Your personality is your power. Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates are a few of the most liked personalities in the world. How do they exude confidence, empathy and kindness that makes everyone around the world look at them with awe and admiration?
Your leadership brand decides how your colleagues and employees will see you. It conveys your identity, your style and makes you a distinct leader. Having your leadership brand is imperative as it creates an image, and you have the power to make it ever-lasting and positive.
Here are five things to consider while building your leadership brand.
- Understand who you are
How do you create your brand without knowing your worth? Consider yourself for a moment. What are your strong suits? Elon Musk has founded SpaceX based on his interests, even though many people disagreed with him. But he did not give in because he clearly understood what he stands for and his goals in life. Today the company has achieved several accomplishments in the field of aerospace engineering, and it’s all thanks to his perseverance.
Ultimately, team members will follow leaders they like, trust, and respect. So, what are your values? Distinguish it clearly and see it through.
- What do you wish to be known for
You must then explicitly know what you want to be known for, whether it’s sustainability, tech or even empathy like the beloved Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern. But how did they get these titles? By consistently working towards what they stand for and believed in. Your identity will be etched in the minds of the people you meet for a very long time. Make sure you work on how you wish to be perceived and stay loyal to your cause.
- How can you make a difference?
You are a part of an organization to make a difference and to add value. Most of the leaders that do well are the ones who work towards helping and uplifting others through their work. Why are life coaches and motivational speakers like Gary Vaynerchuk and Tony Robbins gaining momentum? Because they understand that it is essential to help others succeed as well.
Identify your traits and values that will help you create a difference in an organization. Think about what impact you currently have and what kind of results you wish to deliver in the next 12 months, and who would benefit from it.
- Start understanding your end-goal
The next step would be to create a solid and impactful mission statement. Create a personal statement that will help you move forward in the direction you wish to. The mission statement of Reshma Saujani, Founder Of Girls Who Code, is, ‘brave, not perfect.’ This simple line has helped her in countless difficult situations and gave her the courage to go forward and give it her best shot with no regrets.
Leverage your dreams into reality by integrating your values and desires. Craft a personal leadership brand that resonates with you and will enable you to take the plunge when faced with difficult situations while also creating a unique spark about you to make that difference.
- Build Your Brand
The next and final step is to implement everything you have decided in your day-to-day activities. Hal Elrod, Author of Miracle Morning is a keen believer in self-assessment and encourages everyone to do the practice to better themselves in every aspect of their life. It is key to making your personal brand come to life.
Assess yourself and ask your most trusted friends and family their opinions to see if your vision for yourself is coming to life and what areas in your life can be changed for the better.
Conclusion:
Leadership is not a trait you grow up with; it can be inculcated and developed and tuned to make yourself better every day. As Warren Bennis, American Author, said, “The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born-that there is a genetic factor to leadership. That’s nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born.”
