Every leader has a reputation that walks into the room before they do. It lives in what people say about you when you are not there to hear it. Most of us spend years polishing a title and very little time shaping that conversation. Yet that reputation, built on what you stand for, determines who follows you and how far you go.
The Ladder Has Changed
The old playbook said work hard, stay loyal and climb the corporate ladder. That ladder has become far less
reliable. In the United States, the median employee tenure is now 4.3 years for men and 4 years for women. Only 14% of people feel they landed a dream job, and 70% of the workforce is actively looking for a change in career.
Daniel Pink captured this shift in his book Drive. Traditional carrot and stick approaches no longer work in a globally connected, fast moving, innovative world. People are motivated by autonomy, mastery and purpose. For leaders, that trio is a critical starting point, both for yourself and for anyone on your team who feels lost.
A Napkin at Heathrow
I learned this lesson personally. At what I anticipated would be a celebratory dinner, the major promotion I had been craving was awarded to someone else. The sleepless night that followed at the Heathrow Marriott became my tipping point. On a hotel napkin, which I wish I had kept, I started scribbling questions. What legacy did I want to leave my children? How could I create a life journey with no regrets?
That gut-wrenching setback became the foundation of everything that followed: a personal brand built on retail, innovation and leadership; retirement from corporate life ten years early; board assignments in the US and Europe; and, eventually, the role of President for a major division of a Fortune 500 company. Setbacks can be moments when you give up, or opportunities to analyze their message before resetting to the next goal. Obstacles define who you become.
Start With Three
Principles are the values deep within you, and they form the foundation of what you stand for. Living them, and more importantly showcasing them every day, builds trust. Trust is the most critical element of any leader's brand.
I recommend the Power of Three. Identify your top three core principles and write them down. Mine are integrity, curiosity and leadership. In the beginning, revisit them at least once a week, crossing out or adding based on your actions and the feedback you receive. What you value, you become.
Authenticity matters here. Fake brands always fail, because the fundamentals inside an individual eventually lower the mask and reveal the true self.
Lead With Strengths
My least favorite activity during my corporate career was the annual performance review, where the focus always
drifted toward "areas of improvement." Harvard Business Review describes the paradox well: people remember criticism, yet they respond to praise.
Research confirms that when we focus on developing our strengths, we grow faster than when we try to fix our weaknesses. People who use their strengths are happier, less stressed and more confident. Leaders who embrace their capabilities and acknowledge the input of their teams are more likely to become better leaders.
Weaknesses do not define you. They do not define the people you lead either. Find the strengths on your team and channel them.
Build Your Inner Circle
My first role after university was selling cash registers for NCR Corporation. As a closet introvert, business-to-business sales did not come naturally to me. A veteran sales mentor opened doors, watched me present, coached me, and urged me to experiment. That encouragement led me to create a customer success newsletter, the first in my region. I exceeded quota in all three of my sales years and earned recognition through the NCR Century Club. That mentor is still a friend today.
Every leader needs a core set of trusted advisors. Test major ideas with them first. Then become that mentor for someone else.
Begin With the End in Mind
Stephen Covey called Habit 2, Begin with the End in Mind, the habit of personal leadership. Bronnie Ware, in The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, places this regret first on her list: lacking the courage to live a life true to oneself.
I will be honest. For too long, I allowed work for others to dictate my personal value. Family was always important, yet I missed important milestones chasing that golden corporate ladder. Do NOT make the same mistake.
Where you finish makes all the difference, whatever your starting point.
As we head into Thanksgiving and the close of another year, take one quiet hour to write down your top three principles. Then lead from them every single day. Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and here is to finishing strong.
This article summarizes a few of the inspirational ideas from my first book, “Unleash Your Brand – The Key to Shaping and Monetizing Your Voice, Skills and Future.” Believe in yourself and in the potential that was always in you.
