Are you hiding behind your business card?

The question of skill is fundamental to how we feel about what we do. Skill takes time to develop and is often the result of a deep interest in something that draws us further. When we have the opportunity to benefit from the halo effect of an established brand however, there is a danger that we might hide behind our business cards. We can forget to pay sufficient attention to our skill.

Some doors

Sure, there are some doors that will only open because you are part of a certain brand. Doors that respond to longstanding relationships, scale and large capital bases. But, this is not an excuse to pay less attention to your skill and what you bring.

Your business card might enable the opportunities you have today, but what happens if that business card is taken away or if you want to give it up?

Skill

Having a genuine curiosity into the subject matter you are engaged in is the beginning of cultivating real skill. Recognise also what you bring to the table. Ask yourself: What is it that I uniquely offer? And, there will be something! The more that you recognise your unique contribution and the more curious you become about what you do, the more value you will offer.

And, perhaps, overtime your business card will become secondary. Because what you bring as a person starts to matter more than the brand you are a part of.

Other doors

When real skill becomes the basis of what you do, there might be other doors that open. They may not be the same doors as before. They might in fact offer new, different and more exciting opportunities.

Whichever doors you decide to walk through, you will be in a much more compelling position than you would have been simply hiding behind your business card.

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