If you ever questioned the value that a personal brand can deliver, look no further than the noise and intensity of last weeks 'career decision' by LeBron James about where he was going to play next season in the NBA.
Not only did we see the organization now developed behind his brand – his own TV special on ESPN, managed by his company plus everything else going on – but also the analysis as to the impact his brand would have being in, and being out of, certain markets.
The New York Knicks, one of the front runners for his signature even hired one of the top brand agencies, Interbrand, to do some research in to what coming to New York would mean for him and presented it as part of their 'woo Lebron' package.
They calculated he had a 48.6% chance of becoming a billionaire!
The final decision saw his former teams value drop an estimated $100 million, Knicks season tickets sink on the resellers market, while successful team the Miami Heat's value rose an estimated $40 million and they suspended sales of season tickets which on the resale market leapt overnight from $3,239 to $8,250 – a 250% increase!
Now your own personal brand might not have that effect in your current situation, but it is worth remembering that if you are able to communicate the right message coupled with the right skills that are in demand then your value increases and the impact you can have on a situation can certainly be significant.