In his book “I’m afraid, but I’m going” by Dunod editionsLucie Lebaz shares her path of personal and professional emancipation through personal branding. From invisibility to influence, she explains how to overcome her fears and limiting beliefs to assert herself and fully embody her singularity. An inspiring testimony for all those who still hesitate to dare to show themselves, remaining faithful to themselves.
What prompted you to write “I’m afraid, but I’m going” ?
Lucie Lebaz: Because I have long been this competent woman, in beautiful CV … but invisible. This invisibility, I was responsible myself. I had unhappy experiences as an employee and I had built the belief that the problem came from my personality, that I couldn’t get into the mold, so I tried to smooth it.
I understood by putting myself on my own, that it was, in real life, my greatest asset. I have also seen and I still see too many talents apologize for existing, and among them many women. Since the start of this adventure in Personal Branding, I have always considered it an emancipation tool, not “just” of promotion.
How to silence this little inner voice that permanently sabots, the famous “Gérard”, as you name it!
Lucie Lebaz: By accepting that part of us is not trying to see us change, evolve. We don’t silence her. We learn not to give him the microphone and to obey him. Gérard is there to protect us from what he thinks is a danger, like a good parent … But he often ends up sabotaging us and hindering us exactly where the springboard is located to make us pass a level.
You have to talk to him like a parent that we emancipate: “Thank you for your opinion, but I manage.»
If our brain has been able to create Gérard, he can create his antidote. In the book, I’m talking about having “A Jewish pocket mother”Or to invent it. This mama that believes in you unconditionally, because it is the best of coaches to believe in yourself when your mind tells you that you are not in your place!
You say that “ Anyone can shine Impact on its scale. That’s to say ?
Lucie Lebaz: Railling is not to shine stronger than the others. It is shedding light on it by remaining aligned with whom we are. And that is within everyone’s reach, even (and above all) discreet.
Do you have to be an extroverted person to be able to get visible?
Lucie Lebaz: No way. In my book I quote several examples of known and recognized entrepreneurs and experts who define themselves as introverts or “reserved” (Alexandre Pachulski, Assaël Adary, Fanny Nusbaum, etc.).
It is not a question of volume, but of truth. The extrovert may dare faster to express themselves and show itself. However, the introverted will be expressed if it feels strong convictions and when the desire and the need to express a conviction is stronger than the fear of saying it.
Personal branding is not noise: it’s imprint.
You insist on the idea that ” You are not a product, you are a brand ». What does this change concretely in his way of communicating?
Lucie Lebaz: A product is sold, and that is not unique. Go to the pasta department, you have marks, but the product are pasta. A brand, it is chosen. So when you consider yourself a brand and not a product, you place a separate voice in its sector and not yet another. It changes everything: we don’t “sell”, we embody. We are not trying to please everyone, we attract good people for the right reasons. And obvious, we create rarity where the product is massive.
How to build a communication that reflects both your personality, vision and expertise? You talk about 4C.
Lucie Lebaz: Yes it is analogy with the diamond and its rarity. It is important to get out of your mind, Gérard as I name it in the book and take a step back to assess and audit what is to build and/or to evolve. Here is the matrix I give in the book to measure the state of its “diamond”.
- Carat: Weight in presence, commitment, frequency of speech, alliances, number of contacts or subscribers.
- Clarity: Storytelling, editorial line, message, values, positioning, singularity and readability.
- Color : Brand universe, style and visual codes, totem and distinctive label.
- Cut : Proposed experience, posture, energy, voice tone.
You repeat that “trop reflection kills action ». How to go from ” I think ” has ” I start »?
Lucie Lebaz: En reducing the pressure of the “perfect”. I say it in the book “When it’s perfect, it’s too late”. By waiting, we end up not offering anything or when the moment is no longer relevant. Taking the train when he presents himself and continuously improving his speaking, his communication and therefore the link with his community will always be more effective in the long term.
To move forward, it is not to expose themselves to shame, it is to practice reality. The best way to gain legitimacy is to dare to confront the field.
What advice would you give to those who do not yet dare to be, to expose themselves or to speak?
Lucie Lebaz: Start small, but start. Then repeat and amplify these same actions. Dare a comment, a post, a speaking in a meeting, pass a story in story on Instagram to introduce yourself. And ask yourself this question: what is more uncomfortable … be visible or remain invisible for another 5 years and become bitter, frustrated and sad to see the train pass in front of your nose and do not try anything?
You accompany many entrepreneurs. What limiting beliefs are most often coming back?
Lucie Lebaz: “I’m going to tire people”, “I don’t want to look like those who publish anything on LinkedIn”, “They will think that I tell myself”, “I’m not expert enough”, “I’m going to disturb” or “I have nothing to say interesting” …
We often confuse visibility and vanity. However, it is an act of responsibility: your messages can change trajectories. Forget that you look at you, try to be useful and you will become inspiring.
In your opinion, how can Personal Branding be a tool for reappropriation of power for women in their professional life?
Lucie Lebaz: Because it allows you to position yourself without permission. To be chosen, without justifying yourself. And not to depend only on the gaze of a manager, a client, a companion or an algorithm to exist. To assume his identity, his positioning, his point of view to express them is a beautiful snub to people who made us feel “not enough” and especially to the part of us who dared to believe them. We set the record straight to be aligned either on a fragile ego that wants to prove but on a solid identity.
How to stay faithful to yourself while being impactful?
Lucie Lebaz: By stopping playing a role. Authenticity does not prevent the strategy. She makes her stronger. What we say with sincerity has more impact than what we are trying to formulate “as it should be”.
And you, today, what are you still afraid of … But are you going there anyway?
Lucie Lebaz: Not to be up to my ambitions. The difference is that now, I go there despite fear. I go there, because we are never totally ready and fear is not a sufficient reason to help living and bringing your dreams to life. It is in imperfect action that audacity is played out. And then now, I know how to identify when Gérard speaks to me or when it is my heart, and it changes everything.
