Can't Hide From a Professional Brand

Can't Hide from a Professional Brand

If you want one or not, you have one. Are you the quiet person in the room, the loudest, the most responsive? In each case, others know you as through that professional brand. Even if you avoid discussions, participation or sharing inputs, you are going to have a professional brand which you will be known by. So why not cultivate how you want to be perceived, professionally? In this edition of Rising Leader, we'll focus on the power of professional branding and how it can impact your leadership standing positively or negatively.

During my training career, professional branding has consistently ranked among the top requested Digital DNA/Soft Skill sessions, both by group leaders and individuals. If you're unsure about your professional brand, you're not alone, and exploring this area through self-reflection can be highly beneficial. Your professional brand represents the unique and authentic identity you project into the corporate world, influencing how others perceive and remember you. 

Think of professional branding in a similar way as a company's brand. When you hear "McDonald's", specific images and associations come to mind. Golden Arches, Big Macs, potentially even unhealthy. In either case, to you, McDonald's, has some brand psychology associated with it. That is exactly how individual brands work as well. Similarly, your professional brand creates psychological associations for others, influencing their perceptions of you as a leader, collaborator, and team member.

Benefits of Professional Branding

• Team Buy In: Having a professional brand that exudes qualities like responsibility, dependability, and empathy, would have significant team buy-in. Team members naturally want to work with a leader who they can trust during a project or turn to when facing challenges. Having a well-established brand will make it easier for others to understand what you stand for as a leader. Leading by example is a personal favorite, as a leader who actively engages with the team and dives into the details gains immense respect.

• Career Advancement: A solid professional brand can enhance opportunities, open new doors, and attract internal employees to want to work with you. Picture being known as the individual who is solution oriented, someone who can solve issues and with the ability to create a thorough process. Having a brand like this would undoubtedly lead to career growth. 

• Culture: As a leader with a positive professional brand, you have the potential to become the driving force behind your team's culture. Recently, during a conversation with an executive specializing in culture, we explored how a single individual can be the catalyst that shapes the culture within a company or department. As a leader you more than likely would embrace this and you may wish others to emulate your traits, further reinforcing the importance of a well-established professional brand.

Challenges with Professional Branding

• Being a New Leader: For most, if not all, new leaders, a professional brand is already in place, often associated with being a rookie or inexperienced. While this is completely understandable, some teammates may perceive it as a potential drawback. A recent article from Bloomberg, titled "Employees Are Losing Sleep Over Rookie Managers, Data Shows," highlights that one in five workers are "losing sleep" due to concerns about rookie managers. While it's inevitable that some individuals may feel this way initially, having a solid professional brand before stepping into the role and maintaining a growth-oriented mindset can help positively influence this perception.

• Brand Psychology: While brand psychology can be advantageous for those with a strong brand reputation, there is a significant downside for others. In the current market environment, marked by budget cuts and heightened scrutiny, individuals who made mistakes in the past might still face lingering consequences, even after being given an opportunity to correct themselves. Managers under pressure to make decisions may base their choices on the employee's past patterns popping up still, even if infrequent, leading to challenges for those who aren't fully committed to consistently building their brand. Continuous focus on your brand and the willingness to address and correct any missteps is essential. This is equally important for a new leader, who has the eyes of their team on them at all times. 

Where to Start

As a leader, crafting your professional brand begins with a thoughtful selection of traits that genuinely reflect who you are and what you aspire to be recognized for. Instead of aiming for an extensive list of skills right from the start, I recommend focusing on three key traits. This targeted approach allows you to dedicate the necessary time and effort towards consistency and repetition, essential elements in curating your professional brand. Remember, building your professional brand is not an overnight process. It requires patience and a commitment to continuous improvement. By honing in on just a few traits, you can practice, research, and iterate towards perfecting these skills, aligning them with your authentic self.

The word "genuine" holds significant importance here. While it's natural to aspire to new skills, it's essential to consider building blocks to bridge the gap between your current abilities and the ones you desire. Avoid rushing into skills that may not align with your genuine self. Instead, focus on traits that you already possess to some extent and that would add more significant value professionally when refined further. This approach ensures authenticity in your brand, which as a bonus, is crucial for how others perceive and connect with you.

Choose starter traits that resonate with your passion, expertise, and existing skills. By refining these traits, you not only strengthen your professional brand but also gain valuable experience in the development process. This experience will prove invaluable in mastering additional traits in the future as well as help guide others in their own professional brand development.

Wrap Up

Building your professional brand is ongoing and filled with self-discovery and growth, a vital necessity for a leader at any level. Establishing a strong professional brand is not a quick process, but with dedication, patience, and commitment to continuous improvements, you can create a positive leadership identity. Keep in mind that your professional brand will impact team dynamics, career advancement, and your overall impact as a leader. As a rising leader, remember that you have the power to shape your professional brand and make that lasting impression.