MALIKI ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY — State Civil Servants (ASN) within the Ministry of Religion are encouraged to build strong personal branding as part of strengthening professionalism and public service. This was conveyed by Mohammad Tahmid in the Personal Branding Distance Training (PJJ) activity organized by the Center for Management, Leadership and Religious Moderation Competency Development of the Indonesian Ministry of Religion. Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
In his presentation, Tahmid emphasized that personal branding for ASN is not just an effort to be known to the public, but a means of emphasizing the values of integrity, competence and commitment to service to the community.
"As ASN, personal branding is not just about being known, but about emphasizing integrity, competence and service value so that our presence has a real impact on the bureaucracy and society," he said in front of the training participants.
He explained that personal branding that is built consciously will help someone show their capacities and uniqueness. On the other hand, if someone does not build their self-image in a directed way, then other people will shape that perception.
“If you don't consciously build a personal brand, then other people will define who you are — and that won't necessarily be in accordance with your best values and competencies,” he emphasized.
Furthermore, Tahmid said that personal branding can also be a means of responding to society's needs. By understanding one's potential and uniqueness, an ASN can make a more real contribution through their role and field of expertise.
According to him, personal branding begins with the process of recognizing one's identity and discovering the uniqueness of each individual. However, in practice, quite a few people face obstacles in the form of low self-confidence.
He believes that this condition often arises because of fear of being judged by other people, worry about being the center of attention, or feeling embarrassed to show off one's potential. Therefore, this mindset needs to be changed so that someone dares to display their best abilities.
"Self-confidence must be fought by improving your mindset. Don't be afraid of being seen or judged by other people as long as what we do is positive," he explained.
However, Tahmid reminded that strengthening personal branding must remain based on applicable norms and rules, especially as part of ASN professional ethics.
"Make sure that before personal branding is strengthened, it does not violate general norms and rules," he concluded.
Through this training, it is hoped that ASNs will be able to build a positive, professional and impactful self-image in supporting bureaucratic performance and improving the quality of service to the community.