subject: What Your Personal Brand Says about You as a New Manager/Coach [print this page] Over the years, I've had the privilege of working with several exceptional leaders. They all have a number of things in common. Their word is their bond. People are important to them. They espouse certain values and live up to them.
They don't make The BIG Mistake that many up and coming managers make.
The importance of setting a good example is paramount. People are watching. They're listening. They're judging. YOUR people are watching you, they're listening and they are judging you, just as you are judging me and what you can get from this training.
You see exceptional leaders understand that if their words and actions don't line up, they will have little credibility. There will be distrust. And who will follow someone they distrust?
You see we all have a brand. In the simplest terms your brand is the image that comes to mind when other people think of you. It's powerful. It has a whole set of expectations, images, and memories attached to it.
Your brand may be difficult to change because you reinforce it every day with your words and actions.
"But I'm just a manager." You might say.
Well hey: "Even a tiny mosquito leaves a lasting impression"
Here are some examples from real life of different manager's personal brands:
Jerry* was very intelligent. He had strong technical skills, was very ambitious and dedicated. He saw himself as the most knowledgeable and competent among his colleagues. However his direct reports found him manipulative, a bully, inflexible and lacking in understanding
Jerry isn't an isolated case. .
Carrie thinks she's caring and supportive. Her team sees her as weak, easily manipulated and emotional.
John is proud that he tells it like it is. His coworkers think he's over-bearing and judgmental.
Yvonne thinks she multi-tasks and juggles assignments well but her manager feels that she can't focus or stick with a project to the end.
You see we all judge ourselves by our intentions; however others judge us by our actions.
Well the good news is that every day offers a new chance to begin again, to set a new vision, a new course for yourself and build on or rebuild your own personal brand.
So now, today is the time to begin to do that for yourself first.
If you choose to learn how to become a great coach for your staff you may need to evolve your personal brand and show others how to do it as well.
You know, in these times of great challenge, when retrenchments are not uncommon, when our best people are disheartened, when staff are laying low and hiding from managements radar, there exists great opportunity to stand up and be seen when others are lying low .
Great coaches choose to make the time to understand what challenges and motivates their staff.
Great coaches choose to take the time to help someone set an inspiring vision for themselves that will stretch and develop their skills
Great coaches choose to be positive and be thankful for what they have instead of seeing the glass as half empty.
Great coaches choose to listen and ask questions instead of making uninformed quick decisions.
Great coaches choose to use the positional power to leave a lasting positive legacy on those they lead,
It's a choice you can make but it will require self control and commitment.
I believe that you have that power and can make that choice. If that power is harnessed, you will become a different person more powerful, more inspiring, a better leader and a great coach. But it all depends on what sort of manager you aspire to be.
What Your Personal Brand Says about You as a New Manager/Coach
