Hitting an Inspirational Nerve

I was in the middle of a routine development feedback session with a senior executive. We were surveying his strengths and developmental opportunities that arose out of a lengthy and extensive assessment process. Things were going well with this high performing executive.

 I then asked him to

 ”Imagine yourself in your dream job that may not currently exist where you get deep satisfaction and make a huge contribution to your organization and subsequently the world.”

We hit an inspirational nerve.

He leaned forward on the edge of his chair, took a deep breath, did not even blink, and could hardly contain his excitement as the words tumbled out.

“My most cherished dream is that ……” (for the sake of confidentiality I cannot tell you what he said)

But I can tell you why he responded this way and it will give you a clue as to how you can have a similar response.

The components of hitting an inspirational nerve are

1.    Part of the core of your character. Your highest aspirations and deepest desires are driven by your values. They are not generated by insecurity, ambition, status, or the ego. In my books they come from the soul.

2.    A component of your history. Inspiration is generally about what you have already done in the past even if only in bits and pieces. It has always been a part of the fabric of your life. When you operated at this level you were energized, excited, and highly productive.

3.    Connected to a collaborative effort. Inspiration seldom occurs in a vacuum as an individual effort. As you collaborated with others, had a grand vision, faced impossible odds,  found creative ways to delight a customer, changed the course of history in small and big ways, righted a wrong, and in generally served the greater good you hit that inspirational nerve.

4.    Involved when you use your strengths. Playing to one’s strengths sets the stage for inspiration. It can also involve a discovery of strengths that you never dreamed you had.

An armchair dreamer never became an inspired person.

Exciting visions have to be wedded with realistic and robust actions. This same executive knew exactly what he was going to do even though no such inspiring position currently existed in his organization. He had to

1.    Develop a clear statement of the need for the position stated both in the return on the investment and a compelling story that would touch people at an emotional level to support his dream.

2.    Influence key stakeholders who would sponsor him in the quest to realize this dream.

3.    Be prepared for resistance because the position he envisioned was not a part of the core culture and mission of the organization

4.    Demonstrate the payoff for investing in his idea. The latter would involve both a financial payoff for his group as well as the enhancement of the organization’s brand

You may not see yourself in this picture because your dream seems a solo effort. But to be inspired you still need to take action because you were born with an inspirational nerve.

Here are some questions to ponder

1.  Can you give a clear and compelling statement, preferably in the form of a story, of your inspirational goal?

2.  Do you have key people who support you along the way with some of them having the willingness and capability to open doors of opportunity for you?

3.  Are you willing to persist in the face of the resistance you will get from a variety of sources e.g. naysayers, lack of funding, your own self-doubt?

If you answer yes to these questions you are by now on the edge of your seat in a heightened state of excitement. You are on the brink of living your dream.

So tell us about your dream. I would love to be one of those who gives you support on that journey.

You May also Want to Read

Taking Risks – Realizing Your Dreams

http://cedricj.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/taking-risks-realizing-dreams

Understanding People Pleasers

This is about the what, why, and how to manage yourself if you are a people pleaser.

The What

Right from the start let’s be clear that there is a whole spectrum of behaviors that might be classified as people pleasing. Some may be problematic for the person and his/her community. Other behaviors are relatively benign or even helpful. For example

• The employee who at the request of her boss works on an assignment 14 hours a day seven days a week – A tough schedule but not necessarily people pleasing
• The person with an alcoholic family member that makes excuses for his behavior, continually rescues him, and/ or bails him out of trouble – Probably a people pleaser or codependent/enabler

• You continually worry about what others are thinking about you – You are probably a people pleaser

Here is my definition of people pleasers. They

• Do for others what  others  should do for themselves.
• Respond from a place of fear and/or guilt.
• Don’t want others to be displeased with them. So they become hostage to the desires of  others.

Reflect

Heard of the book “The Giving Tree” read and lauded by thousands of parents and seen by some as the model of good parenting? It is the story of the tree that gave and gave until it eventually died. Is that what parenting is supposed to be, something you give you life for?

Did you know that there is a word in an Asian language that means “died at one’s desk”? Does that not take ‘giving at the office” too far?

When does servant leadership make one a slave to the needs of others?

All of these are possible examples of giving gone awry.

The Why

Maybe being a people pleaser is a good thing.

Helpfulness may not be a bid for attention. It may come from a place of kindness.

A person who works too hard may not be just neglecting themselves and their family. They may be doing it to get out of financial problems or to feel as sense of belonging at work.

In a world that craves the why of people’s behavior beware of becoming an armchair psychologist. I know as a psychologist that explaining why people do what they do is extremely complicated especially when we do not have a 360 view of their lives and circumstances.

But here are some possible factors that contribute to us being unhealthy people pleasers.

1. We learn the behavior in childhood often as a response to an extremely dysfunctional family. Heard of the “parental child” syndrome where the child feels responsible for the happiness of an extremely unhappy parent and seeks to continually rescue the parent? These “caretakers” are often people pleasers who find it difficult to set boundaries with the demands and needs of others.

2. We confuse serving others with martyrdom (the “Giving Tree”). Heard of “loving your neighbor as yourself?”

3. Conflict avoidant people with an aversion for being disliked and wanting to be a peacekeeper seek to stabilize a difficult situation by pleasing others.

Remember again that people pleasers are some of the most kind and helpful people around. They are the bright spot in a self-centered world.

The How 

If your people pleasing is problematic to yourself and unhealthy for others here are some remedial steps.

1. Learn how to assertively say no and set boundaries with others. Practice detachment.
2. Realize that you can “please some of the people some of the time (you know the rest).
3. Choose to be around healthy people and stay away from energy drainers.
4. Set limits on being around toxic people and never meet with them alone.
5. Reach out for the support of groups like Alenon if you are into giving away your life on behalf of an addict.

What is your story of being or living with a people pleaser?

Follow me on Twitter at firedupleaders

Being Comfortable in Your Own Skin

There are certain people that exude a certain kind of humble confidence. When you meet them they seem to have a “what you see is what you get” authenticity.

What makes them like this, comfortable with themselves as well as with others?

How can you be one of them? Let’s take a closer look at

What they are not doing

They are not

1.   All Wobbly Inside

The root of most personal insecurity is the belief that we are not lovable, worthy of love, or good enough. This sort of stuff generated in childhood and reinforced by a performance oriented and conditional culture creates havoc in our heads and in relationships. Here are some of the symptoms. Such a person has a

o    Desperate need for approval

o    Cloying desire to please

o    Reactive response to authority

o    Driving need to escape

2.   Defined by the opinions of others

Wobbly people have the need to have others “boot them up” to make them feel good about themselves. This is a variation on theme #1. But in this instance the person is making extra effort to prove to the other how smart, beautiful, valuable, or socially acceptable they are. The symptoms here are that the person

• Name drops to validate their status
• Flashes their knowledge or intelligence
• Puts the other down to lift themselves up
• Stays angry to push others away.
• Looks for a guru to tell them what to be and do

What they are doing

The person comfortable in their own skin not only has the relative absence of the above but they also

1.   Have a high degree of self-awareness

We all have our ghosts and hot buttons. And we all revert to dysfunctional and childish behaviors under stress. But self-aware people are wide-awake and generally know why and when they are getting a bit unsteady inside. They have a keen awareness of the triggers in their heads and environment that set them off. They also know what to do when they feel more inclined to react rather than respond.

Fact: Self-aware people make better choices for themselves

2.   Do not take themselves too seriously

If you cannot laugh at yourself you are in trouble when your internal “stuff” hits the fan. The big danger of falling into old dysfunctional patterns is that we over-dramatize the results. We forget that most people are so focused on themselves that they don’t even notice our emotional peccadilloes. And even if they do, what they think of us does not define who we are or what choices we can still make for ourselves.

Fact: Self-aware people don’t sweat their imperfections. They make choices to do better the next time.

3.   Place a high value on authenticity

The sign of an authentic person is that they can be transparent and vulnerable. They also have a deep inner sense of their value defined quite apart from their performance or even their perceived perfection.

Fact: It’s OK to be seen as less than perfect or completely competent. Even Buddha did not remain in an enlightened state all the time.

So look at your internal and external wrinkles and admit, accept, and laugh.

Walk easy with yourself through life.

Top 12 Posts of All Time

 

Over the last two and a half years many thousands of readers have read my blog. Here are the top 12 posts.

1. The Meaning of Work in Japan
2. The Meaning of Work – A Cultural Perspective
3. Barriers to Empathy – Lack of Self-Awareness
4. Developing Your Leadership Brand
5. 10 Steps to Make Your Leadership Brand Shine
6. Kindness at Work
7. Transforming the Destructive Power of Envy – Cinderella and Her Stepsisters
8. The Power of Slow – Let Your Imagination Soar
9. So You Want To Be An Executive? (Part One) – Personal Reasons and Common Myths
10. The Slob Who Wanted to Please (The Case for Self-Regulation)
11. Ten Basics of Cross-Cultural Communication
12. The Power of Self-Disclosure 6 of these posts were written with Kris MacKain Read, enjoy, and please comment. Yes, and tell your friends via the social media links below.

Life’s Quest (Continued)

Last time we explored how to “Be Here Now”

In many ways when we are fully present with ourselves and others we manifest the true self.

A friend introduced us to the poem that speaks to that self that is always there and represents us at our authentic best.  Here are the first few lines of The Layers by Stanley Kunitz

I have walked through many lives,

some of them my own,

and I am not who I was,

though some principle of being

abides, from which I struggle

not to stray.

This is a quick reminder of what is really important to our lives.

Be Here Now

A few weeks ago we had supper with a delightful couple. He is going through a particularly difficult time in his life now. Tonight I commented to Kris

“I feel such compassion for Steve”

To which Kris replied,

“His name is not Steve. It’s Joe!”

Where was my mind when I had dinner that night with Joe? I was busted for not being fully present on our dinner date.

We live in a hyperkinetic and multi-tasking milieu and there is no more important advice that we can give or receive than

BE HERE NOW

We all have experienced some or all of the following. We are

On a conference call checking our e-mail while others talk

Listening to our partner with half an ear

Thinking of several projects at the same time

Continually distracted by intrusive thoughts

Totally or partially disconnected from our feelings

And the result is

Everyone knows we are not fully listening

We miss important pieces of information

We live with unnecessarily high levels of stress

We lower our intellectual and emotional horsepower

And we call Joe, Steve.

In fact, we live up (or down) to the spirit of the ditty

There was a man my grandfather knew

Who had so many things he wanted to do

That whenever he thought it was time to begin

He couldn’t because of the state he was in.

So what is the answer?

First, one does not have to become a spiritual expert with high levels of mindfulness that can be sustained for long periods. That takes years of meditation practice. We can start with small steps now.

Second, there is no second. In fact there is no excuse for us not developing the clarity of thinking, focused listening, and inner tranquility for short periods of time that help us be more effective leaders and empathic partners.

Here are some possible rudimentary steps we can take.

1.   Take time out from electronic devices in meetings and in general. I know an executive who receives 300-400 email a day and has learned so to prioritize that he only responds to 10 a day. Such prioritizing is not easy but is possible.

2.   When we listen to people, hit the pause button in our minds. Don’t try and formulate an answer and ask yourself not just “What is this person saying?” but also “How do they feel about it?” and “Why is it important to them?”

3.   Recognize that there will still be more work to do after your fourteen-hour day. So set limits on yourself and go home and have supper with your family, turn off your Blackberry, and focus fully on the people most important to your life.

4.   Get a life apart from your work. The list of possibilities is endless but do something where you make a contribution and above all have fun.

Have you ever noticed the gaps between musical notes. If these spaces were not there one would have noise.

Reduce the noise in your life by finding silent spaces.

And post a notice in your office “Be here now”.

Question

What small steps have you taken to “Be here now”?

The Taste of Success

At times success can be a bitter/sweet experience. What happened when it leaves a bad aftertaste?

I work with some very talented people who have accomplished a lot and dream big dreams. Some are deeply satisfied with the results of their efforts and others seem to be continually in a state of restless unease. What is the chief difference between the two groups other than the resultant emotional state?

When I  ask them why they pursued the project or dream in the first place the answer is very revealing. If they are driven by self-centered interests they are in for a big shock.

Those dreams never fully satisfy.

 Dreams That Disappoint

One would think that we would relish the accomplishment of a dream. But the opposite could be true. If the dream is based on ego drives then the person is left wanting after the achievement of the once prized goal.

Essentially the ego is self absorbed through achievements such as career advancement or financial gain. These personal advances may initially produce satisfaction but in the long term can leave the person with empty feelings and a bad aftertaste.

Why is that?

The answer lies deep within the human psyche. We are designed to find fulfillment in serving others and transcending our selves. A NY Times article “Is giving the secret to getting ahead” sets out the research basis for the giving is better argument. “How can I help?” proves to be much more satisfying personally than “Let me show off stuff”.

If after your stellar performance you are left with some of the following feelings or thoughts

“Why does this achievement feel so empty?”

“When is the other shoe going to drop?”

“Why am I restless to get to my next goal?”

“How can I keep advancing my brand with more performances like this?”

Then  more likely than not you will have an ego-generated bad taste.

But not every dream has to end with the blahs. Sometimes our achievements are

Dreams that Fulfill

The most satisfying and fulfilling dreams start with the deep desire to serve by improving other peoples lives and in turn, improving one’s world. It also touches peoples’ deepest aspirations for themselves.  And, incidentally as the NY Times article points out, altruism spurs productivity and creativity.

I met an award winning investigative reporter who told me, “My work is not just about winning awards. In fact, it is not just about the story. It is about bringing small and significant changes to people. And sometimes, with luck and lots of hard work, the story leads to a major change in a group or organization.”

Humans are not just motivated by self interest (ego needs) but by self transcending drives which are at the heart of people with a bent towards service.

Here are some of the behaviors of a service-driven person. They

Focus on “us” not “me”

Downplay their status and uplift others

Ask how they can be of service

Are not in it primarily for the awards or recognition

Take themselves with a pinch or salt

Have a humble streak

Altruistic people can be goal oriented and glad for a good outcome. However they are not overly attached to the recognition that comes from success. In fact they are quick to give others recognition.

Questions for Reflection

So, how did you give at the office or at home or in the community?

Why did you decide to give in the first place?

Your answers will shape how your success tastes.

You May also Want to Read

Moving Towards a Soul-Based Life 

http://cedricj.wordpress.com/2011/11/12/moving-toward-a-soul-based-life

How We Change

Written with Kristine MacKain, Ph.D

How have you changed over the years?

Over the decades we have had many metamorphoses. For instance, we have lived in several different countries and have had a number of different  professional involvements, to name a few. Not really much different from most people of our generation.

Some changes we choose. In other cases life chooses for us. Some transitions are welcomed and others we would gladly forgo. But in all cases, to some degree or another, we are different people after the life event.

Fundamental changes often provoke deeper life questions that have no easy answers such as

What opportunity can I find in this setback?
What’s most important to me right now?
What is truth anyway?

Though change is difficult, even painful, it can also be very productive if we keep in mind the following principles:

1. Remain open to other ways of knowing

For a number of years one of the authors taught a class in a business management program on world religious traditions. Many students came to respect that there were other ways of seeing the world.  Some found it difficult to accept other ways of addressing ultimate questions but the ones who did broadened their view of the world and of themselves. An open heart and mind is a key to productive change.

2. Focus on living the questions

Acknowledging that we don’t know the answers and, consequently, living the questions opens the door to discovering true wisdom. People who seek certainty in absolutes often are more interested in security than the pursuit of truth. Also, ironically, “facts” can get in the way of experiencing underlying truth. In this information age where knowledge is everything, life’s deepest questions are better approached with “I don’t or I can’t really know”. Daniel Pink captures this process beautifully when he remarked that when we ask questions, life becomes a dance rather than a wrestling match.

3. Be willing to surrender to the unknown

At times, our moments of greatest opportunity lie in periods of confusion. “I give up” is not necessarily admitting defeat. Wisdom comes to us when we are not afraid to open ourselves to the unknown. When we admit ignorance, barriers evaporate and wisdom shows us its face.

4. Recognize that life “as it is” is not working for us

Maya Angelou once said, in effect, that when there is great pain in front of you as well as behind you, change paths. We always have the power to choose a different way. Habits of the past do not have to be our future destiny.  Some of the more profound changes in life happen when we choose to face (as opposed to escape from) our pain, ultimately leading us to make better choices for ourselves.

Questions

What changes are you being prompted to make right now?
How can these principles lead you to a more productive outcome?

You May Also Want to Read

Resilience in Times of Change http://cedricj.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/resilience-in-times-of-change

Speak for Yourself – Be A More Creative Leader

 

It is said that Daniel Day-Lewis, in his Oscar Award winning performance of Lincoln, sustained the voice of Lincoln for the duration of the filming.

He chose to speak in another voice.

But while that worked for Day-Lewis as an actor it does not always work for leaders. The other day the president of a large technology organization told me that an employee he was considering as his successor had one major disability. The employee always spoke only for his boss or his organization. Now while that made him an excellent team player it did not satisfy the burning question asked by the president

“What does he think? Because if he does not express his own ideas how can he be creative and lead an organization into the future?”

Signs of A Voice Not Being Heard

Not speaking with one’s own voice is more common than we think it is. It happens when people are

1.   Always quoting others as their authority.  They do this to support their position or bolster an argument. Now while it is imperative to cite one’s sources, give others credit for an idea, and not plagiarize, it is also important to creatively synthesize ideas and then express them in our own words.

2.   Adept only at speaking to the organization’s need. This is certainly important when one is trying to be a good team player, but there comes a time when others ask, “What do you think?

3.   Insecure about their own position or afraid of being challenged and contradicted.

4. Muting your voice as a woman and not raising your hand to speak in meetings because of gender bias by both men and women.

So how then do we know that it is our own voice that is being heard?

Signs of A True Voice

When one speaks with his/her own voice he/she is more

1.   Creative.

There are basically two types of thinking, convergent and divergent. Convergent thinking is where one takes existing data and conventional explanations to solve a problem. These may be helpful when giving directions for a standard procedure but are seldom helpful when exploring new territory. In contrast, Divergent thinking, otherwise known as creativity, is where one explores many possible options and connects data from disparate sources (diversity) into one clear and coherent argument.

2.   Courageous

One of the biggest inhibitors of creativity is the fear of what others will think of our novel idea. This becomes the voice of the “inner critic” that censors everything we try that is unconventional. It takes courage to throw caution to the winds and try new things. That could be about us living in a new place, traveling to unconventional destinations, or being willing to try a new idea in one’s work.

3.   Authentic

Speaking with one’s own voice comes from a place of authenticity and from the heart. It is a place where we operate largely out of the unconscious mind. This  ‘hidden’ mind is less constricted than conditioned forms of thinking that either regret the past or fear the future. It is thinking that occurs in the here and now. We usually access this mind in silence, dreams, listening to our observing self, and by finding ways to screen out toxic self-assessments. In the end, a person who speaks his or her own truth is an authentic.

Training to Speak for Yourself

 

There are some practical considerations when attempting to speak for oneself.

1.   Cover Your Back

We never realize our ideas in a vacuum. It is important to have key stakeholders on board before we venture into new territory. It is key to influence them on the contribution of the new idea, present some possibility of early wins, and above all have agreement of the need for change.

2.   Be Prepared to Modify Your Idea

The water cooler effect is an important factor when new ideas are being explored. Learning to fly trial balloons with one’s peers, people in other disciplines, and above all one’s boss is a key to getting it right when it comes to the adoption and execution of a new idea.

So go ahead and think and speak for yourself.

If you want to be a true leader that drives your organization into the future, makes a significant contribution to your world, and have the satisfaction of being creative, then

Trust your own voice.

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My Brand, Myself and Developing Your Leadership Brand

What are you known for? What distinguishes you from others?

And why is that so important?

If such questions do not interest you, then you are a Zen Master, an “all round” not wanting to be defined by one thing, or securely ensconced in your profession.

But if you are

o    Competing in the corporate world

o    Wanting to succeed in service oriented professions

o    Trying to get a job

o    Looking for opportunities to express your giftedness or strengths.

Then here, one more time, is a blog on branding.

The title “My Brand Myself” puts front and center the importance of harmonizing our public persona with our core concept of who we are. For instance a person who is a rascal at home and a hero at the office eventually loses respect in the community. He/she has to use up a huge amount of psychic energy on impression management. But the brand based on personal authenticity is a powerful and refreshing phenomena. It is not a mask that one wears solely for one’s own benefit. It is a means through which others are served.

The cool thing about branding is that we have the power to decide who we are and what part of that self to present to the world. It’s not quite “the reinvent yourself over and over” motif in order to escape from a shameful past. It is the capacity to choose a compelling statement that carefully and creatively defines what we do or want for our lives.

So can you define your brand in a short but compelling statement that paints a picture of what you are passionate about? And is this statement something that adds value to others? Furthermore, is it memorable? And through the brand does your doing harmonize with your being?

My brand statement is “Inspiring leaders to inspire others”.

I consult with leaders to facilitate their doing many things from overcoming disabling behaviors, succeeding the boss, projecting an executive presence, making a major career transition, or leading their teams to new levels of success.

BUT,

Unless they lead with inspiration all their efforts will be largely empty and not contribute significantly to the lives of others.

What is your brand statement?

And how will making such a statement bring focus to your life and align you with you authentic self?

Developing Your Leadership Brand

(Published 2 years ago)

In an earlier posting (December 18, 2010) I reflected on how your personal brand is a component of your executive presence. In part, that presence is the effective way you showcase your executive leadership abilities in your organization. It is how all perceive you to be a leader worth following.

Your brand, like your fingerprints, is that which sets you apart from other leaders and highlights your unique capabilities. It is also at the heart of your reputation, credibility, and ultimately, your perceived value to an organization.

Historically your brand may communicate information about you like,

“He’s the go-to person for strategy”

“She’s the engineer’s engineer”

“He’s the start up guru”

“You can count on her to lead innovation and change”

However, brand cannot always be defined with a few adjectives or just one marketing slogan. Each of the above statements could be one of many puzzle pieces that creates the ultimate brand picture.

I work with many leaders and ask them to answer the following questions in order to define their brand.

1.    What do you understand to be your true self?

Who are you really?

There is no quick and easy answer to this question. It often takes a lifetime of introspection, feedback, heightened self-awareness, understanding of our self-delusion, and a focus on our being more than just our doing to reach some semblance of an answer.

In many ways the quest for the true self is a journey and not a destination.

But, in the end, this true self is at the heart of a brand. It is an amalgam of the best parts of a person’s character, his/her drive to develop unique qualities such as a strategic thinker or innovator, the lessons learned from failure, and a blend of distinct personality characteristics, like a risk taker, that differentiates them from others. It is as the leader experiences him/herself in multiple contexts, with a variety of challenges, and over a period of time that the brand begins to coalesce.

2.   How do your personal and corporate brands align?

The harmony between your personal and the corporate brand often determines whether your uniqueness is embraced or rejected by your organization. Take the example of one corporate brand. Ulrich and Smallwood point out that leaders at McKinsey strive to live up to the corporate brand “The trusted advisor to every CEO.” In order for them to succeed in that organization they therefore have to “Lead teams that deconstruct business problems, synthesize data, and develop solutions”. So if that is what is expected of every leader at McKinsey, is that then a personal brand? The answer is, only in part.

The leaders have to have something more than this core leadership competency to set them apart from the others and therefore define their brand. So know your corporate brand and overlay it with the template of your personal brand. If the two sync up, well and good. Now go ahead and define your personal brand (the unique qualities you bring to the table) beyond but also including the corporate brand.

3.   What do you want to be known for with your customers, investors, and colleagues?

This question defines the fit of your personal brand with your most important constituencies. Ultimately it is their needs that give the corporate and personal brand its meaning and relevance. So you may be as unique as Einstein at your company but if you don’t align with these constituencies your career is toast. So, for a start, are customer evaluations included in your regular evaluations? Does the way you behave as a leader receive the validation of your reports, peers, and bosses? Also, is your unique leadership brand appreciated and endorsed by these groups? If the answer is yes, then there is brand acceptance.

Another question you need to ask in relationship to your key constituents is that posed by Norm Smallwood in his HBR blog “What results do you want to achieve in the next year? (http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/03/define_your_personal_leadershi.html)

Smallwood writes “The first thing you should do is ask yourself, ‘In the next 12 months, what are the major results I want to deliver at work?’ Take into account the interests of these four groups:

• Customers
• Investors
• Employees
• The organization”

4.   What are your expectations around the value of your brand? This is an ultimate reality check.

A great personal brand is no guarantee that your company will retain you on its workforce, give you the promotion you desire, or reward you with a retention bonus. There is just too much fluidity in the current business climate, lack of leadership courage to make important changes, and political shenanigans floating around the office for your personal brand to always be validated. However, you future will continue with or without the validation of your present employer.

The preceding comment may seem too pessimistic but the fact is that established companies in crisis are losing their talented executives at a rapid rate. This is a topic I will address at a later date.  However, developing your brand will pay off in a forward-looking company with brand clarity and healthy senior leadership.

5.   Is there any danger that you will lose your authenticity in defining your brand?

One key piece of advice I give to people that I’m coaching on brand development is“Never compromise your true self in the pursuit of a brand.” For instance, you may be one of the best leaders of innovation and start-ups around. However you may find yourself in a company that has become so constricted that it takes a committee to change the lunchtime menu. So your decision is whether to stay and lead a transformation or go to where innovation is nurtured. The key here is “to thy own self be true”.

________________________________________________________________

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