In your work life, how are you perceived and how do you want to be remembered when you move on? For those who are already leaders, or on a journey to become leaders, it isn’t always top of the list to focus on personal attributes and how we portray ourselves.

Here are a few snippets about leaders from their Wikipedia entries, can you guess who they are:

1. During his presidency, he was widely seen by critics as an inactive, uninspiring, golf-playing president.
2. [She] rarely gives interviews, little is known of her personal feelings… she has not expressed her own political opinions in a public forum.
3. He is portrayed as the founding father of democracy… one of the most revered figures of our time
4. [He] has frequently made false statements in public speeches and remarks. He uses Twitter as a direct means of communication with the public, side-lining the press. During his first year in office 34 percent of his original staff had resigned, been fired, or been reassigned.

They are Eisenhower, The Queen, Nelson Mandela and President Trump (I imagine most of you guessed the last one!) Research any of them and you will find conflicting views but for each there are strong trends in how they are portrayed.

Leaders are more visible than ever nowadays whether they are in the public arena or the commercial world. The result is that those who really understand who they are, their personal strengths and how to ensure they present the best of themselves in any situation are more likely to achieve their goals. 

But it isn’t easy, there is a whole lot of science and public relations theory that sits behind building a brand which brings success. How you speak, dress, your body language and how project your image is something you should consider if you have never done so before. Most organisations have been focussing for years on their productivity goals, people strategy, sustainability and other well-trodden measures but in recent times the need to have a leadership brand has become a more prevalent and tangible asset to businesses. Invest in your brand and you will see how you can make a real difference, not just to your career, but to the work lives of those you lead.

For the first time MAKE UK is able to offer a contemporary programme which provides delegates with an end to end brand make-over. This innovative and exciting three day programme will transform how you think about yourself in your business. To find out more visit https://www.makeuk.org/Training/all-training-courses/Building-your-brand-of-leadership