Everyone Is Judging You — You Might As Well Use It to Your Advantage
Don't underestimate the power of personal branding. It shapes how people view your value — and your organization's.
If you're a leader, you're being judged. That's not as scary as it sounds, I promise. People naturally rely on judgment and intuition to understand the world around them. We even judge books by their covers. Just as a cover provides a sense of a book’s story, a leader provides a sense of their company.
Someone considering backing an organization — a consumer making a purchase, an employee contributing their energy, or a shareholder investing capital — will often observe its leader to gauge fit against their values, wants, and needs. And it’s important they like what they find because, without their support, the leader has no one to lead.
The personal brand, or the image a leader presents, helps secure that investment by shaping perceptions. A poorly defined or lacking personal brand makes it difficult for backers to comprehend the full scope of value. In turn, it can become challenging to attract and retain opportunities — because no one is buying a book without a cover. .
Strong Branding Cultivates Strong Buy-In
Brands are formed on promises, principles, or messages that convey value. They're crucial for organizations because they inform consumer purchases and attitudes. They can even become intrinsically tied to our identities, for better or worse — especially with digitization redefining customer engagement.
It can get complex if multiple products with individual identities are involved. Then, the company needs to ensure that its unified image supports each product. Even more challenging, these parts must coalesce into something that resonates with customers' needs and values. Why? Because people who choose products based on value alignment now make up the largest segment of consumers (44%). Value alignment means higher stocks, increased revenue, and happy consumers.
The same holds true for people. Like organizations, we have complex relationships with those around us. The image we present influences what others think of us. When we share values with our audience, it correlates highly with career success. Dissonance, on the other hand, has the opposite effect. When we act at odds with our audience — with our colleagues or family — success suffers. In this way, we're all as subject to the end user's perception as any organization.
Corporate Brands & Personal Brands Work Synchronously
When your personal brand functions synchronously with your corporate brand, it positively affects the value chain. Just like an attention-grabbing cover sells a book to readers, a leader distributes their products to their audience by resonating with them. That leads to engagement and conversion. In the digital age, resonating means consistently projecting beyond your company and cultivating an authentic image.
One benefit of this approach is fostering a dialog with clients or consumers. Like your organization, you can now develop your own interpersonal network devoted to awareness. Your brand is a value add. You can provide unique insights no one else offers because no one has lived your life. While your corporate identity meets consumers' product needs, your personal identity can speak to their evolving need for connection.
Those familiar with you will know you through your work with your company. Though you may be deeply entwined to your business, you are not synonymous with it. The work you put in now to cultivate your own brand will outlast the recognition you receive from being associated with your company's brand.
You're More Than Just Your Job
As you grow, your image will grow with you. If today you are the Director of Operations for Super Cool Business, and tomorrow you are the Head of Operations for Other Cool Business, you are not just either of those things; you are, forever forward, both. When you own your image, you can highlight both. That's particularly salient right now; research shows that personal branding is an employability factor in turbulent job markets and economic upheaval.
Though you can always change your image, not having one is not an option. If you don't create one for yourself, one will be created for you by the people who are invested in your and the organization's journey.
Whether through poor decision-making or controversy, failing to own your personal brand is detrimental to your message. And believing you don't have one at all is equivalent to remaining silent, which can have negative consequences in certain circumstances. By taking ownership of your public persona, you can enhance your success and support the success of your organization.
Work With What You've Got
The combination of a personal brand and a corporate brand is a powerful thing. Leaders can improve investor confidence and organizational success by connecting with clients at a deeper level, providing unique insights, and offering authentic insights. It can even enhance professional opportunities. With social media and technology literally available at the touch of your fingers, it doesn't take much to start building a brand. While there are teams that can help you, you can also get started on the process yourself. The important thing is just to start.
Strategic Takeaway
Your personal brand builds over time, shapes how you're evaluated across contexts, and remains with you long after roles, companies, or titles change. It is the single most portable, long-lasting asset you own as a leader.
Applied Insight
Build your digital footprint. Demonstrating values, leadership, and impact that extend beyond your current role creates a narrative stakeholders want to invest in.
