This concise expression of who you are, what you stand for and whom you most want to serve can inform your flight plan in times of change.
As changes come into your life (and they will, over and over!), your transformation statement can give you a solid foundation from which to respond.
In this blog, let’s look at what a transformation statement is and how it can help you soar through all sorts of transitions.
What Is a Transformation Statement?
Also known as a 30-second commercial, positioning statement or “elevator pitch,” a transformation statement is a single sentence that encapsulates what you do best in the world, whom you most want to serve and the transformation you are uniquely poised to help them make.
When we at Revealing Genius work with our clients on their executive personal brands, we ask them to tell us their signature brand stories—the stories that are their alone, that their competitors can’t tell. We listen closely and help them fill in the following formula:
I <action word> <my beloved avatar> how to <do what they want to accomplish> so that they can <have the result/transformation>.
Think about a story from your life that resonates with you. This is a story that you probably tell over and over, in lots of contexts. Most likely this story gets at the heart of what you do and what you stand for.
Reflect on that story as you fill in the blanks in the formula:
<Action word> What was the key thing that you did in this story? What is the one action word that best describes your action? (For Revealing Genius, the word is “guide.”)
<Beloved avatar> Who did you help in the story? What are the details about that person that make them so important to you? Consider the person’s age, gender, profession, faith or hobby. Get into the details. (For Revealing Genius, this is “healthcare leaders.”)
<What they want to accomplish> What was the goal or objective of the person you helped? (Revealing Genius clients want to purposely identify and articulate their brand value.)
<The result/transformation> What significant change did you facilitate in this story? Be sure to consider the emotional impact of what you did. (The transformation that Revealing Genius is uniquely poised to create for our clients is positioning them as recognized experts in their fields so they can rapidly achieve the next milestones in their careers.)
Putting all those pieces together, here’s the Revealing Genius transformation statement:
We <guide> <healthcare leaders> to <purposely identify and articulate their brand value> so they <become recognized experts and rapidly achieve the next milestones in their careers>.
What’s yours?
Transformation Statements in Times of Transition
Throughout our lives and careers, our who, what, where and hows will change, possibly many times.
What we do for a living could evolve as our careers progress and we develop as individuals; “where” we dwell could shift, whether the move is planned or unplanned; when comes and goes, i.e. when I get my Master’s degree or when the kids move out; the “hows” we operate with in the world also constantly change, i.e. doing the things that a rising star does versus leading as a CEO.
But our “why” is constant, our True North guide, the thing that helps us navigate gracefully always.
It does take a bit of work to clarify, believe in and learn to articulate our core purpose. But doing so is totally worth it.
As part of the celebration of July 4, 2024, Revealing Genius hosted a special Transformation Thursday workshop for graduates of our Brand Leadership Summit featuring Jean Paul “JP” Dube. I had the pleasure of attending JP’s retirement ceremony in May 2024 honoring his service as a captain in the United States Navy.
Even though JP recently completed his tour of duty, he still has “a lot of gas left in the tank” as he re-enters civilian life. He sought (and got) feedback on his transformation statement. The workshop participants and I helped him craft a powerful one that will propel him forward in his next chapter.
JP’s transformation statement before the workshop:
I enable small to medium size businesses with security and risk management challenges to develop effective and cost saving security and risk management programs so their business can remain competitive in their field.
After the workshop:
I equip healthcare leaders to examine risks to their organization so they can develop hack-free countermeasures that ensure employees are safe and patients receive uninterrupted care.
The Benefits of Being On-Purpose
Companies have known the benefits of being on-purpose for a long time. Gartner says on-purpose brands outperform their competitors by 120%. Individuals can take a page from this playbook and thrive.
Imagine the possibilities for yourself if you had a transformation statement and other executive personal brand collateral in hand. When you clarify your why, affirm it until you believe in it with conviction and learn to tell others about it (that’s our time-proven Excavate-Tell-Affirm™ process in action!), you’ll be making a positive impact and feeling fulfilled, no matter what, where you or how you are in the world!
Are you ready to take the next step? We’d be honored to assist you. Learn more through our free 10-minute webinar, Brand Leadership Summit or online course. We’re honored to work with boards and leadership teams as well as individual leaders on your transformation statement and your brand manifesto.
