A couple of months ago, I served as a judge for the CIPR Excellence Awards 2025 and attended the award show a few weeks ago, which proved to be an eventful evening. I caught up with old friends, colleagues and people in the industry who I didn’t even think would know who I am. A truly humbling experience, and I am very grateful for the opportunity!
The reason why I wanted to cover this in my blog this week was because it brought me back to the process of selecting the winner. What I thought would be a straightforward task, reading submissions and scoring entries, turned into one of the most insightful exercises I’ve had this year.
So I figured I’ll share what I learnt with you.
It’s Not Just What You Say, It’s How You Make People Feel
It began with reviewing written proposals from the shortlisted candidates, and then progressed to live interviews, where we met them via video calls to select the final winner.
What stood out most wasn’t just what people had done or how impressive their results looked on paper. It was how they made you feel in the process.
One entrant had all the hard-hitting points in their write-up, but when we met them, the connection wasn’t aligned. Another didn’t come across as the strongest entrant on paper, but once they started talking and sharing their journey, it hit differently. You could feel their intent, their passion and their impact. And that shifted everything.
That’s the key insight I took away from the experience: personal branding is not just about what you say, but how you make people feel.
Alongside this, I wanted to share a few more lessons from my experience.
1. Authenticity That Resonates
You can’t fake presence. The candidates who came across best weren’t the ones who had perfectly rehearsed answers. They were the ones who were honest, reflective and clear on their purpose.
It wasn’t about having the flashiest campaigns or most prestigious clients. It was about showing up as a whole person. Their story wasn’t just polished. It was personal.
If you want your brand to land, show up with truth. People are drawn to honesty, not hype.
2. Clarity With Heart
Some entries had all the hard-hitting points, but no personality. Others were simple, but with a strong, clear message and a real emotional core. When we sat down to choose a winner, clarity made a huge difference, but only when it was backed by feeling.
The best personal brands didn’t just explain what the person did. They helped us understand why it mattered to them and why it should matter to others.
Your brand message should feel like a conversation, not a corporate elevator pitch. Clear, grounded and human.
3. Emotional Consistency Builds Trust
Here’s what really separated the good from the great: consistency. The ones who left a lasting impression had alignment across their written submission, interview answers and overall energy. There was a clear thread throughout that made it easy to vouch for them.
In contrast, some candidates had a strong written submission, but their interview fell flat. Others had the charisma upon meeting them, but the paperwork didn’t do them justice.
When your story is consistent, people feel safe investing in you.
4. Small Details Shape Big Perceptions
Something as simple as how a submission was formatted or how a portfolio was presented changed how we perceived them.
It wasn’t about having the most high-tech deck or perfect grammar. It was about care. The care you take in your brand and how you present your work is a tell-tale sign.
Details don’t just inform. They evoke trust, pride and professionalism.
5. You Have to Make People Feel Something
This was the most important lesson. The winner didn’t just have great results. They had a presence. They left the conversation, and months later, you still remember what made them special. Not because of their title, but because of how they made you feel.
Personal branding that sticks doesn’t just deliver facts. It builds a connection. It gives people something to believe in.
Whether you’re speaking in an interview, writing a bio or crafting a social post, ask yourself: what’s the feeling I want to leave behind?
Moving Forward
Judging those awards changed the way I look at personal branding. It reminded me that no matter how skilled or experienced you are, your ability to connect makes all the difference.
So, when you’re building or refining your brand, don’t just focus on the bullet points. Focus on the feeling. Because in the end, people remember the energy you bring a lot more than the words you say.
See you next week!
