Define Your Personal Leadership Brand in Five Steps

Define Your Personal Leadership Brand in Five Steps: "

You probably already have a personal leadership brand. But do you have the right one?

The question is not trivial. A leadership brand conveys your identity and distinctiveness as a leader. It communicates the value you offer. If you have the wrong leadership brand for the position you have, or the position you want, then your work is not having the impact it could. A strong personal leadership brand allows all that's powerful and effective about your leadership to become known to your colleagues, enabling you to generate maximum value.

What's more, choosing a leadership brand can help give you focus. When you clearly identify what you want to be known for, it is easier to let go of the tasks and projects that do not let you deliver on that brand. Instead, you can concentrate on the activities that do.

So how do you build a leadership brand? My co-author Dave Ulrich and I came up with these five steps.

1. What results do you want to achieve in the next year?

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

Dave and I once worked with a very talented and hardworking executive we'll call Tricia. Her successful performance in several varied roles at her organization — she'd been an auditor, a process engineer and a customer-service manager — earned her a promotion into a general manager position, charging her with running one of the company's largest businesses. To succeed at her first large-scale leadership position and meet the complex set of expectations she would encounter in it, she knew she needed to become more deliberate about the way she led others. In short, she knew she needed a new leadership brand, and asked us for help in forging it.

We advised Tricia to begin by focusing on the expectations of those she was working to serve, rather than on what she identified as her personal strengths. Leadership brand is outward focused; it is about delivering results. While identifying innate strengths is an important part of defining your leadership brand, the starting point is clarifying what is expected of you.

2. What do you wish to be known for?

Tricia knew she was seen as technically proficient and hardworking, but somewhat aloof. These traits, she realized, added up to a leadership brand that would not take her very far in her new role.

With that in mind, Tricia picked six descriptors that balanced the qualities that came naturally to her with those that would be critical in her new position. She then tested her choices by sharing them with her boss, her peers, and some of her most trusted subordinates. She simply asked them, 'Are these the traits that someone in this general manager role should exhibit?' Their responses helped her refine her list to ultimately include the following traits:

• Collaborative


• Deliberate


• Independent


• Innovative


• Results-oriented


• Strategic

3. Define your identity

The next step is to combine these six words into three two-word phrases that reflect your desired identity. This exercise allows you to build a deeper, more complex description: not only what you want to be known for, but how you will probably have to act to get there. For example, calmly driven differs from tirelessly driven. Experimenting with the many combinations that you can make from your six chosen words helps you crystallize your personal leadership brand.

Tricia combined the six descriptors into the following three phrases:

• Independently innovative


• Deliberately collaborative


• Strategically results-oriented

She tested this with several colleagues, neatly pulled together what came easily to Tricia ('independently innovative' and 'strategically results-oriented') with what she could accomplish through disciplined effort ('deliberately collaborative'). Tricia was satisfied that it aptly described both the kind of leader she was and the kind of leader she was becoming.

4. Construct your leadership brand statement, then test it.

In this step, you pull everything together in a leadership brand statement that makes a 'so that' connection between what you want to be known for (Steps 2 and 3) and your desired results (Step 1). Fill in the blanks:



'I want to be known for being ______________ so that I can deliver __________.'

Tricia's leadership brand statement read: 'I want to be known for being independently innovative, deliberately collaborative and strategically results-oriented so that I can deliver superior financial outcomes for my business.'

With your leadership brand statement drafted, ask the following three questions to see if it needs to be refined:

• Is this the brand identity that best represents who I am and what I can do?


• Is this brand identity something that creates value in the eyes of my organization and key stakeholders?


• What risks am I taking by exhibiting this brand? Can I live this brand?

After going through this exercise, Tricia was satisfied that she had crafted a personal leadership brand that was appropriate for her new role and within her power to live and make real.

5. Make your brand identity real

Espoused-but-unlived brands create cynicism because they promise what they do not deliver. To ensure that the leadership brand you advertise is embodied in your day-to-day work, check in with those around you. Do they see you as you wish to be seen? If you say you are flexible and approachable, do others find you so?

After Tricia defined her personal leadership brand, she shared it with others. She let people know that she was evolving as a leader and invited their feedback, especially on her efforts at working collaboratively.

The exercise of forging a leadership brand and the day-to-day discipline of making it real, Tricia said, helped her stay focused on the most important challenges of her new role.

To be sure, your leadership brand isn't static; it should evolve in response to the different expectations you face at different times in your career. In our work, we have seen that leaders with the self-awareness and drive to evolve their leadership brands are more likely to be successful over the long term — and to enjoy the journey more.

Norm Smallwood is co-founder of The RBL Group, a strategic HR and leadership systems advisory firm. He is author, with Dave Ulrich and Kate Sweetman, of the 2009 Harvard Business Press title, The Leadership Code: Five Rules to Lead By and with Dave Ulrich on the 2007 title, Leadership Brand: Developing Customer-Focused Leaders to Drive Performance and Build Lasting Value (Harvard Business School Press, 2007).

"

Greece Rescue = Smoke and Mirrors

Greece Rescue = Smoke and Mirrors: "

It is astonishing that the words “rescue” and “bailout” are being
applied to the headfake announced by the EU for Greece last week.
Rebecca Wilder at Angry Bear blandly
noted, “All I’m saying is that this plan, in its current form, is
really not much of a plan at all.” Ed
Harrison stressed that voters in Germany would be assured “This is
not a bailout” (although he is of the school that anything to ward off
speculators is a step in the right direction).

"

BUSİAD'dan, Türkiye Genç İşadamları Derneği'ne destek

BUSİAD'dan, Türkiye Genç İşadamları Derneği'ne destek

Current Bear Market Dshort.com

Çin'den doları etkileyecek yuan kararı gelebilir

Roubini: Beijing and Washington on ‘Collision Course’ Over Yuan

Roubini: Beijing and Washington on ‘Collision Course’ Over Yuan: "With Beijing threatening to retaliate if the U.S. declares China a currency manipulator and imposes trade sanctions, it’s easy to come to the conclusion that the currency debate is hitting up and causing serious tensions between both countries.
According to Nouriel Roubini, a professor at New York University, the U.S. and China are on a “collision [...]

"

MARQUEZ'İN VEDA MEKTUBU

MARQUEZ'İN VEDA MEKTUBU

Yakalandığı kanser nedeniyle sağlık durumu kötüleşen ve inzivaya çekilme
kararı alan Kolombiyalı yazar Gabriel Garcia Marquez, yakın dostlarına
bir veda mektubu gönderdi.

Yazarın mektubu, değişik dillere çevrildi ve Internet üzerinden yayına
verildi. işte usta yazar Marquezin duygu yüklü veda mektubu:

'"...Tanrı bir an için paçavradarı bir bebek olduğumu unutup, can vererek
beni ödüllendirse; aklımdan geçen her şeyi dile getiremeyebilirdim, ama
en azından dile getirdiklerimi ayrıntısıyla aklımdan geçirir ve düşünürdüm.

Eşyaların maddi yönlerine değil anlamlarına değer verirdim.

Az uyur, çok rüya görür, gözümü yumduğum her dakikada, 60 saniye boyunca ışığı düşünürdüm.

İnsan aşktan vazgeçerse yaşlanır. Başkaları durduğu zaman yürümeye
devam ederdim. Başkaları uyurken, uyanık kalmaya gayret ederdim.
Başkaları konuşurken dinler, çikolatalı dondurmanın tadından zevk almaya
bakardım.

Eğer Tanrı bana birazcık can verse, basit giyinir, yüzümü
güneşe çevirir, sadece vücudumu değil ruhumu da tüm çıplaklığıyla
açardım.

Tanrım, eğer bir kalbim olsaydı, nefretimi buzun üzerine kazır ve güneşin
göstermesini beklerdim, Gökyüzündeki aya yıldızlar boyunca Van Gogh
resimleri çizer, Benedetti şiirleri okur ve serenatlar söylerdim.

Gözyaşlarımla gülleri sular, vücuduma batan dikenlerinin acısını hissederek,
dudak kırmızısı taç yapraklarından öpmek isterdim.

Tanrım bir yudumluk yasamım olsaydı... Gün geçmesin ki, karşılaştığım
tüm insanlara onları sevdigimi söylemeyeyim. Tüm kadın ve erkekleri
en sevdiğim insanlar oldukları konusunda birer birer ikna ederdim.

Ve aşk içinde yaşardım. Erkeklere, yaşlandıkları zaman aşkı
bırakmalarının ne kadar yanlış olduğunu anlatırdım. Çünkü insan aşkı
bırakınca yaşlanır. Çocuklara kanat verirdim. Ama uçmayı kendi
başlarına öğrenmelerine olanak sağlardım. Yaşlılara ise, ölümün yaşlanma
ile değil unutma ile geldigini öğretirdim.
.
Ey insanlar sizlerden ne kadar. da çok şey öğrenmişim. Tüm insanların,
mutluluğun gerçekleri görmekte saklı olduğunu bilmeden, dağların
zirvesinde yaşamak istediğini öğrendim.

Yeni doğan küçük bir bebeğin babasının parmağını sıkarken aslında onu
kendisine sonsuza dek kelepçeyle mahkum ettiğini öğrendim..."

 "Sizlerden çok şey öğrendim."
Gabriel Garcia Marguez

"Greek Crisis Is Over, Region Safe," Prodi Says - I Say Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!

"Greek Crisis Is Over, Region Safe," Prodi Says - I Say Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!: "

There
is an ancient Greek legend describing the education of the common man
Damocles. You see, Damocles exclaimed that, as a great man of power and
authority, Dionysius (the current ruler) was truly fortunate. Thus,
Dionysius offered to switch places with him for a day, so Damocles
could taste first hand that fortune which he savored so fervently.

"

The End of a Long-Running Soap Opera

The End of a Long-Running Soap Opera: "

You probably heard the news, but if you haven't, the Turkey-IMF saga has come to an end:

http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr1076.htm

For my part, I am really happy for my good call, done at a time the
consensus view was that the agreement would be sealed in a matter of
weeks, if not days:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=fool-some-sometimes-you-can-2010-01-03

"

Eight Things Your Employees Want From You

Eight Things Your Employees Want From You: "

I often have to remind the dedicated, smart CEOs I work with that leading takes time and energy. Directing the feelings, attitudes, actions, and behaviors of a team is a big task. Often, I also hear the secrets of these CEOs' employees, about what truly aggravates them and what they love about their bosses. To keep top executives on track, I've created this list of what employees want their leaders to do.

1. Tell me my role, tell me what to do, and give me the rules. Micromanaging? No, it's called clear direction. Give them parameters so they can work within broad outlines.

2. Discipline my coworker who is out of line. Time and time again, I hear, 'I wish my boss would tell Nancy that this is just unacceptable.' Hold people accountable in a way that is fair but makes everyone cognizant of what is and isn't acceptable.

3. Get me excited. About the company, about the product, about the job, about a project. Just get them excited.

4. Don't forget to praise me. Motivate employees by leveraging their strengths, not harping on their weaknesses.

5. Don't scare me. They really don't need to know about everything that worries you. They respect that you trust them, but you are the boss. And don't lose your temper at meetings because they didn't meet your expectations. It's often not productive. Fairness and consistency are important mainstays.

6. Impress me. Strong leaders impress their staffs in a variety of ways. Yes, some are great examples of management, but others are bold and courageous, and still others are creative and smart. Strong leaders bring strength to an organization by providing a characteristic that others don't have and the company sorely needs.

7. Give me some autonomy. Give them something interesting to work on. Trust them with opportunity.

8. Set me up to win. Nobody wants to fail. Indecisive leaders who keep people in the wrong roles, set unrealistic goals, keep unproductive team members, or change direction unfairly just frustrate everybody and make people feel defeated.

Your job is to make it practical for people to succeed. When you do this, everybody wins.

For over a decade, Melissa Raffoni has worked directly with more than 100 CEOs as president of Raffoni CEO Consulting. She has served on the faculty at MIT's Sloan School and Harvard's Kennedy School. Melissa holds an MS in Corporate Strategy and Managerial Communication from the MIT Sloan School and a BA in Economics from Colby College.

"

Seveceksen öylece sev...

Gunun birinde yolu bir dergaha dusen kendi halinde bir adam, dergahta, bir Mevlevi ile bir Bektasi''nin sohbet ettiklerini gorunce yanlarina yaklasir. Kendini tanitir ve dergahi merak ettigini, nasil zikir edildigini izlemek icin geldigini soyler.
Erenler baslar adama cesitli nasihatlerde Bulunmaya, herbiri kendi yolunu mumkun olan en tatli dille anlatmaya calisir.
Adam bir yandan onlari dinlerken, bir yandan da gozleri onlarin giysilerine takilir.
Mevlevi'nin giydigi kiyafette kollar o kadar genis ve uzundur ki hem icine uc kisinin birden kolu sigabilir,
hem de uzun oldugu icin yalnizca kollari degil, elleri de kapatmaktadir.
Bektasi'nin kiyafetinde ise tam tersi bir durum vardir. Elbisenin kolu daraciktir, neredeyse tene yapismistir; ustelik kisa oldugu icin, eller ta bileklere kadar aciktir.
Bu duruma hayret eden adam, sebebini ogrenmek ister. Buyuk merakla, once Mevlevi'ye sorar:
"Pirim, kiyafetinizin kollari neden o kadar genis ve uzun? Bunun ozel bir sebebi var mi?"
Mevlevi hic beklemedigi bu soru karsisinda oldukca sasirir. Iki kolunu da biraz yukariya kaldirir, sonra ellerini birlestirerek kollarini daire sekline getirir ve soyle der: "Evet, ozel bir sebebi vardir. Cunku biz insanlarin gunahlarini, ayiplarini, kusurlarini orteriz.
Baskalari gormesin diye uzerini kapatiriz."
Yanittan oldukca hosnut olan adam ayni merakla bu kez Bektasi''ye doner: "Peki ya siz, pirim? Sizin kiyafetinizin kollari neden bu kadar dar ve kisa? Siz insanlarin gunahlari ve ayiplarini ortmez misiniz?"
Bektasi kendi kollarina bakar, birkac saniyelik bir dalginliktan sonra gulumser ve adama bakarak soyle der: "Biz mi? Bizim genis kiyafetlere ihtiyacimiz yoktur. Cunku biz insanlarin gunahlarini ve kusurlarini gormeyiz."
> OZETLE..;
Seveceksen oylece sev.

Ne kusursuz insan ara,

ne de insanda kusur. 

Birincisini zaten bulamazsin,

ikincisinde ise, buldugun her kusur, 

ogrendigin her ayip sahibini degil,

seni cirkinlestirir. 

Her ikisi de seni mutsuz eder. 

Birincisini bulamadigin icin,

ikincisini ise buldugun icin mutsuz olursun.

Andy Beal Conjectures Harsh Market Ahead

Bear Turns to Bull?

Bear Turns to Bull?: "
March 2, 2010 updated each market day

The S&P 500 closed the day up 0.23%, which puts the index up 0.3% for the year. The index is 65.3% above the March 9, 2009 closing low, which is 28.5% below the peak in October 2007.

Here is a StockCharts.com snapshot showing the relationship of the S&P 500 to its 50- and 200-day simple moving averages.

Click here to review the previous rallies during the current bear market, and here's a table showing the 1929-1932 Dow rallies.

Since inflation is a favorite topic on this website, I now regularly update a set of charts to facilitate a comparison of the nominal and real declines. See also my logarithmic scale view of the 'Four Bad Bears' comparison.

For charts of other bear market recoveries, see The Bear Bottoming Process.

For a better sense of how these declines figure into a larger historical context, here's a long-term view of secular bull and bear markets in the S&P Composite since 1871.

For a bit of international flavor, here's a chart series that includes the so-called L-shaped 'recovery' of the Nikkei 225. I update these weekly.

These charts are not intended as a forecast but rather as a way to study the current market in relation to historic market cycles.

"

Soros hedge fund bets on demise of the euro

Marc Faber buy Gold Dump All paper Currencies

Marc Faber buy Gold Dump All paper Currencies: "

Marc Faber : Dump paper currencies, buy gold

'All paper currencies will continue to lose their purchasing power as they have over the last 100 years or so,' investment guru Marc Faber, told the Financial Times in Hong Kong last week.

'I suggest that people accumulate gold. They shouldn't market-time the Gold Price, because we're going to have volatility...But I will not sell my gold, not for as long as [the current US administration] is structuring fiscal, monetary and foreign policies.'

'In the US, I don't think we will have real [positive] interest rates at any time in the next 10 years.'

Via Commodityonline

"