story, including what Tony means when he says “a story needs soul” [6:55]
- What he feels is getting in the way for men to tell a powerful, riveting story about themselves [10:50]
- Why it’s so tough to craft a story on your own, and how you can connect with others to help you in this process [18:25]
- What not to do when telling your story and the common mistakes Tony is seeing people making with theirs [26:19]
- Why it’s dangerous to make assumptions about what others know about you and your brand, just from reading your resume or LinkedIn profile [28:25]
- The formula for building an effective LinkedIn profile that truly conveys your story and brand, and what Tony means when he says that “positioning is about sacrifices” [29:24]
For More Information:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyvlahos/
Resources Mentioned:
Tony’s Appearance on The Best Work/Best Life Podcast
Episode 60: How to Crack the Funding Code for Your Startup, with Judy Robinett
Kathy on the Network of Executive Women Leadership Summit
Her TEDx Talk, Time to Brave Up & LinkedIn Webinar, Polish Your LinkedIn Profile For Success
For more about Kathy’s upcoming book The Most Powerful You: 7 Bravery-Boosting Paths To Career Bliss, sign up for her weekly newsletter at https://kathycaprino.com for updates, free giveaways, contests, and more, coming in Spring 2020
QUOTES:
“I completely agree that you can’t tell a great story without a lot of soul.” [4:31]
“What’s your leadership story? How are you telling people about who you are and the difference you can make for them?” [6:30]
“The vulnerability of the human can make all the difference in the difference that you want to make.” [9:43]
“Having that shared experience between the storyteller and the listener is critical, otherwise you’re just telling it to yourself.” [10:53]
“Embrace it. Don’t be afraid to say that you did what you did. The best stories are credible, and if you really it it, there’s a way to deliver that message.” [26:29]
“They’ll hire you because they like you and they believe you can do the job, but you have to show up and be you on purpose. If you’re not doing that, they’re going to hire someone else.” [33:03]
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