Can you communicate authentically?

When we speak about narrative in personal branding, it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking only about content: the posts we publish, the talks we give, or the ideas we share. That is only a small part of the story. Narrative is much more than what we say. It includes what we show through our actions, the choices we make, the topics we address, the ones we avoid, and even the silences we leave. In personal branding, omission is sometimes as revealing as expression.

All of this becomes even more critical because we live in a complex world that changes fast. Our identity must remain coherent, yet our behaviour must adapt. Our public needs stable signals they can interpret easily, but the environment demands agility. Navigating this tension is one of the most challenging aspects of building a personal brand narrative: remaining recognisable while responding to change.

This is why it is naïve to think that a personal brand narrative is simply what we tell people about ourselves. A narrative is the entire web of signals we emit, consciously or unconsciously, in the realm of telling and in the realm of doing. It includes what we share publicly, the ideas we endorse, the causes we support, the tone we choose, the way we handle conflict, and the way we respond in situations that matter. Each of these elements contributes to the story that others construct about us.

What your narrative is actually for

To understand narrative properly, we must ask a basic but often overlooked question: what is a personal brand’s narrative for? The answer is obvious, yet uncommon in practice. A brand is not what we write in our strategy documents; a brand is what lives in the mind of our audience. Its job is simple and demanding at the same time: it must help people make sense of who we are and what value we bring to them.

This means that designing a personal brand narrative is not a matter of choosing a topic to “own” and producing content around it. Thought leadership certainly has its place, yet it must be accompanied by the ability to navigate complexity, respond to challenges, and seize opportunities as they arise. People connect the dots between what you say and what you do, reorganising those signals in their mind to create their own story about you. You cannot control that story, but you can influence it by choosing the ingredients you offer: the words you use, the ideas you express, the causes you support, and the actions you take.

Principles: your compass in a complex world

Now, this may seem too high-level thinking and we need to bring it to a more operational level. The problem at hand is that the sheer complexity of our professional lives induces us into reactive thinking and acting. That is inevitable, but even in such demanding and potentially damaging situations for our personal brand, we must not abdicate and simply react. We must remain in control of the signals we send, because those signals will eventually land in the mind of our public and become the raw material for the story they construct about us.

How can we deliberate and be intentional about our words and deeds when we are fully in control, but also in moments when we are forced into reactive behaviour? There is no easy or comprehensive list. We need principles that guide us. They become part of our centre of gravity, the nucleus that prevents our authentic self from going astray when circumstances push us in multiple directions at once.

These principles serve as a compass. They provide stability in an unstable world and coherence across moments that otherwise could feel disconnected.

Let me offer some of the principles that guide my own narrative. They are not prescriptive. They simply illustrate how values translate into signals.

Morality

I speak and act according to my values. This involves holding a clear ethical centre and letting it inform my decisions consistently. The public recognises moral coherence as one of the deepest signals of authenticity.

Respect

I know that people often look at the same issue from different perspectives. I do not attack their view. I try to add to the conversation, especially when my perspective differs. This creates a relational space where others feel safe, and safety fosters trust.

Depth

We live in a complex world, and our brain is wired to simplify reality to save energy. I try to resist oversimplification. When a topic matters, I explore it deeply so that I capture as much of its reality as possible, always aware that I do not possess the ultimate truth. People recognise depth as a signal of seriousness and credibility.

Transcendence

I know that much of reality escapes our senses and our immediate understanding. This can be viewed spiritually, but it can also be understood in systemic terms. Every event, every insight, every business exists within a much larger system. Recognising transcendence means accepting complexity, embracing symbolism, and approaching reality with humility. It elevates the narrative and opens a wider perspective.

These are examples, not formulas. Your principles may differ, but they must exist. They are the backbone of your narrative, the subtle architecture that makes your personal brand recognisable, trustworthy, and meaningful in a world that changes quickly.