Does personal branding really matter for leaders?
There are some great books around about personal branding, for example, Brand New You, by Simon Middleton. My favourite is The Language of Leaders by Kevin Murray, which takes a broader look at leadership, branding and communication. In his words:
“Leaders must accept that they have a personal brand and that their reputation is key to their leadership. They are the brand that leads the brand and often their reputation is the reputation of the company. .”
Here are seven key essentials for developing a personal brand:
The more often someone thinks of you, and the higher their opinion of you, the stronger your reputation becomes.
Your brand is not static, it is constantly developing. To stand out from the crowd, to be distinctive, people should remember who you are, what you do and what makes you different.
A powerful brand is always authentic: based on who you are and what your life and work are all about. You should aim to be the best you.
A strong brand will make you stand out in the eyes of people who want to work with you. As a leader, people will want to follow you and clients will trust your team.
Your appearance is a key part of your brand identity, so it is worth devoting time and effort to it.
Your job title does not make you unique. At most, it indicates your position in a hierarchy, and perhaps the skills you possess.
Imagine your brand is a building under construction – you want it to be distinctive and clearly visible. However, before you build it, you must first prepare the ground… know your strengths.
Good Luck!