Brands are defined as how others see you. A brand is your reputation. Spending 1/2 day with Vistage Speaker Alyssa Gelband, my CE group revisited branding, messaging and communicating who they and their companies are in this very digital world.
As we took branding apart, I began to wonder how accurate my self-perception was versus how others saw me. While I think I am viewed positively, I couldn’t really articulate my brand, perhaps because I haven’t asked anyone to give me feedback. When Alyssa asked for a volunteer to do a brand perception word cloud, no one raised their hand. I waited. We waited. So I volunteered. The photo is the result of each member using 3 adjectives to describe me. Alyssa asked me if it seemed accurate. I said “no, I am not patient”. Everyone laughed.
In my personal life, I am not patient. Ask my kids. No don’t. Don’t stir that up. However, with my Members, it is not about me, or my results. It is about them. I am their coach, mirror, encourager and accountability partner.
With my peers recently, we gave each other a word – a similar exercise. The words most said about me were not the same as what my Members said. Was that a lack of consistency or difference in the roles? I loved that I was told I was wise and wicked smart. However, my role with my peers is to help us all get better in a craft we share.
I’ve seen executives who are loved by the owners and hated by their direct reports. Or, loved by customers and hated by all parts of the organization except theirs. Getting feedback in these word clouds is like a quick and dirty 360.
If it doesn’t match how you view yourself, it is worth putting more emphasis on what is important to you. Further, aligning how each member of your team describes your company will improve your company brand. That sure doesn’t cost much, does it?
If you don’t think Vistage peer groups get value at every meeting-from the speakers, the conversations, a wise Chair, and the input from your peers, don’t click here.