How To Build Your Personal Leadership Brand
You've probably heard that you need to "build your personal leadership brand" before, but what does that ACTUALLY mean, and why does it matter?
It’s a typical boss conundrum.
There's a member of your team whose behaviour needs…tweaking. You’ve decided the subject matter is sufficiently important to warrant a conversation.
But you’re dreading it.
You want the problem to go away without any (further) drama. You want to avoid offending the person. And you don’t want to get a reputation as a _____ (you can pick your own adjective here).
The reality is that this type of dilemma – the “how honest and direct can I ACTUALLY be?” conundrum – is one that plagues bosses and leaders all the time. It forms the basis of many of my coaching conversations with my clients.
And my answer to that question always comes back to one concept – their ideal self, their goals and objectives, their North Star – which is all encompassed into their personal leadership brand.
What Is a Personal Leadership Brand?
Building your personal leadership brand goes deeper than crafting a polished LinkedIn bio or practicing your power pose in the mirror.
It's about who you are as a leader when the going gets tough.
When your star employee is having a meltdown in your office. When you have to deliver bad news to your team. When you need to have that awkward - but necessary - conversation. It's the core values and leadership style that guide how you show up every single day.
90% of HR leaders believe that in order to thrive in the modern workplace, leaders need to prioritize the human elements of leadership.
It's interesting to see these statistics because we're living in an era where the robots are taking over (in a good way). Yes, I'm talking about AI!
According to Harvard, 50% of leadership training programs target implementing automation/robotic-based projects as one of their primary goals.
But while AI is busy crunching numbers and automating workflows, the truly irreplaceable stuff - like having difficult conversations, building trust, and inspiring your team - that's on YOU. And these leadership skills are now more important than EVER.
Because the machines can handle the data, but they can't handle the human drama.
They can't read the room during a tense meeting or sense when someone's "I'm fine" actually means "I'm about to lose it." THAT kind of nuanced emotional intelligence can become your superpower, and it's all a part of a strong leadership brand.
Why Have a Leadership Brand? The Importance of Personal Branding for Executives
Leadership, like branding, aims to influence. Whether you’re influencing someone to buy a product or service or fall in line behind a team goal, it becomes much, much easier if the person finds some kind of alignment with your personal brand.
Likewise, when trying to have honest conversations about behaviour to be improved, information can be digested and accepted with far less emotional BS if the other person inherently understands (and is cool with) your motivations.
If you’re not clear about your own goals, objectives, and the type of boss/leader/person you want to be, then other people are way more likely to jump to their own (maybe undesirable) conclusions about you.
Have you ever had a boss who was work-shy? Who had no idea what they were doing? Who had zero appreciation for the effort you and their other direct reports put into your jobs?
I’d bet that’s not how they perceived themselves. Regardless, I’d also bet that you probably weren’t as engaged in your work as you might have been if you had more respect for your boss.
And it would have been a lot easier for you to do that if your boss had been more intentional about clarifying and communicating their personal brand. This is why YOUR leadership brand matters, too.
How to Build Your Personal Leadership Brand: 5 Tips
1. Clarify Your Identity
Let's start with the uncomfortable stuff - looking in the mirror. Not literally, but taking a good hard look at who you actually are as a leader right now.
What are you good at? What drives you nuts? What are your non-negotiables? And most importantly, what kind of leader do you want to be known as?
I'm not telling you to create some fantasy version of yourself that looks great on paper but falls apart the minute things get real.
True leadership development starts with understanding your authentic self - strengths and weaknesses - then figuring out how to leverage that into an effective leadership approach.
To succeed, senior leaders must master the art of self-reflection and self-awareness.
2. Write Your Leadership Brand Statement
Think of this as your leadership mission statement, but way less corporate and way more you. It should NOT be something like "synergistically leveraging cross-functional partnerships to optimize stakeholder value" because...well, what does that even MEAN?
Instead, try something like: "I build high-performing teams by being ruthlessly honest but unfailingly kind" or "I create spaces where people feel safe enough to take big risks."
Your statement should be short enough to remember but meaningful enough to guide your actions.
3. Take a Hard Look at Your Online Presence
Your online presence is out there 24/7, telling a story about who you are. People talk, so it's very important that your digital presence matches your leadership brand and career goals.
Google yourself. Check your LinkedIn, Twitter, and that old blog from 2012 you forgot about. What story are they telling? Is it aligned with who you are as a leader now?
You don't need to sanitize your online presence until you're about as interesting as a piece of dry toast. You just need to be intentional about the things that you do and don't share while still staying authentic and human.
Social media got out of hand? Learn how to fix your reputation after a scandal.
4. Stop Running Away From Conflict
Let me be blunt: if you're avoiding conflict, you're avoiding true leadership.
Those awkward conversations you've been putting off? They're not going away. That team member who's always "just five minutes late" to meetings? That behavior isn't magically going to change without your intervention.
Conflict isn't toxic; it's just often handled poorly. Good conflict pushes ideas forward, challenges assumptions, and makes everyone better. Your job isn't to prevent conflict. It's to use it productively.
As an Executive Conflict Coach, I tell this to my clients all the time!
5. Ask for Help
Strong leaders know that they don't have all the answers. Getting an outside perspective from a mentor, a coach, or even other leaders at your organization is essential for growth, so find someone who can call you on your BS and push you to be better.
Learn more about 1:1 coaching with me if you want to build a strong leadership brand, grow your influence, and enhance your reputation.
FAQs
What Is Personal Style in Leadership?
Your personal leadership style emerges from your natural way of handling situations, motivating teams, and tackling challenges.
For example, some leaders are inspiring visionaries who energize people around big ideas. Other leaders are good at being analytical and breaking down complex paths into clear, actionable steps. You need to leverage your inherent strengths and personality traits to lead effectively, so don't try to copy someone else's approach.
How to Write a Personal Leadership Statement?
A powerful leadership statement captures your core values and intended impact in 1-2 clear sentences. Skip the vague corporate speak (ex: "passionate about fostering innovation" means nothing), and get specific.
For example, "I help anxious teams navigate chaos while staying focused on key results." Make it real, actionable, and, most importantly, make it something you'll actually deliver on.
How Do I Brand Myself as a Leader?
Strong leadership branding starts with ruthless clarity about your values and leadership approach. Once you're clear about who you are at work and what you stand for, demonstrate your leadership approach through deliberate action, such as speaking up in meetings and finally having that difficult conversation you've been pushing to the back of your to-do list. Maintain alignment between your words and actions! If you champion work-life balance, sending emails at 3 AM will destroy your credibility.
How Do You Brand Yourself as a CEO?
As a CEO, your personal brand needs to be precise. Build your reputation around a specific strength (ex, transforming struggling companies, pioneering new technologies, creating remarkably inclusive cultures, etc.). Lead with thought leadership that adds real value, and make sure there's alignment between your stated principles and your daily actions.
Your Reputation Matters, So Let's Build a Personal Leadership Brand That Commands Attention!
A strong leadership brand transforms you from just another boss into a leader people genuinely want to follow. You can make it your competitive advantage in tough conversations, team inspiration, and career advancement.
Learn more about my 1:1 coaching and The SUM Ascend, my group leadership program, to build your personal leadership brand and go from ambitious to unstoppable.
