Quick question: Can you clearly articulate what you stand for in 30 seconds or less?
Not your job title. Not your credentials. But what you actually believe, what you won’t compromise on, and what makes you unmistakably you? The unique differences that could make you iconic.
If you hesitated, you’re not alone.
Most ambitious women I work with are brilliant at what they do, but they’ve never taken the time to define their professional identity beyond their CV. They’re making career decisions without a clear internal compass, and it’s costing them opportunities.
This week, I want to show you the one document that was hugely impactful for me, and I know it will be for you.
You’re Making Decisions in the Dark
When you don’t have clarity on what you stand for you:
- Say yes to opportunities that don’t align with who you are (and regret it later).
- Shape-shift to please others instead of being unmistakably yourself.
- Struggle to articulate what makes you different when opportunities arise.
- Second-guess your decisions because you’re not anchored to your core values.
Without a clear professional identity, you blend in. And when you blend in, you get overlooked.
If you want to be sought after, being great at what you do isn’t enoough—you need to know exactly who you are, what you stand for, and what you won’t tolerate. That clarity will make you magnetic.
And the fastest way to gain that clarity? Write your professional manifesto.
What’s Your Professional Manifesto?
A professional manifesto is your declaration of your core values, what you stand for, and how you intend to show up professionally.
It’s not a mission statement or corporate jargon. It’s YOUR statement of principles and your call to action.
Think of it as your professional north star, the thing that keeps you on course when decisions get messy, when you’re tempted to play small, or when you need to remind yourself why you’re doing this in the first place.
Here’s why it works:
Political parties and organisations use manifestos because they’re powerful.
There’s something about putting your values, your non-negotiables, and your vision in one place. It cuts through all the noise and puts what matters most in focus.
The word “manifesto” comes from the Latin manifestus, meaning “obvious or clear.” That’s exactly what this document does—it makes your professional identity obvious, first to yourself, then to the world.
When you have a manifesto you:
- Make faster, more confident decisions
- Stop apologising for who you really are
- Attract the right opportunities (and repel the wrong ones)
- Become unmistakably YOU
And that’s when you become iconic.
How to Write Your Professional Manifesto
Your manifesto should be a call to action, not just a list of nice-sounding values. You want to persuade yourself to stay motivated and on track.
Here’s how to create yours this week:
1. Keep it clear and concise
This isn’t a novel. One side of A4 maximum, ideally half that. You should be able to read it regularly without effort.
Start by brain-dumping everything—your values, beliefs, goals, what you stand for. Then edit ruthlessly until it’s punchy and powerful. Use bullet points if you want. Make it scannable.
2. Use the Who, What, How, Why framework
If you’re stuck on structure, try this:
- Who are you? Your principles, your values, what you care about most professionally
- What do you want to achieve? Your big goals and what “success” means to you (not what you inherited)
- How will you achieve it? Your overall approach—what you’re willing to do, what you won’t compromise on
- Why does this matter? All the reasons this is important to you. What you’re moving away from and what you’re moving toward
You can also include your “not me” list—what you refuse to become or tolerate.
3. Use decisive, empowering language
No maybes. No potentially’s. No ifs or buts.
Use phrases like:
- “I believe…”
- “I commit to…”
- “I will always…”
- “I refuse to…”
Make every statement positive and certain. In your manifesto, doubt is not allowed.
Examples:
- I believe in owning my worth and will never apologize for earning what I deserve
- I commit to building my stage where I’m valued, not waiting for permission to climb
- I will always communicate with honesty and integrity
- I refuse to shrink myself to make others comfortable
4. Add a commitment statement
Distill everything into one powerful statement at the beginning or end. This acts as your anchor.
For example: “I commit to becoming sought-after by showcasing my unique expertise, building genuine influence, and creating opportunities on my terms—because I refuse to be held back any longer.”
5. Read it regularly
There’s no point writing a manifesto to forget it. Read it weekly…Monday mornings, before big meetings, whenever you need grounding.
Keep a printed copy nearby or save it on your desktop. Let it remind you of who you are and what you’re building.
Your manifesto is your north star. It shouldn’t change until you’ve fulfilled what you set out to achieve.
The Bottom Line
When you’re building your professional iconic stage, you need absolute clarity on what you stand for.
A manifesto brings focus, strength, and conviction. It lays out who you are, what you want to achieve, and how you’ll get there—with certainty and power.
It’s another tool to make sure you don’t drift off course, water down who you are, or worst of all, stay invisible.
The women who become iconic know exactly who they are. That clarity is magnetic.
So what will your professional manifesto say? Write one this week and give yourself the clarity that makes you unmissable.
All my best,
Nichola
P.S. If you’re finding The Iconic Edge valuable, please forward this to another ambitious woman who needs to hear it. We rise together.
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