These days, technical skills are not enough to stand out. Opportunities come not just to those who perform well, but to those who are recognized, trusted, and remembered.
This is where personal branding and emotional intelligence (EQ) come into play – one makes you visible, the other makes you relatable. Together, they form a foundation for authentic influence. I believe that emotional intelligence and personal branding are two highly interrelated areas – being aware of how others perceive you is closely tied to the main concepts of personal branding.
When it comes to personal branding, perhaps it’s worth remembering a famous Jeff Bezos quote: “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in a room.” In other words, it’s a set of associations, beliefs, attitudes, and expectations people have, or simply a gut feeling about another person.
On another note, emotional intelligence (EQ) is commonly described as the ability to understand and manage one’s own emotions, as well as recognize and influence the emotions of those around you.
In this article, I’m exploring how emotional intelligence (EQ) shapes the way we build authentic personal brands, why it matters for leadership in the age of employee advocacy, and how it helps us stay genuine in a world increasingly influenced by AI.
Emotional intelligence (EQ) in personal branding
Highly emotionally intelligent people are aware of how others see them – and that awareness is at the heart of personal branding. It’s an intentional, strategic practice in which people define and express their own value proposition in the eyes of others. Think about a colleague who is known as “the problem-solver.” They didn’t give themselves that label; it came from how others consistently experienced their actions. Personal branding is the intentional act of shaping those perceptions – defining and expressing your value proposition in a way that aligns with how you want to be remembered.
It’s about understanding of 1) what my image is – meaning how others see me, and 2) what my identity is – meaning how I want to be seen. The more others see us the way we want to be perceived, the stronger our personal brand is.
However, to uncover our personal brand authenticity, we need to engage in a highly introspective activity. One simple but powerful exercise is to ask three to five people you trust: “What three words come to mind when you think of me?” The answers can be eye-opening – sometimes aligning with your own sense of identity, sometimes surprising you. Without gathering this kind of feedback, crystallizing your values, and clarifying the mission you want to pursue, it’s impossible to build a brand that feels both strategic and authentic.
In other words, we must have a high level of self-awareness to unveil our strengths, values and translate them into an authentic personal brand. Without a deep self-awareness, personal branding is just a façade.
Personal branding-based employee advocacy – a (new) leadership skill?
It is hard to ignore the fact that influence now is spread through authentic human voices. From Nielsen research showing that trust has shifted from companies (33%) to people (90%), to Deloitte Germany already employing 250 part-time corporate influencers.
Strategic personal branding-based employee advocacy is about empowering those human voices with knowledge and skills to lead with authenticity. Imagine a marketing manager who shares her industry insights online. Not only does she position herself as a thought leader, but she also strengthens her company’s reputation, attracts clients, and inspires her team to do the same. That’s advocacy that turns into tangible outcomes.
To see advocacy as a leadership skill, look at what it shares with leadership itself. Leadership is about example-setting, and so is advocacy. A leader who actively shares their perspective online sends a powerful signal: “It’s safe, and valuable, for you to do the same.” Leaders who understand what it takes to practice personal-branding-based advocacy:
1) have to understand how their communication sets a tone for employees (EQ element: self-awareness)
2) have a better sense of employees’ concerns over advocacy activities (EQ element: empathy)
3) recognize those who step forward (EQ element: social skills) Personal branding-based employee advocacy is a leadership skill because it blends influence, empathy, and empowerment. In this context, leaders who take a step forward towards such activities move from being delegators of tasks to amplifiers of voices. Also, various research confirm the fact that companies are seen as more trustworthy when their leaders are active on social media.
Personal branding and authenticity in the context of AI
To me, a thought about AI being here not to replace humans, but actually make space for being a human again, has never sounded stronger when it comes to personal branding.
AI has been, is and will continue to be a game changer for many businesses. However, in the context of personal branding, with 54% of English-language LinkedIn posts generated by AI in 2024 (Wired), a natural question arises: Is authenticity a new disruption? With AI being out there to make everything look perfect, being simply genuine, honest, and true to yourself is something that stands out?
This is exactly where emotional intelligence (EQ) comes in – it’s the bridge to authenticity. Having a strong EQ in your personal branding journey, you’re able to build healthy relationships, create meaningful connections, and foster trust. All of this leads to being your authentic self versus something fabricated to look and feel perfect. In simple words, personal branding gives visibility, emotional intelligence builds relatability and trust, and authenticity makes all of it magnetic.
In the end, emotional intelligence (EQ), personal branding, and authenticity are not separate conversations – they are three layers of the same foundation. Personal branding ensures you are seen, emotional intelligence ensures you are understood, and authenticity ensures you are trusted. As technology reshapes how we work and communicate, it is precisely these human qualities that will define the leaders and professionals of tomorrow. I am convinced – the future belongs not to the most polished, but to the most genuine and honest.