What kind of leadership brand are you creating? You might be protesting, “Jen, how could I focus on branding in these crazy times? You must be crazy!”
Your brand, in these uncertain times, is more important than EVER. No, I’m not a marketing expert, but I do play one on TV. Er, seriously, I have read enough books on marketing to know that your brand is not a logo or a slogan. Rather, your brand is what you’ve become known for. And yes, as a leader you have a brand, whether you realize it or not. In fact, you’re creating your leadership brand every single day. And although you may not be conscious of the image you’re projecting, the people around you are highly aware, and they are looking at YOU during crises and challenges.
Call it what you want—your reputation, your style, your trademark. I see it as your brand, which is determined by how you’d answer these questions:
• What are you known for?
• How do you show up each day?
• Do you come to work calm, collected, and cool on Monday and on Tuesday, frazzled, panicked, and snippy with your team?
From these few questions, you see that your brand is what people experience and expect from you. Successful leaders know that consistency in displaying that brand is key. If you ask your team members to describe your brand and they shrug their shoulders and say “Je ne sais quoi” (“I don’t know” or “it’s hard to describe”), then you need to get to work on it.
For people to feel secure and thus be productive, they need to know the same rules apply day in and day out. They also need to know which “you” will show up. As the Cajuns would say, bon a savoir (it’s good to know). When team members can’t predict how you’ll behave, react, and respond from one day to the next, they feel as though they’re walking on eggshells—off-balance and unsure of themselves. Their praiseworthy idea today might be cause for a chewing out tomorrow. You need to be the role model.
Studies show that having an inconsistent boss detrimentally affects productivity. (Big surprise, right?) Need I point out that when people feel like they’re on thin ice because they don’t know what will set off their boss, they’re prone to making errors and providing suboptimum customer service.
Suffice it to say that when a key leader displays a Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde personality, profits and productivity suffer.
To learn more Cajun wisdom to spice up your leadership, check out the full recipe in “Lead, Follow, or Get Me the Hot Sauce.”
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Leadership Team Accelerated Results Program
Stay Home From Your Next Leadership Conference
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Jennifer Ledet, CSP, is a leadership consultant and professional speaker (with a hint of Cajun flavor) who equips leaders from the boardroom to the mailroom to improve employee engagement, teamwork, and communication. In her customized programs, leadership retreats, keynote presentations, and breakout sessions, she cuts through the BS and talks through the tough stuff to solve your people problems.
Photo by Stephanie Greene on Unsplash
