If you lead a business of any size, your personal brand is intricately linked to the success and reputation of the company you lead. The connection might be more obvious between a small business and its founder, but it’s no less present between a CEO and the Fortune 500 company she leads.
A carefully crafted personal brand plan has the power to transform a business and drive bottom line results. That’s because a personal brand plan is about more than putting a face to the business brand. It’s about crafting an experience that is authentic, integrated with the organizations brand while also being reflective of your vision, values, hopes and yes, even your dreams.
Crafting your personal brand is a bit like curating a work of art. You are designing an brand experience that leaves a lasting impression on your audience. Being prepared and integrated within your organizations brand will reinforce the vision and mission of your organization, and how you connect with it.
As anyone who knows me will tell you, I’m an avid art enthusiast. I have curated pieces to surround and inspire me at work and in my personal life. And when I think about all the personal brands I’ve help craft for leaders over my decades of helping clients grow their businesses, it reminds me a lot of art.
Every detail of a personal brand plan matters. Just as every brushstroke builds a masterpiece, every touchpoint in your interactions with others reflects your personal brand. Building a powerful one is about curating an experience that resonates with your audience, showcases who you are and clearly communicates what you value.
Art dealers know a counterfeit can be really good; so good that it fools people who don’t know what they’re looking for. But it’s still a fake and is therefore far less valuable than the real thing.
The same is true with your personal brand. The beating heart of personal branding is authenticity. It’s crucial to be true to yourself and your values. If you don’t your employees, peers and customers will know. And that can be disastrous, both for you professionally and for the brand you shepherd.
As I reflect on my own journey, I realize that part of my personal brand is rooted in the meticulous attention to detail and the thoughtful consideration I bring to every aspect of my work. Whether it’s designing a personal brand plan or refining the customer journey through an O’Brien Voice of the Customer engagement, I strive to infuse every touchpoint with authenticity and purpose, knowing, that the work we do, I do, reflects my company’s brand, OBI, and my own personal brand.
In times of uncertainty and disruption, the ability to navigate complexity and lead brand reinvention is crucial. I’ve faced challenges and setbacks, from economic downturns to industry shifts. But it’s during these times that your personal brand takes on even more importance for the business you lead.
Effective leadership requires alignment between personal and business brand strategies.
The responsibility falls to business leaders to articulate a clear vision and embody the shared values of the organization. For me, this means championing creativity, innovation, and inclusivity at every turn. For you it likely means something different. But for both of us, when we align our personal brands with the aspirations of our businesses, we inspire trust and commitment among our teams and stakeholders, and we reinforce clarity in what we stand for so those that are attracted to it, can more easily find us.
Brand ambassadors wield significant influence over perceptions, both internally and externally.
By cultivating thought leadership, engaging with communities, and forming strategic partnerships, you amplify the impact of your personal brand and elevate the visibility of your business.
Despite what some may think, personal branding is not a vanity exercise. It’s a very, very strategic imperative for driving business growth and impact. And an imperative that the biggest brands in the world know works.
By leveraging your strength, expertise, and networks, you position your business for success and differentiation in the marketplace. Your personal brand serves as a catalyst for change, driving positive outcomes and sustainable growth across your organization.
Let me illustrate the transformative power of personal branding with a couple of real-world examples.
Despite having a loyal customer base, a credit union was struggling to attract new members and compete with larger financial institutions. Through a comprehensive personal branding initiative, the CEO reimagined her leadership style and redefined the organization’s brand identity.
By authentically aligning her personal brand with the credit union’s values of innovation and community impact, a culture of change and growth was born. Employees and members embraced the growth because it was clear and inspiring. Today, they boast over a billion dollars in assets and are recognized as a leader in the industry.
Another personal branding success story that comes to mind is a wealth management firm that was stuck in the past, both in terms of their physical environment and their approach to client service.
By helping the new, younger CEO embrace a more modern and client-centric personal brand, we helped revitalize the firm’s image and instilled a sense of confidence among their clientele.
With a refreshed brand identity and a focus on innovation and being comfortable telling their collective story more boldly, they experienced exponential growth and expanded their market presence.
By embracing authenticity, driving change, and aligning vision and values, CEOs can harness the power of personal branding to transform their businesses from within. It’s not just about who we are as individuals; it’s about how we leverage our personal brands to drive positive change and create lasting impact in the world of business.
I’ve always felt like Maya Angelou speaks to me. Thinking about personal branding, she speaks to me now – “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”
Let’s embrace our personal brands as a force for good and a catalyst for business transformation.
For more detail on personal branding and the power of aligning your personal brand with your business brand, check out my book Ask and Deliver.