Is it true that empty vessels make the loudest sound, or that the loudest bark comes from the smallest dog, or that a tin can full of nothing rattles the most? Have you ever been in a meeting where you had the opportunity to speak first and, as always, sounded so smart to yourself, until others in the meeting had a chance to talk, and then you wondered how on earth you thought you were smarter?
Proverbs and wise sayings were devised to communicate hard truths softly. Therefore, these proverbs I’ve cited must contain some truth and reflect the context in which they were coined.
As a PR student and practitioner, this pricks me. We are supposed to be loud about our brand until we level up or rise above all the noise, especially in the digital space. This is why such sayings, and any others that imply taking a quiet posture, may not be a welcome concept in branding.
Should you just be good at what you do and hope to be identified one day by the relevant people? Or should you make all the necessary noise until you rise above every other voice?
Given authenticity and visibility, what should you choose?
If you choose authenticity without visibility, you remain true to yourself regardless of whether anyone is watching. You may or may never be recognized. If you are selling products, you risk never expanding and getting more people to benefit from your authentic products, and of course, miss out on potential income growth.
On the other hand, if you choose visibility above authenticity, many people will discover you faster and therefore stand a good chance of growing your audience base, and subsequently, sales and income. However, sooner or later, people will begin to realize who you really are. Some who were drawn to your outward expression of self will soon discover the emptiness within you and begin walking away. The worst part is that many may feel cheated and walk away forever, never to return.
In today’s environment, if you do not rise above the crowd, you may never be noticed. This calls for good branding, both at a personal and organizational level. However, the branding should be anchored on truth and authenticity. At the organizational level, we talk about identity, which is how you want to be seen, and image, which is how people see you. When identity and image do not align, you run into a reputation deficit. Reputation is how people perceive you based on repeated behavior. Reputation is easy to build if what you want or who you project is consistent with who you actually are. The beauty of this is that even when you encounter crises that have the potential of harming your reputation, you stand a chance of surviving the storm. If your identity and image are not consistent, you don’t even need a crisis to fall. It is a matter of time.
Therefore, if you have to choose between visibility and being, choose both. But if you must choose one of them, choose both still. And when you have no choice, be. Become. Be authentic. Chance may give you visibility in due time. Visibility without authenticity is disastrous.
Wow , awesome ✨