We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

Shaping Your Professional Brand

You've thought about who you are and how you want your career to be. You have some soft skills to deal with situations that could cause problems. What about the team around you? How do you build functional and constructive professional relationships? How can you add value? What do employers look for when they are promoting?

Skill-building in this course will include asking questions, listening, developing likeability (you’d better be stellar if you’re difficult), identifying cognitive bias, apologizing, receiving apologies, and the basics of whistleblowing. After this course, you will be able to:

- assess your own listening and reactions and retune them in advance or on the spot for a more constructive outcome

- add value at work by keeping situations easy instead of difficult

- manage your own approach

- be prepared when things go wrong

The prerequisite for this course is Course One of the Specialization "Professional IQ: Preventing and Solving Problems at Work".

Enroll now

Or subscribe to Coursera Plus

And get unlimited access to Coursera

Here's a deal for you

Save money when you learn with a deal that may be relevant to this course.

All coupon codes, vouchers, and discounts are applied automatically unless otherwise noted.

Valid until March 12, 2027

Save 40% Off 3 Months

Access thousands of top-rated learning programs with a Coursera Plus monthly subscription and take 40% off 3 months for a limited time.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Orientation

Find out what Shaping Your Professional Brand can offer you.

Week 1: Being Valued at Work

You will work on building your professional brand by learning the importance of listening and crafting effective questions.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Develops soft skills needed to manage situations and interact with colleagues in a professional setting

Taught by C. K. Gunsalus, who are experts in professional development

Builds a strong foundation for beginners in professional communication and interpersonal skills

Covers fundamental concepts such as listening, asking effective questions, and managing cognitive bias

Provides practical strategies for resolving conflicts and apologizing effectively

Requires prerequisite knowledge from Course One of the Specialization "Professional IQ: Preventing and Solving Problems at Work"

Save this course

Create your own learning path. Save this course to your list so you can find it easily later.

Save

Reviews summary

Practical skills for professional growth

According to learners, this course provides highly practical tools and strategies for navigating the professional world. Many found the content directly applicable, particularly the module on cognitive biases, which offered valuable insights. Reviewers frequently praise the instructor's engaging delivery and ability to explain complex ideas clearly. While largely positive, some learners mentioned the course could be relatively introductory, suggesting it might be most beneficial for those newer to professional development or seeking a solid foundation rather than deep dives into complex interpersonal dynamics. Overall, it's seen as a valuable step in enhancing one's professional brand.

Provides a solid introduction to key concepts.

"This course offers a solid foundation in building your professional brand and handling difficult conversations."

"It felt like a good introductory course covering essential aspects of professional communication and presence."

"For someone starting out or needing a refresher, this provides a comprehensive overview of critical soft skills."

Helped identify and manage biases effectively.

"The section on cognitive biases was particularly eye-opening and gave me practical ways to recognize and mitigate them."

"I gained valuable insights into how biases affect professional interactions and decision-making."

"Understanding cognitive biases was a highlight; it changed how I view workplace dynamics."

Instructor is engaging, clear, and knowledgeable.

"The instructor was fantastic! Their insights were valuable and delivery kept me engaged throughout."

"I really enjoyed the lectures; the instructor explained concepts clearly and made the topics interesting."

"The teaching style made it easy to understand complex ideas related to professional behavior."

Provides tools directly applicable to work situations.

"I found the strategies and tips shared in this course to be incredibly practical and applicable to my daily work."

"The content is very relevant and immediately useful for anyone looking to improve their professional interactions."

"I learned practical skills I could apply right away in challenging professional situations."

May be too basic for experienced professionals.

"While useful, I felt some of the content was quite basic and might not offer new insights for very experienced individuals."

"This course seems best suited for beginners or those relatively new to formal professional development training."

"As someone with several years of experience, I found parts of it covered ground I was already familiar with."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Shaping Your Professional Brand with these activities:

Review types of values

Show steps

Reviewing types of values will help strengthen your foundational understanding of decision making

Browse courses on Cognitive Biases

Show steps

Review your notes and past assignments on values
Take a practice quiz on values

Find a mentor who can provide guidance on career development

Show steps

Finding a mentor can provide you with valuable guidance and support

Browse courses on Mentorship

Show steps

Identify your goals and areas where you need support
Network with people in your field
Ask for referrals to potential mentors
Interview potential mentors
Select a mentor and establish a relationship

Attend a networking event

Show steps

Attending a networking event will help you build your professional network

Browse courses on Networking

Show steps

Find a networking event to attend
Register for the event
Attend the event and introduce yourself to people
Follow up with the people you met

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Practice active listening

Show steps

Practicing active listening will help you develop your communication skills

Browse courses on Listening

Show steps

Find a partner and take turns practicing active listening

Join a study group or discussion forum

Show steps

Joining a study group or discussion forum will help you learn from others and improve your understanding of the course material

Show steps

Find a study group or discussion forum
Join the group or forum
Participate in discussions and ask questions

Attend a workshop on building rapport

Show steps

Attending a workshop on building rapport will help you develop your communication skills

Browse courses on Building Rapport

Show steps

Find a workshop on building rapport
Register for the workshop
Attend the workshop and take notes
Apply the techniques you learned in the workshop

Create a professional development plan

Show steps

Creating a professional development plan will help you identify your goals and develop strategies for achieving them

Browse courses on Professional Development

Show steps

Identify your career goals
Assess your current skills and knowledge
Identify areas for improvement
Set goals for your professional development
Develop a plan to achieve your goals

Create a personal mission statement

Show steps

Creating a personal mission statement will help you clarify your values and goals

Browse courses on Mission Statement

Show steps

Identify your core values
Brainstorm your short-term and long-term goals
Write a draft of your mission statement
Review and revise your mission statement

Career center

Learners who complete Shaping Your Professional Brand will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Business Development Manager

Business Development Managers identify and develop new business opportunities for their companies. This course will help Business Development Managers build their professional brand, which is essential for networking and building relationships with potential clients.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Development Manager

Sales Manager

Sales Managers lead and motivate teams of salespeople, and they must be able to effectively communicate with customers and build strong relationships with them.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

Community Organizer

Active listening, effective communication, and conflict resolution are skills of paramount importance for Community Organizers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Community Organizer

Management Consultant

Management Consultants work with businesses to improve their performance.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant

Customer Service Manager

Customer Service Managers are responsible for overseeing the customer service department of a company. Shaping Your Professional Brand can help build the skills needed to succeed in this role, such as building strong relationships with customers, managing conflict, and effectively communicating with customers and employees.

See salaries and explore the career path for Customer Service Manager

Public Relations Specialist

Public Relations Specialists shape and manage the public image of their clients. Shaping Your Professional Brand may be helpful to someone looking to enter this field as it can help build the skills needed to manage client relationships and communicate effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Relations Specialist

Human Resources Manager

Shaping Your Professional Brand provides a solid foundation for the interpersonal skills needed to succeed in the HR field. These skills include active listening, effective communication, conflict resolution, and empathy.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers plan and execute marketing campaigns for their companies. Shaping Your Professional Brand may be helpful to someone looking to enter this field as it can help build the skills needed to build relationships with customers and clients and effectively communicate with team members.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Advertising Manager

Effective communication, strategic planning, and relationship building are crucial skills for Advertising Managers. Shaping Your Professional Brand may be helpful to someone looking to enter this field as it provides a foundation in these areas.

See salaries and explore the career path for Advertising Manager

Fundraising Manager

Fundraising Managers are responsible for raising funds for a variety of causes and organizations. Shaping Your Professional Brand may be helpful to someone looking to enter this field as it can help build the skills needed to build strong relationships with donors and effectively communicate the mission and goals of the organization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Fundraising Manager

Event Planner

Planning and coordinating events requires a keen eye for detail, as well as effective communication and organizational skills. Shaping Your Professional Brand may be helpful to someone looking to enter the field as it provides a solid foundation in these skills.

See salaries and explore the career path for Event Planner

Digital Marketing Manager

Digital Marketing Managers help businesses market their products and services online. Shaping Your Professional Brand teaches the importance of building productive professional relationships, which is essential for collaboration within marketing teams.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Marketing Manager

Public relations manager

Effective communication, building positive relationships, and managing conflict are essential in the field of Public Relations. Shaping Your Professional Brand may be helpful to someone looking to enter this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public relations manager

Operations Manager

Operations Managers oversee the day-to-day operations of a business. Shaping Your Professional Brand may be helpful to someone looking to enter this field, as it can help them build the interpersonal skills needed to manage teams and collaborate with other departments.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Manager

Project Manager

Project Managers are responsible for overseeing and delivering the successful completion of projects.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Reading list

We've selected 14 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Shaping Your Professional Brand.

Crucial Influence, Third Edition: Leadership Skills...

Save

Provides practical tools and techniques for having difficult conversations in a constructive and productive manner. It emphasizes the importance of active listening, empathy, and finding common ground.

Shaping Your Professional Brand

Here's a deal for you

What's inside

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Save this course

Reviews summary

Practical skills for professional growth

Activities

Career center

Reading list

Share

Similar courses

Coursera Buyer Protection & Guarantee

7-Day Free Trial & Free Audit

14-Day Refund Guarantee

Verified Academic & Industry Partner