Recently with a new client in Russia I\u2019ve found myself in executive coaching sessions talking about brand. And previously in Kazakhstan, we built the concept of brand into the new senior leadership development course we introduced.<\/p>\n
Brand is a concept I embraced many years ago when I had my first \u2018remote\u2019 global leadership team reporting to me. I wanted people in the different locations to both \u2018see\u2019 the team, rather than just the local representatives, and to know what we stood for and what they could expect from us.<\/p>\n
Company brands are known to all of us. If we think of Apple, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Google, Nike, Microsoft, Disney or Rolex then we know what to expect from that company. The perception or image of a product, service or concept that differentiates itself from others. A set of associations and promises. And companies spend a lot of time and money in promoting their brands.<\/p>\n
But what about a leadership brand or team brand? Can indeed people be brands?<\/p>\n
Well, if we think about people like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Elon Musk, even President Putin and Donald Trump, then the answer is yes.<\/p>\n
And even if we are not as famous, we all have a brand whether we do anything about managing it or not. These are the impressions people have about us, what they think and say about us when they think we cannot hear them. What they associate with us. The promise we offer. Or not.<\/p>\n
Why might this be important?<\/p>\n
Because your leadership brand conveys your identity, what is distinctive about you and the value you offer. It communicates what is good and impactful about your leadership to colleagues (and bosses) such that you can be even more effective in what you do and want to do. So it is worthwhile managing your brand.<\/p>\n
The same is true for your team. When people in your company think about your team what comes to their mind? Positive or negative? Can they rely on you? Their common impressions and experiences about your team, defines your team brand. Which means not only what you and your team deliver but also the way in which you do it. A strong positive brand will again help you get things done easier, manage expectations and build trust. If there is no common theme then your internal \u2018market\u2019 is probably confused.<\/p>\n
Team brands are especially important to remote or dispersed teams, in different locations. Giving support to individuals in sites to get things done as part of the broader team. Allowing local leaders to see the bigger picture. And enabling your global team as a whole to deliver what is expected of it.<\/p>\n
Both the individual and team brand can also be important to your career. Organisations and companies are political systems. Senior people will be too busy to ask you exactly what you are doing in detail. So you really do need to market yourself and your team if you want people to know what you are capable of.<\/p>\n
Remember, even if you don\u2019t do anything you will still have a brand. It just might not contain the aspects that you would prefer people to associate with you. So you can either think that others are going to make up their minds about you anyway and you can\u2019t control what they think. Or it\u2019s an opportunity to actively market yourself, even if this seems counterintuitive because you need to constantly think whether or not what you are doing and saying, is in line with the professional you wish to be. Because for your branding to be successful you also have to make it real.<\/p>\n
So what are the steps to managing your own leadership brand and the brand of your team?<\/p>\n
These are the ones that I have found the most useful, although there are other approaches, with many more steps and questions you can pose yourself, available elsewhere on the web!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
First you as a leader and your personal leadership brand.<\/p>\n
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It is a similar list for the Team Brand.<\/p>\n
Recently with a new client in Russia I\u2019ve found myself in executive coaching sessions talking about brand. And previously in Kazakhstan, we built the concept of brand into the new senior leadership development course we introduced. Brand is a concept I embraced many years ago when I had my first \u2018remote\u2019 global leadership team reporting […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":322,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,10,5,6,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-change-management","category-culture-di","category-hr-management","category-remote-teams-and-global-working","category-talent-management"],"yoast_head":"\n