Leadership Thoughts 102

Anyone that has worked with me, knows this to be true! 
Some people haven't understood this in the past and it's caused rifts, because they felt, "If you already know what you want, why are you asking me/us?" But Colin Powell phrases it perfectly... I expect team members to challenge my notion; to try and come up with something better and even to try suggest (should that actually be the case) why we are going in the wrong direction/not considering the important things etc. But know that, for me to propose an idea, I also have a reason and will push to make you see why I think it can work. Any leader that doesn't have an opinion is not serving in humility, but, rather, is akin to the doormat that didn't speak up to be cleaned. After a while, it became unbearable and was replaced.

Side note: I actually try to listen to ideas and always ensure that the 'best' idea wins. Regardless of whether it was my idea or not.

No good leader likes a "Yes, Yes" person. With so few people to trust, you find that you become valued member of any team when you (wisely) present the different opinion the team are failing to see—no matter how painful it is. Any good leader, will ensure that his team is full of diverse people... Once that team of diverse can agree on a singular direction, you're half way there. Infact, I go so far as to say: the success of any particular vision is dependent on the diversity in opinion/view point of any leadership team.

Leadership Thoughts 101

Just some Wednesday Wisdom to take on through today.
Most people will see this (that is, see Leadership), and skip thinking, "This isn't for me. I'm not a leader." 

What if you adhered to the notion that leadership can also be a form of service to an area of gifting? I believe every single person has a gift; at least one area each individual is specially graced in. Your inability to recognise your role in leadership, is as a result of your inability to discover your area(s) of gifting.

Meditate on this 🙏🏼

Faith

Imagine being approached by some scientists to participate in a quick, non invasive experiment that will be financially rewarding (given that you correctly answer their questions).

You agree and so are placed in a large, but poorly lit room that is filled with different items. The objective is then explained: To find your way to the other door (on the other side of the room). They also explain that should you choose to only walk straight, you will not encounter any obstacles-better still, the straight path has some luminous footprints on the floor that can be easily followed to ensure that you don't jeer off course.

You decide to take the path you can see and eventually get to the end and exit the room. You are then asked to fill in a quick survey on your experience, so you can claim your reward. As you glance at the questions, you realise that they all relate to the items which you couldn't see but were apparently present.

The scientists thank you for participating but remind you about the conditions that would enable you win the cash prize... unfortunately, you have not qualified. Is that fair?

Memorisable Writing

Once upon a time, I was able to receive, retain and recall information by ear and off by heart. Now, seasoned with thyme, marinated, and more mature, I have come to appreciate the wisdom associated with writing down.

You get to a stage when the intricacies of your dealings, greater influence the success of the bigger picture, so, "I forgot", can no longer be used as an excuse. 

No matter how good your brain is, I encourage you to write down for two major reasons:

 1.) Just incase you actually forget something. It acts as your insurance. It also allows you to free your mind to be able to focus on other things...In trying to remember certain pieces of information, our short term memory can become ineffective to taking anything else on at that particular moment.

2.) For the eventuality that someone else needs to follow the same instructions. It's then available, to be followed at their convenience. Infact, it's one of the reasons people write books. It enables the writer (information source) to serve many at the same time. 

So, even if you have a good memory (tending towards photographic), you write down because of the people you've been called to serve; the people that weren't present but will require the information nonetheless, and the people that will ask the same questions over time... You can refer them to the piece of writing that answers the question and saves time. 

Once upon a time is NOW. Now, you must cultivate the habit of writing because, there is good sense in it. 

Brand Stifling

Whilst deliberating on content to post, I decided to touch on the concept of brand stifling, and how many brand owners are limiting their brand’s growth and reach because of it.

For the purpose of this write up;

• A brand owner can be: the founder, CEO, any member of the marketing team, an organisational body, an institution or any group of individuals tasked with ‘protecting’ and maintaining a brand’s core identity and values.

 • A brand user is anyone that is able to enjoy, utilise or interact with a brand (good or service).

Due to the unusual angle that I approach this topic from, it is good to understand or agree on a definition of the root word 'stifle'. According to Google, to stifle is to, 1.) make (someone) unable to breathe properly; suffocate. or 2.) restrain (a reaction) or stop oneself acting on (an emotion).

Applying these definitions to a brand, we can agree that stifling occurs when brand owners are 'too jealous' of their good or service (especially noticeable in their attempt to micro-manage every expression of their brand's identity), that they don't allow free organic interpretation by brand users/participants, they are said to be brand stifling.

However, on the other hand, when brands choose not to be as ‘intentional’ and allow all brand users to freely ‘reproduce’ their goods and or service(s) as they perceive it, they run the risk of being portrayed wrongly; the essence of their brand’s core message misplaced.

How then do brand owners combat the issues associated with both approaches?

 

1.) Brand owners must ensure that at the core, their brand content, delivery and approach, is cohesive at as many touch points as possible. The idea being that, no matter how much brand users ‘distort' the original message, core values and brand identity, it will be clear for all to see that ‘that’ is the exception and not the norm.

2.) Brand owners should make standard brand guidelines more readily accessible-via their website for example. Taking such a step helps the brand users know their parameters. An example would be to explicitly state that the logo should always be pink and white. "Don’t complain that cars aren’t stopping, if you forget to put traffic lights at the junction.” - Joshua Komolafe

3.) Brand owners should accept that their ‘strong’ brand is being ‘marketed’ free of charge and involuntarily. Despite the revolutionary advancements in the marketing industry, word of mouth still proves to be one of the best and most effective ways of gaining and increasing a more loyal target audience. When someone other than the brand owner publicises a good or service, it appears more authentic (especially when it actually is), and causes those around them to enquire about the brand further.

Going back to the first point, if your brand is strong in itself, as enquiries are made (via the website, social media, print, face to face with staff etc.), the essence of the brand’s core message will be received, regardless of how ‘badly’ it was initially portrayed by someone else. Which, thankfully, returns the initiative back to the brand owner.

4.) Brand owners must sadly also accept, that, no matter how strong the brand is, some brand users will never fully understand to then portray your brand as you would like (exactly). The earlier this notion is accepted, the happier brand owners can and will be. This is not to say that brand owners should sit by and accept a complete misrepresentation of their brand; on the contrary, I believe that brand owners should fight for what they believe in, as much as they believe in it, for as long as they believe in it. That said, there is also wisdom in discerning when to pursue and when to “let it be”.

When I founded JFConsult Group ( The performance improvement brand education consultancy which I currently run), several brand users would often mispronounce the name; mistakenly mixing it up with my surname or adding and removing letters as it made sense to them. Initially, I would get annoyed as I corrected people but over time, I realised, “...Yes, I must continue to correct and inform as many people as I can…”, however, it should be done out of love and from a place of understanding i.e. Accepting that not everyone will fully embrace or understand, to then replicate the brand as you passionately intend them to.

5.) Taking that point a step further, brand owners must take responsibility to educate and train as many as possible, on the vision, direction and brand identity of the good or service they find themselves to be custodians over. We have reached an age where complete control over the manner in which your brand is perceived is no longer possible. In the piece of the opinion pie, now, everyone has a slice. Disregard ‘them’ at your peril.

To conclude, the best approach will involve a mixture of strategies by brand owners, depending on their industry and end goal. No one size fits all, but, we all have shoes to wear. Find your shoe, wear it and take care of it.

It is impossible to completely manage every expression of your brand. Instead, be ready for it to go through the fire and the water… Will your brand still survive?