Reputation management expert Fiona Fenwick is thrilled to announce her first book, Stand Out and Step Up, is now available on Amazon.
It's a must-read for anyone who wants to be better in whatever they do in life - at work or beyond. It's also a great support for reputation management specialists.
In this exclusive interview with Communicate Influence, Fiona talks for the first time about the book.
Stand Out and Step Up! - A reputation management guide
Q: Fiona, congratulations on publishing your first book, Stand Out and Step Up. That’s an impressive achievement. Now, after all this hard work, how does it feel to see the hard copy in front of you?
Fiona: Thank you so much! It was certainly an interesting process and I am thrilled it is finally here.
Q: Who will benefit from reading Stand Out and Step Up? Who’s your audience?
Fiona: Anyone who has a desire to be better in what they do. From school students looking at their future and how they approach their first big steps into the world to senior executives looking for a senior governance position and everyone in between.
The book is relevant for individuals, entrepreneurs, employees, sportspeople, celebrities, politicians - in fact it really does have something that should resonate with everyone!
Personal brand-building: be authentic
Q: What can readers expect to learn from the book?
Fiona: The importance of self-awareness and an understanding that other people might see them differently. The challenge is to see if how others see them matches how they want it to be seen. That’s what reputation and personal brand-building is all about.
It will also take them through the importance of an authentic personal brand, the value a reputation can add to personal success, and how to use that to gain invaluable influence.
Time to exercise!
Q: Stand Out and Step Up contains advice, stories, little anecdotes, and lots more. You’ve also included practical exercises throughout the book. Tell us about those and how they might help readers.
Fiona: My aim is for the book to be easily readable and conversational, based on many years of my experiences watching and working with all kinds of people and organisations—that’s where all the stories have all come from. Luckily some were printable!
The exercises—I call them toolkits—are included to help readers get real value for themselves and to allow them to really think about what they are reading and how that relates to them. After all, its all about helping them to Stand Out and Step Up!
Having an editor is invaluable
Q: What was it like drawing from years of experience? Was it difficult narrowing things down and deciding what to include and what not to include in your work?
Fiona: I never saw myself as an author! That always seemed to be something that other people did. But after some persuading by my treasured editor, I set about trying to take the material that I talk about in workshop and conference presentations and distill it on to pages!
Once I started, the hardest part was what to leave out. I have been fortunate enough to work with amazing people and some incredible industries—each with their own challenges, and that is where the real learning happens.
Promoting Stand Out and Step Up
Q: What plans do you have for the book now it’s published?
Fiona: It’s interesting and slightly unnerving being on this side of the equation as I’m normally the person doing the promoting! Currently, it’s a whirlwind of interviews, talks and travel to increase awareness of the book globally - including India next month. All great fun.
Then it’s on to the next book: The Loudest Introvert in the Room, an honest account of how to succeed in a world that tends to favour extroverts!
Words of wisdom
Q: Reputation knows no boundaries in that all types of jobs and professions depend on it. But for marketers, journalists, communicators and PR folks, it plays a special role. What special words of wisdom or advice do you have for people working in these fields?
Fiona: Reputation and Integrity are everything. End of story. The earlier each of us understands the importance of this to our careers, the more successful we will be. In the areas you mention, being a trusted adviser adds tremendous value to you and your clients/company - and builds your reputation and influence. Consider your legacy and what you are doing to create it.
I think one of my heroes, Dr Seuss sums it up very well: "Today I shall behave as if this is the day I shall be remembered".
Reputation manager and author Fiona Fenwick is the founder of fifteen minutes, a reputation management firm that works closely with individuals and senior teams in the corporate and sporting worlds. She helps clients understand the value of personal influence and why reputation is important for future goals, aspirations, and success.
Based in New Zealand, Fiona has an MA in International Relations and Political Studies from Aberdeen University. Read more about Fiona on Linkedin.
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