What is Your Personal Leadership Brand?
Being a leader in today’s world is complex.
Now, more than ever, leaders are tasked with a seemingly endless – and often conflicting – list of priorities. It’s essential that leaders within an organization grow the business, keep customers and clients satisfied, and retain and attract the right team members. They also need to create a culture of inclusion that promotes growth and supports the company’s mission and vision.
Is it any wonder many of today’s leaders are overwhelmed and exhausted?
Leaders at all levels within an organization are also increasingly asked to maintain a digital presence — to be seen as the faces of their companies and thought leaders in their industries. Many leaders are uncomfortable with [or unsure of how to] successfully navigate this new facet of leadership.
The demand for an increased digital presence has given rise to the need for leaders to develop personal leadership brands. Much like the brand of a company itself, a personal leadership brand needs to communicate a leader’s values and what sets them apart.
Developing a personal brand.
As a leader, your personal brand gives focus to your words and actions. Your brand is what you are known for. It’s about being consistent and acting with integrity.
How should you go about building a personal brand? First, give thought to what you want to portray. What is important to you as a leader? How do you want to be perceived by others?
- Is your communication style formal or informal?
- Do you want to be seen as innovative or as providing proven solutions?
- Do you have high standards and expectations for your employees, or do you make room for employees to make mistakes and grow?
Taking your personal leadership brand online with intention.
Developing a personal leadership brand online creates a place to share ideas, position yourself as an expert, and communicate what matters to you as a leader and a member of your organization.
Your personal leadership brand represents the value you deliver consistently both within your organization and to the larger community — this includes your online audience.
Give careful consideration to your intentions and objectives before you start building your social media presence. Make it a point to revisit your social media strategy often and course-correct if necessary. Ensure how you appear online is consistently aligned with your values.
Leadership experts share their thoughts on personal leadership brands.
How can organizations support leaders as they discover and develop their personal leadership brands? What challenges and opportunities does The Digital Age present to leaders’ brands?
To answer these questions, I turned to two of our experts on leadership here at Michelle Joyce Speakers: Alan Stein, Jr. and Shama Hyder.
Alan Stein, Jr. – Raise Their Game: How to Improve Your Leadership Performance, Impact, and Influence
Before becoming a keynote speaker and author, Alan spent more than 15 years working with athletes at the highest level. He combines this background with a natural talent for storytelling and practical, actionable lessons to engage and inspire corporate audiences.
When Alan speaks to leaders, he focuses on effective leadership, team cohesion, and collaboration – factors as important to success in business as they are to success on the basketball court.
In his keynote presentations, Alan teaches leaders to employ the same approaches in business that elite athletes use to perform at world-class levels. It all starts by focusing on the fundamentals – of leadership, that is:
- Vision
- Culture
- Servanthood
- Character
- Empowerment
You’ll notice Alan’s fundamentals are “you” focused rather than “me” focused. Leadership that prioritizes service to and for others serves as the foundation of a powerful, personal leadership brand.
Alan encourages leaders to, “become the leader you want to work for,” as they strive to attract, empower, and retain top talent.
Learn more about Alan’s leadership programs HERE.
Shama Hyder – The Digital You: Leadership and Personal Branding in the Digital Age
Shama’s expertise as a visionary strategist for The Digital Age has led to her being named “Zen Master of Marketing” by Entrepreneur Magazine and the “Millennial Master of the Universe” by FastCompany.com. She is the bestselling author of The Zen of Social Media Marketing and Momentum: How to Propel Your Marketing and Transform Your Brand in the Digital Age. The recipient of numerous, prestigious business awards, Shama is uniquely qualified to guide leaders as they develop their own personal leadership brands.
Shama encourages leaders to embrace this new digital world and leverage technology to engage, influence, and lead. There are more options than ever before when it comes to creating a personal brand online. Shama emphasizes the importance of choosing the right channels. Leaders should use their online presence to connect more deeply with their audiences, grow their brand, and create a greater impact.
As an expert in the digital marketing space, Shama reminds us that the future of work and leadership has been forever transformed by technology. Now is the time for leaders to embrace those changes as they develop personal leadership brands.
Learn more about Shama’s leadership programs HERE.
Help your leaders craft their personal leadership brands.
Personal leadership brands reflect the vision, mission, and values of your company’s leaders as individuals. As representatives of your organization, their brands also reflect on the company as a whole. Provide them with the support they need to develop a leadership brand that serves them – and your organization – well.