I am the most unathletic person you will ever meet. If you don’t believe me, watch the video of me rollerblading—it’s on my Instagram. I’m not giving you the link, you gotta work for it.
Ironically, or not ironically, I am ridiculously competitive, which directly challenges my athleticism, often with disastrous consequences. Case in point: I have a permanent dent in my leg from mountain biking, where my speed, lack of control, zero skill, and a set of handlebars all came together to celebrate the end of my two-wheeling career. Not two minutes after that crash, I took a header. This is a Bode quirk – I am stubborn, committed, stupidly fearless, and incredibly uncoordinated.
Our quirks, much like my time on the Allendale Christian Middle School basketball team, make us memorable, weird, and authentic; they’re who we are. A person’s brand is a culmination of their experiences and stories, skills, accomplishments, strengths, passions, hobbies, and quirks.
The first step in personal branding is to define your brand, which is why I created the QUIRKS Framework, because everything good in life ties back to an acronym…It also leads you through the process in a memorable and very Bode way.
Question
Question the “norms,” aka the rules of professionalism. What assumptions are you following based on someone else’s preconceived notions? Just because everyone else wears blue, black, or grey in the office doesn’t mean you have to. Look at the parts of yourself you hide away because it’s not the “norm,” and acknowledge them for what they are – strengths (or quirks).
Uncover
As Leslie Knope says, “When you show up as a big deal, big things happen.” Uncover your Big Deal Energy. What lights you up? Is it scrapbooking? Baking? Making vision boards and sending pictures to all your friends? Big Deal Energy is your passion and skills coming together in one big happy MeetCute. This is the foundation of your brand.
Identify
Your skills, accomplishments, passions, hobbies, quirks, and love of dogs are all part of your story. By fully owning your quirks, you’ll begin crafting (and refining) your narrative to highlight what makes you powerful and authentic.
Reframe
Transform those perceived weaknesses, your quirkiest traits or “flaws,” into your unique value proposition. Throw out the AI-generated content, crappy headshot, and embrace being wholly, authentically you. This is your story, and you get to frame it.
Know (or Knope)
Knope your value. Embrace your inner Leslie Knope by championing others, celebrating wins, and doubling down on what matters to you; reinforce your value through genuine advocacy and support for your network and beliefs.
Show
Bring your authentic self, quirks and all, to every context, whether it’s a meeting, a social post, or a conference. By showing up authentically and consistently, you reinforce your brand, in person and online.
Good things happen to those who embrace (own) their quirks.
- Question the Norm
- Uncover Your Big Deal Energy
- Identify Your Power
- Reframe the Narrative
- Knope Your Value
- Show Up
Commit to getting just a little bit weirder and more authentic, and you’ll see the benefit.
