Think for a minute about people in your life who have motivated you—leaders, colleagues, family and friends. Most likely, each person formed an impression on you based on how communicating with them affected your feelings toward yourself. Yes. They’ve made mistakes, but you’re willing to overlook their shortcomings because you’ve benefitted from your interactions with them. Reflect on these influences as you develop your leadership style and personal brand.
Skilled communication is one of the most essential attributes of a successful leader.3 Research shows 25% of why people feel productive, motivated, effective and committed to their work is a result of good leadership.1 Yet two-thirds of American workers say that poor communication hinders them from doing their best work.3 Whether you’re early in your career or a seasoned leader, you know how challenging it can be to build relationships and motivate people to achieve common goals.
Here are some attitudes and practical applications to consider:
- Be the kind of person who thinks of others
- Be intentional with your actions and words
- Encourage. Give credit where credit is due.
- Appreciate others and tell them
- Acknowledge their talents
- Hear their concerns. Listen more than you talk.
- Don’t lose sight of the fact that there is something good in everyone
- Even the most irritable person has a redeeming quality. Find it and encourage them in their strength.
- Don’t defend—listen. Consider if cultural or gender communication differences could be at play and seek to understand it.
- Be authentic. Keep it real.
You possess inherent personal branding because of your personality and communication with others.4 Here’s a practical suggestion to help you develop your personal brand:
- Print out this list and read it before you start your day
- Choose which attitudes you want to adopt as your own or make a new list that fits you better
- Customize this by adding more of your own practical application tactics
- Make your list more personal by adding the names of the people you want to appreciate or encourage
- Become your brand: Implement and apply your interpersonal communication skills
- Be mindful of each time one of these skills results in a positive outcome or keep a journal for reflection
Remember, research shows that effective communication and relations-oriented leadership are the best predictors of satisfaction, motivation, and organizational commitment. Your personal leadership style can help you to build your career, improve relationships and motivate people to achieve common goals.
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.”
― Plato
In my psychological romance novel, All the Other Voices, the main character, Marina, is working towards a corporate promotion. She believes that success is about consciously building an image—her personal brand—to get what she wants from her career. You can read a sample chapter to see if my writing style aligns with your reading preferences. If you like what you find on these pages, you’ll likely enjoy the entire book.
- Mikkelson, A. C., York, J. A., & Arritola, J. (2015). Communication Competence, Leadership Behaviors, and Employee Outcomes in Supervisor-Employee Relationships. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, 78(3), 336–354. https://doi.org/10.1177/2329490615588542
- Foroudi, P., & Palazzo, M. (Eds.). (2019). Contemporary Issues in Branding (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.4324/9780429429156
- DiMeglio, F. (2007, August 14). New role for business school research. Business Week Online. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2007-08-14/new-role-for-businessschool-researchbusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice
- Rangarajan, D., Gelb, B. D., & Vandaveer, A. (2017). Strategic personal branding—And how it pays off. Business Horizons, 60(5), 657-666. https://https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1016/j.bushor.2017.05.009
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