Thrive Together In The Age of Disruption
When Does 1 + 1 = 5?
Powerful brand recognition is paramount in the age of commoditization and the never satisfied customer. When the ‘Brand Inside’ (the people) team with the ‘Brand Outside’ (the company) to perpetually deliver upon the ‘Brand Promise’ to create exceptional experiences, the sky is the limit. Both the organization and the individuals that comprise it, position themselves for long term sustained success.
Consider examples of organizations that are consistently praised on both fronts – Southwest Airlines, Apple, Starbucks, Goldman Sachs, Disney, FedEx. In today’s ‘sea of sameness,’ where customers have an abundance of options, a powerful brand is a mighty fortress and a safe haven in turbulent times. These organizations, and the employees that comprise them, all benefit from their powerful brands.
In this symbiotic relationship, individuals reap the benefits that result from being an integral part of an established and respected brand that is admired by consumers. A reward that is not easily amassed on one’s own. Organizations triumph by creating an environment and culture where employees can thrive, grow, innovate and perfect their skills.
In today’s commoditized surplus economy, where customers and employers have more choices than ever, what will it take to ensure your products and services are scintillating and memorable? As an individual, what are you doing to secure your position in the New World of Work? Distinct or extinct – the choice is yours. Strengthen, bolster and enhance your brand to thrive in the New World of Work.
Brand Inside + Brand Outside = Success in The New World of Work
In this New World of Work, we are in a brawl with few rules, where the fast, flexible, and agile will eat and spit out the slow, over-thinking, and complacent. Individuals and organizations will create success by quickly leveraging ideas, talent, distinction and leadership at all levels. That is what will separate top performing individuals and organizations from the laggards. The winning equation is the result of Brand Inside + Brand Outside.
A co-dependency between the organization and the employees that deliver the ‘Brand Promise’ must be nurtured and cultivated. The relationship must be mutually rewarding.
In one sense, your culture is your brand. It is the way your organization is perceived. Ideally, an organizations culture is strongly aligned with the brand promise. Your culture is a manifestation of the way your employees think and behave – the experiences they create.
Cultivate and Nourish Your Culture – It is Your Brand
Your ‘brand’ – the way you, your team or organization is perceived, is a result of the experiences your employees create for your customers and clients (internally as well). Your employees think and act the way they do for a variety of reasons. One of the main drivers is the manner in which they are led, as well as the experiences leadership creates and allows.
Think about the business results you must achieve in the future. If the majority of your employees continue to think, act and behave in the manner they do today, will you achieve those results? What shifts are needed in the way your employees currently think and act that would accelerate change and thrust you toward your desired results?
Are the experiences that are being created for your employees, your customers and the public reinforcing your stated, or desired brand?
Consider this, if your employees continue to think and act the way they think and act today, can you expect to achieve tougher desired results in the future? Is that not the definition of insanity?
Distinct Brand – Essential in a Sea of Sameness
Customers and clients (external and internal) have an abundance of choices today. What draws customers to your team or organization? When they do choose you, do they stick with you? Exceptional service and high quality products are the price of entry today. In today’s ‘commoditized economy’, where customers have a sea of options from which to choose, the winners will be the teams, organizations and individuals that create memorable experiences that differentiate them from the competition.
Experiences create loyalty, and are as distinct from service as services are from goods.
- Is your organization (culture) clearly distinct from your competition?
- What makes you different?
- Have you developed a customer base that would never dream of not doing business with you?
- Do your employees ‘think and act’ in a manner that is speeding you toward you ‘must-achieve desired results’ and bolstering your brand promise?
Is your organization’s stated culture congruent with the actual culture—the culture that your customers and employees experience?
The espoused culture may not be the true reality. This stated culture, and the leaders that have declared it, can lose credibility with the organization and customers when people see a stark difference between the ‘leader-speak’ and the reality that they experience on a day-to-day basis. The ‘brand-inside’ must be congruent with the ‘brand-outside.’ When they are not, the result is a hollow brand.
Either you will lead your culture and your brand, or it will lead you. The choice is yours.
Watch Mike Evans With Clients Here: https://vimeo.com/315167685
About the Author/Speaker:
Mike Evans is an award-winning author/speaker and has developed a unique perspective from 20+ years of working alongside a star studded list of world-renowned thought leaders, including: Dr. John Kotter, Dr. Stephen Covey, Tom Peters, Jim Kouzes, Hyrum Smith, Steve Farber and Chris McChesney. Mike served in executive leadership and consulting roles with Kotter International, FranklinCovey, and Tom Peters Company.
In addition to being a leading authority on Unleashing Personal and Organizational Accountability, clients rely upon Mike’s solutions to; Accelerate Change, Shape Their Optimal Culture, Flawlessly Execute Key Strategies, Ignite Leadership Capacity at all Levels, Amplify Employee Engagement, Thrive and Excel in the Age of Disruption, Embrace The Role of CEO of Your Life, Career and Destiny, and Cultivate Peak Performance.
31 of Fortune 50 are clients. Mike works with organizations around the globe and in virtually every arena, from the tech sector to financial services, manufacturing, health care, hospitality, entertainment, retail, and the US Government. Clients include: Intel, Capital One, Apple, Caterpillar, PNC Bank, Cargill, Pfizer, General Mills, H&R Block, The United States Navy, John Deere, Fidelity Investments, Monsanto, Google, US Steel, Rite Aid, Agilent Technologies, Johnson & Johnson, Symantec, Cigna Corporation, ITPA, US Department of Commerce, BNY Mellon, Oracle, Astra Zeneca, Baxter International Inc., Shell Oil, UPMC, Citrus Valley Health, McAfee, American Airlines, Masonite, Novartis, Ernst & Young, ACE Hardware, DuPont USA, Quest Diagnostics, State Farm, BP Oil, Heinz USA, NAFCU, and NASA.
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