Building the Organizational Leader Brand: Change Agent, Scholar, Thought Leader

Abstract

Who we are matters. Developing the personal brand communicates to the world the values that fuel daily leadership habits and practices. Exposure to branding is constant in everyday life. People are continuously exposed to various brands, including clothing, vehicles, food selection, recreation, and media. Building the organizational leader brand requires the same processes, strategies, and tactics as branding and promoting traditional products, yet is much more involved.
Research supports that millennial audiences connect best with individuals, rather than organizations. Consequently, effective personal branding is essential to building trust and a reputation that supports such viable relationships within organizations. Successful brands are constructed to embody traits the target market or followers identify with, and thus develop an affinity to. Likewise, organizational leadership brands must incorporate the personal traits of the leader into its identity making them unique, compelling and approachable to stakeholders.