I love it when a student knocks my socks off.
Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking at the Target Markets mid-year conference in Dallas.
The energy in the room was fantastic, and as always, one of my favorite parts of any speaking engagement is what happens after I’m done speaking.
That’s when people come up to ask follow-up questions, share personal stories, and offer examples of where something I mentioned really hit home for them.
One of the people I had the privilege of meeting was Monalisah, a graduate student from Zimbabwe attending Yeshiva University. She was there with a group of students sponsored by the Spencer Educational Foundation so they could gain industry insights and build professional connections.
Monalisah and one of her friends asked thoughtful questions about how to get ahead in their careers, create pathways for themselves, and build a leadership brand, especially as international students entering a new professional landscape in a new country.
Her initiative itself impressed me.
But what impressed me even more was what she did the very next day.
Specifically, she posted on LinkedIn, sharing her reflections on the experience.
In fact, that one post demonstrated leadership on multiple levels in ways that professionals at every stage of their careers should notice.
When people want my help vying for a promotion or preparing for a career transition, they always ask me questions like:
- “How do I build my brand?”
- “How do I get noticed?”
- “How do I network?”
- “How do I become recognized as a leader beyond the walls of my office or company?”
This is how.
Here are five lessons we can all learn from her example.
1. She Took Initiative
First, Monalisah took the initiative to post her thoughts publicly.
That may sound small, but it is not.
Publicly contributing to a professional conversation takes courage, especially when you are early in your career, still building your network, and still figuring out where you belong in the room.
Leadership does not mean waiting until all discomfort disappears. Leadership means recognizing that your perspective has value, and choosing to share it anyway.
You build your leadership brand by contributing to the conversation. PERIOD.
And that’s exactly what Monalisah did.
She did not just benefit from the conference experience. She contributed back to the broader conversation.
2. She Owned Her Perspective
Second, she owned her perspective with confident vulnerability.
She acknowledged that walking into a professional conference as a student – and an international student, at that – can be intimidating.
And of course it can be.
Anytime we enter a room where it feels like everyone else is more senior or more expert, imposter syndrome thoughts of “I don’t belong here” can creep in.
Instead of letting that thought hold her back, she wisely observed, “But that’s exactly where the growth happens,” and leaned in.
3. She Practiced Public Gratitude
Third, she thanked the foundation that sponsored her and the association that hosted the conference.
That may sound like basic good manners, but in a professional context, it is much more than that.
It builds social capital.
She gave public credit to the people and organizations that created access and opportunity for her.
Someday, when Monalisah applies for a job, internship, fellowship, or leadership opportunity, someone may look her up online.
And what will they find?
Evidence that she is thoughtful, proactive, appreciative, professional, and generous in giving credit.
That is not fluff; that is brand equity.
4. She Shared Meaningful Takeaways
Fourth, she shared her biggest takeaways from the event. (And I strongly recommend you read her short but powerful post.)
Her takeaways were not merely “beginner lessons for a student.” They were reminders that all of us, at every level, need to hear again and again.
That is one mark of strong leadership communication: the ability to take a personal experience and extract a universal lesson.
Most of us already know many of the things we should do:
- We know we should speak up.
- We know we should follow up.
- We know we should build relationships before we need them.
- We know we should acknowledge the people who helped us along the way.
But knowing and executing are two very different things.
Sometimes we need someone earlier in their career to hold up the mirror and remind us to put our money where our mouth is.
Or perhaps, in this case, the reverse:
If you’ve invested the money to learn how to lead and how to build your brand, it’s time to put your mouth where you money is and do it.
5. She Made It Visible and Relational
Fifth, she shared photographs from the event and tagged the people she wanted to acknowledge, whether peers, speakers, organizers, or other contributors.
Yes, including me, which is how I saw her post in the first place.
That is intentional relationship-building.
The photos made the post more human and memorable. The tags invited people into the conversation and gave them a chance to respond, amplify, and remember her.
It worked because it was relevant, thoughtful, and connected to a genuine shared experience.
That is networking at its finest.
This Is Leadership Branding in Action
What Monalisah did was simple, but simple does not mean insignificant; quite the contrary.
- She reflected.
- She posted.
- She thanked people.
- She shared lessons.
- She included photos.
- She acknowledged contributors.
- She created visibility for herself while creating value for others.
In summary: A strong leadership brand is not built by self-promotion alone. It is built by contribution.
It is built when people see how you think, what you value, how you treat others, and whether you have the courage to participate in meaningful conversations.
You do not have to be the keynote speaker to demonstrate leadership.
You do not have to be the CEO.
You do not have to be the most senior person in the room.
Sometimes leadership looks like a graduate student walking into an intimidating professional conference, paying attention, asking smart questions, reflecting on what she learned, and publicly giving credit to the people and organizations that made the experience possible.
Those are pro moves from a rookie.
I hope all the pros AND rookies alike out there take her lessons to heart.
Because whether you are a student, emerging professional, manager, executive, entrepreneur, or industry veteran, the question is the same:
Are you merely receiving value from the rooms you enter?
Or are you contributing value to the conversation even after you leave?
The answer describes the leadership brand you create.
