Leadership – Taking Your Brand to the Frontline
The importance of the role managers play in infusing real change is under-estimated in most organisations. Whilst it’s true that perhaps certain leaders are born, the significant majority are developed into becoming leaders. Your position as a manager or supervisor gives you the authority to accomplish certain tasks and objectives. This power does not make you a leader, it simply makes you the boss!
If you Google the word ‘leader’ or ‘leadership’, there are 487 million hits. That’s a lot of information which can only add to the confusion of what leadership really is. Leadership is not the sole responsibility for ‘people at the top’, everyone can learn to lead by tapping into the abilities that lie within each of us. Leadership differs from management in that it makes the followers want to achieve high goals, rather than simply bossing people around.
True leaders always go first; they set the tone, inspire, coach and above all, lead by example to gain commitment. To inspire your team into higher levels of teamwork, there are certain things you must be, know and do. These do not come naturally.
Leaders walk their talk – in true leaders, there are no gaps between what they say and their actions. Leaders think, act and behave in line with the value and behaviours of the organisation.
Aligning the organisation with its desired brand values is a continual and complex process. Yet, I’m amazed that all too often companies adopt a single focus approach around internal communications. It’s absolutely essential that any internal branding initiative is supported by internal communications but NOT in the absence of addressing the role of managers. Flooding the office corridors with brand posters, handing out glossy brand books and company merchandise will not alter employee behaviour. This has to be addressed by management behaviours. After all, the actions and behaviours from an employees direct manager influences what the employee does and how they act, not the poster behind the water cooler! Unfortunately, the so called ‘sexy’ side of internal branding seems to receive a lot more attention and resources than the critical elements of developing managers into brand leaders. Ask any employee who has attended a grand, Hollywood style internal brand launch, “what really changed the following day, month, year”? I would bet that in 9 out of 10 times the response would be “bugger all”.
Our approach to aligning brand with culture is to start with management, from executive management to middle management down to supervisory positions. This is where the communication blockage lies. Most, if not all managers lack the skills, competence and confidence to lead by example. It becomes even more complex and challenging when we throw in brand as well. So these people need to be developed and empowered to make a difference with their teams. Clearly, the CEO needs to set the tone, but it needs to be cascaded down throughout the organisation. One off leadership training days serve little purpose. What’s needed is a structured, continual learning and development program.
Current thinking is based on transformational leadership. Transformational leaders work towards a common goal with their team; putting team members first, trusting them and developing team to the next level. They inspire their team members to ‘live and breathe’ the company’s brand. Not because they have been asked to, but because it makes sense for the individual, the customer and for the organisation.
There are generally five characteristics of transformational leaders:
- Model the way – people follow the person then the plan. It is the leader’s behaviour that wins respect.
- Inspire a shared vision – enlist others in a common vision or objective by inspiring confidence to achieve extraordinary things.
- Challenge the process – search for opportunities by seeking innovative and better ways to do things. Support good ideas and make things happen.
- Enable others to act – foster collaboration by promoting cooperative goals and building trust. Engage the team.
- Encourage the heart – recognise contributions by showing appreciation for excellence. Celebrate your success stories with the team.
By all means introduce an element of fun and enjoyment into your internal branding program. And use all available internal communication tools to keep the company brand front of mind across your organisation. Above all else, engage your management teams to take the message to the frontline through their individual behaviours and abilities to communicate brand to their teams. Ensure your managers are consistently displaying “on-brand” characteristics; walking the talk and integrating brand into daily decision making, setting of goals and priorities and actions.