You Know My Name, But You Don’t Know Me

by Dave Dart
Managing Partner, Morisey-Dart Group

Every time I hear someone tell me that they know an individual because they are connected on Linked In or another social platform, a small smile crosses my face.
Going back a couple of years I was invited to speak to a class at our local tech school. My good friend Bob was teaching an entrepreneur class at this site. His students were mid to low income and many came from homes where English was the second language. We were heading into a discussion about personal branding.

Since I did not know a soul in the room, except Bob, the 15 students looking back at me were all strangers. Here we were ready to discuss their clothing, tattoos, body jewelry, footwear, hairstyles, and how each of these reflected their personal brand. We engaged in how others see you through language, posture, facial expressions, and more. We challenged each other to think about the brands of rock and sports stars. It was a fascinating conversation about life in the eyes of these incredibly smart, focused individuals that had made a personal decision to take Bob’s class.

Frankly, I learned a lot that day and still carry the main lesson with me.

You Know My Name But You Don't Know MeIn the back of the room sat one young man. Arms were folded, tatts were showing, body jewelry was present, and he said not one word. Wanting to be sure that everyone had a chance to speak, I finally asked him about his personal brand.

His answer was, “You know my name, but you don’t know me.”

He was right. I did not know him but decided to take time to learn more about him. We engaged in a great conversation about life, dreams, goals, and aspirations. We talked about what he wanted to become and why he joined the class. When we left, I was just getting to know a little about him. What I found out later was that he led a team from that class to a win in a statewide entrepreneur challenge for students. He was a straight A student and would open a business of his own one day.

I left fascinated by Bob’s ability to draw the best out of these students and promised myself not to let a brand define or cloud judgement. Social platforms provide a glimpse into one’s brand, but only a conversation will let you truly understand what is at someone’s core.

Slow down and get to know the people behind the brand; your life will be better for it.