The best leaders are those that are authentic, act with integrity, empower others, act decisively, and portray a sense of confidence in themselves and those around them. They also typically have a strong personal brand that is easily recognized. All leaders have a leadership brand and it can be a positive or negative one. Unfortunately many leaders fail to pay attention to their brand at all. Developing and sharing your personal brand requires self-awareness, emotional intelligence, strategic thinking and planning, and authenticity. It is most definitely not a one-off event.
A successful leader will continually engage in these activities, and others, to hone their personal brand as they grow and change. This approach to personal brand assumes a growth mindset which research has shown is also an essential component of being a great leader.
Building and nurturing your personal brand will not only benefit you and your career but it will also have a noticeable impact on those you work with or the business you run. Leadership development and personal brand development share a commonality, they are both often neglected. Oftentimes, leaders or managers are “thrown into” their position without the training and development necessary to lead other people. Functional experts are not automatically great leaders. They clearly have value to add but may need to develop leadership skills to be successful. Likewise, leaders possess a personal brand that others quickly become aware of but this may be an underdeveloped and a potentially detrimental brand for their success and the success of their team. The more authentic and aware you are about who you are, what strengths and talents you can share, and how you can make an impact in your organization, the stronger you will be as a leader.
Being a brand intentional leader will not only make you a more effective one but it can also have a force multiplier effect. Once you feel confident enough, you can help those you lead take charge of their personal brand as well. Is this not the hallmark of a successful leader: inspiring and empowering others? If being a successful leader or manager requires you to have a strong, well developed personal brand, ask yourself whether you have given your personal brand the attention it deserves? Do you aspire to lead others? Focusing on your personal brand as it relates to your career may help you get there. So start by asking yourself a few important questions and see if you can easily answer them and then decide whether you are fully satisfied with your answers.
What is your leadership brand statement?
How do you want your employees to describe you?
If there was one aspect of your approach to leadership you would like to change, what is it?
Are you confident in yourself and your ability to be decisive?
Do you inspire confidence in those you lead and is this demonstrated via work performance and/or employee retention?
If you are not yet a leader, what steps have you taken to get there and how have you represented your personal brand in the process?
If you are not able to answer any of these questions or are not fully satisfied with the answers, it’s time to start putting more attention toward becoming a brand intentional leader by cultivating your personal leadership brand to have a stronger impact on your organization and those you lead.
Read more for the characteristics of an effective leader

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