Gen Y Now: Millennials and the Evolution of Leadership, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER EIGHTYOU HAVE A PERSONAL BRAND

Brand (n., bran(d)^•

Having a well-known and usually highly regarded or marketable name, image, or reputation.

The next major building block for a winning recruiting and retention culture is awareness of your personal leadership brand. Talk about brands has become almost passé for marketing products and services. We all are aware of product brands and the tremendous investments that are made to create household names like Apple, Coke, or Welch’s.

It is rare when leaders even think about, let alone actually take the time to analyze their own personal leadership brands. In fact, it is rare when leaders even realize they have a leadership brand, whether they think about their brands or not. A leader who takes the time to develop a desirable personal brand will attract and retain the best of Gen Y.

In sports and most other areas, your “pedigree” includes where you’ve worked and who you’ve worked for. However, the reverse is also true: leaders are judged by the managers they’ve developed. For instance, basketball and football coaches have been rated by how successful the coaches who’ve worked for them have become.

Almost every definition of branding you’ll see talks about making a clear brand promise. This is generally a benefit that the buyer will receive from purchasing your product or service. When you fulfill the brand promise repeatedly, you build brand value. For instance, if a soft drink promises “cool and refreshing” and delivers it, ...