Have you ever given thought to how you’re perceived as a leader?
After building brand and executive reputations for 25 years in corporate communications, I know how much reputation matters. Everything we do influences how we are perceived which in turn affects our reputations, from how we appear, carry ourselves, make decisions, treat people, communicate--all of the things that factor into our executive presence.
In order to understand our reputation, we first have to be aware of how we are perceived and where that perception comes from. There are many factors that can influence this.
For example, our posture when we communicate could impact our perception with members of our team. Our reactions, our words, our tone, our decisions can all influence perception.
It’s a given that we will not show up perfectly as a leader everyday; that shouldn’t be the goal. We’re going to make mistakes or have a bad day.
We can, however, try to do our best and aim towards a more positive perception. By demonstrating a willingness to invest in bettering yourself as a leader, you'll in fact shape perception and build your leadership brand and reputation.
Here are 5 things that we can influence when shaping perception and building your leadership brand and reputation:
Communication Skills: How effectively you communicate can significantly impact your reputation. Clear, transparent, and empathetic communication helps build trust and credibility, while poor communication can lead to misunderstandings and a negative perception.
Decision-Making Ability: The quality and timeliness of your decisions play a crucial role in shaping your reputation. Leaders who make informed, fair, and decisive choices are often viewed more favorably than those who are perceived as indecisive or erratic.
Integrity and Ethics: Maintaining ethical principles and a commitment to honesty and fairness are central to reputation. Leaders who consistently demonstrate these things are more likely to be respected and trusted.
Emotional Intelligence: When you show empathy, self-awareness, and the ability to manage your emotions and understand the emotions of others, you are often perceived as effective and relatable which helps build strong relationships and a positive work environment.
Adaptability: Your ability to navigate change, handle setbacks, and remain effective under pressure also shapes your perception and reputation. Demonstrating flexibility and bouncing back from challenges are often seen as capable or inspiring.
Everyone has different strengths and opportunities for improvement. So how do you become more aware of others' perception of you? Trainings can help you understand more about them, but usually only get you so far in terms of practical skills application. To truly focus on your individual needs, personalized coaching is critical to cultivate and understand how you can leverage your EQ skillset to build perception and reputation.
I start my individual and team leadership coaching programs with a Leadership EQ, which assesses a leader’s emotional intelligence, or how s/he carries his or her emotions across important aspects of leadership (decision making, interpersonal relationships, self regard, etc.). This provides a foundation upon which we can make improvements to shift perception and subsequently our reputations as needed.
Understanding how you're perceived in order to improve your leadership brand and reputation sets a good example for your team, for yourself, and for your organization. With this new perspective and by taking steps towards growth, you'll see results and opportunities open up like advancement in your career, gaining influence, improving company culture or team performance, and more.
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