Connect on a deeper level with your team by learning to articulate your values and how they map to your company’s mission.
Are you a leader who has done executive personal branding? If so, you are well-positioned to frame the future of work.
Before the pandemic shook the workplace, companies dabbled in offering telecommuting options “if a job permitted it.” And leading with purpose was most often seen as a “nice to have.”
But when the pandemic hit and companies had to figure out how to have practically everyone do their jobs from home, leaders who had done executive personal branding—who knew what they stood for and could relate it to the work at hand—became mission-critical.
Why does executive personal branding matter in big transitions and to the future of work? It’s because people most often act based on emotion.
To illustrate, research from Capgemini found that 81% of emotionally connected consumers will promote a particular brand to family and friends. In keeping with this, employees of all ages now emphasize the importance of working for a company—and even a leader—with a mission and values that align with their own. In other words, they’re making an emotional decision about which executive and company brands they are willing to work for.
A recent article from Forbes suggests more specifically that executives need to clarify their executive personal brands as a starting point for connecting with Gen Y employees.
“The pandemic stripped away a perk-driven culture for many organizations, leaving company connection up to the mission,” the author’s article writes. How can leaders like you bolster that mission? “Start by asking yourself, ‘What is the foundation of my values and the culture of the company?’”
Let’s look at that again. First, identify the foundation of your values before looking at the culture of the company. And then, of course, expertly communicate all the connections you find with your team.
Becoming the kind of leader that helps frame the future of work may seem like a daunting task. But you don’t have to do this alone. This blog will offer a solid first step. Then you can get more support for your efforts by leveraging the ETA™ process from Revealing Genius.
The ETA Process for Executive Personal Branding
Revealing the essence of who you are—your own personal genius—is at the heart of the ETA™ process, which is comprised of three steps: excavate, tell and affirm.
This time-proven process will help you first identify your purpose, then develop messaging to best articulate it. Finally, it will guide you to affirm out loud until you can talk about it with conviction. In the end, the ETA process will lead you toward knowing in your bones who you are and what you stand for. When your personal brand runs that deep, talking about it—and connecting it with the company mission—becomes easy.
Remember, the future of work will be built by companies and leaders that can articulate their bone-deep values so staff members can choose to work in a place where the organizational and leadership values align with their own.
Here is a first step you can take right now to start excavating your executive personal brand. Once you’ve taken it, you’ll be primed not only to do your best work but also to lead others into the future.
Take a moment right now to write down several things you’ve done that you’re proud of. These can be from when you were a child, a young adult, a college student or from any other point in your life.
Next narrow the list to your top three accomplishments. Think about why they stand out. Sleep on it and revisit what you’ve done. Your final answer will say a lot about what is at the core of your professional brand.
Map Next Steps With Executive Personal Branding
Get more strategies for excavating, telling and affirming your brand by attending our complimentary Excavate Your Brand webinar, 7-Day Summit or joining the RG 365 Membership Group.
Or, if you’re like many leaders and prefer one-on-one coaching, we’d love to hear from you. Our most popular package includes 12 sessions and a confidential “executive rebrand,” including a customized brand framework and two brand assets such as a CV, LinkedIn profile, TED Talk or website content.
