The Brand of your Leadership

As a leader, what role do you play in the marketing and branding of your company? Let us ensure we are on the same page by first understanding what constitutes branding. According to Martin Roll, CEO of Venture Republic, an international branding strategist, “Branding in the classic sense is all about creating unique identities and positions for products and services, hence distinguishing the offerings from competitors.” Regardless whether your company sells a product or service, each company does indeed have a marketing plan [written or not] in place to differentiate themselves from the competition; and so, the question remains: as a leader, what role do you play in the marketing and branding of your company?

If you are the owner of that company, you will no doubt recognize and are quick to answer, “Absolutely, I DO indeed play a role, and I am the embodiment of that brand!” However, if we look at business leaders, the larger percentage is not the owner. Last month, we evaluated the decision of incorporating leadership development into an employee’s benefit package.

This month, Kentuckiana Business Forum is concentrating on branding and marketing. So it begs the question – What role do you, a leader, play in that marketing and branding? Your role of leadership within your company must include your effect on the marketing of your company. Every time you are placed in a position of opportunity to lead your employees, does your leadership qualities and appearance exude the brand of your company? How does your leadership mirror the mission and vision of the company? The brand of a company doesn’t only include the logo or tag line, but more importantly, the values, climate, and culture. Client service, ethics, and priorities are at the foundation of your company as well as how you lead inside and outside your company’s walls. Does your leadership add to or subtract from your company’s brand?

As you are outside the walls, serving in the community or meeting other business men and women at various business functions, is your leadership promoting your company’s brand? Are you a living example of your company’s vision, value, and mission?

In preparing for an upcoming workshop on creating your personal mission statement, I was researching Fortune 500 company’s mission statements. Let’s look at two cases in particular:

1. Enron – their mission statement was “Respect, Integrity, Communication and Excellence.” Jeff Skilling was the CEO of Enron who in 2006 was convicted of multiple felony charges relating to Enron’s financial collapse and is currently incarcerated. As the leader of Enron, Skilling was the primary individual who was responsible for the path of the company, the one individual who was setting the example to the thousands of employees of Enron. Do you believe that Skilling exemplified the mission statement and brand of Enron? Let’s contrast this example with -
2. Johnson & Johnson – mission statement: they don’t have one per se, but a one-page “credo” that hangs on their walls to guide the fulfillment of their responsibilities to their customers, employees, community, and stakeholders. I won’t take the space to list the entire credo, but it includes words such as “responsibility, high quality, accurately, fair, respect, dignity, protecting, research, and competent.” Let’s evaluate this credo/mission statement with the unfortunate situation that occurred in Chicago in fall of 1982 in which 7 deaths were tied to Tylenol. The American public was in a scare and Johnson & Johnson’s leaders Jim Burke, CEO and Larry Foster, public relations chief made a decision that cost Johnson & Johnson in excess of $100M to pull every Tylenol product from the shelf, numbering some 31 million bottles. This then led to a decision and re-packaging of a triple-sealed package. Do you believe Burke and Foster exemplified the credo which has hung for over 60 years and still hangs in the offices of Johnson & Johnson?

So, I ask you again…as a leader within your company – regardless of your level of leadership – do you play a role in the branding and marketing of your company? Or, I remind you, you DO indeed play a role in your company’s branding; the true question which is begged to be asked is whether your role is supporting or defeating your company’s brand.

Last month, we talked about incorporating leadership development into your employee’s benefit package, and I challenged you to research the incorporation into your employees’ benefits. How did the costs add up? – I would love to hear your feedback on this challenge. This month, I challenge you again:

1. Refresh your memory of your company’s mission statement, vision, and marketing plan.
2. Compare these with your personal leadership role at your company. How are you stacking up?
3. Find three actionable goals to implement into your personal leadership role in order to more closely tie your company’s brand to your leadership, internally and externally. [For a free goals report to help you implement these goals, visit our web site: www.InspiredToLead.com]