Pause a moment. When you think of Apple, what comes to mind? How about Samsung, IBM or even Rolex? Whatever comes to mind represents the brand which you perceive them to have.
While everyone may have different experiences of these companies, there will also be a huge amount of consistency between individuals’ perceptions. To the organisation concerned, these common impressions represent the brand they have succeeded in creating. They invest huge sums of money to get this right.
When people in your organisation think about your team, what thoughts come into their minds? The common impressions they have as a population represent the brand you and your team have created. Your brand impression may be positive or negative (just like for big companies) depending on the common experiences people have when they interact with your team. If there isn’t much commonality it means your internal market is confused and your team has failed to make a distinct impression.
A strong positive brand will help you to get things done more effectively because it establishes expectations and enhances trust. For instance, if your team has a reputation for cutting through bureaucracy people will look forward to their pragmatic approach. They will expect your team to show consideration and understanding. Trust will thrive and your team will find their job of influencing much easier.
Alternatively, if your team is known for being fastidious about processes and procedures, people will engage with them expecting to fight for common sense. In this case, no matter how pragmatic your team is, people will be looking round corners and waiting for the catch. Your team will find their job of influence much more difficult.
Your team brand is the sum total of other’s’ experiences when interacting with them. This means that it is not only what your team actually does or delivers, it is also the manner in which they do it. Delivering a project on time is vital to establish reliability, but there is a world of difference between doing it grudgingly and enthusing at every turn. Add excitement, passion and zest to the mix and you get a different impression again.
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If you want your team to create a stronger impression in your organisation, you need to deploy a two stage process. The first stage requires that you delve into the current state and your longer term objectives:
- Clarify Team Purpose. It doesn’t take long for the objectives to become confused. Pause a moment and clarify exactly what it is your team is there to achieve.
- Consider Self-Perception. What impression do you think you and your team are creating among other groups or teams in the organisation?
- Investigate Brand Awareness. Go on, ask them. Reach out to the people you interact with and ask them in a neutral way. Make sure you motivate them to engage with your learning and ensure you don’t react defensively — this part of the process should be 100% listening and learning.
- Analyse Findings. Draw together your purpose, self-perception and what others think of your team. What conclusions can you draw? What gaps are there?
- Translate into Benefits. For each major client/customer/work group your team interacts with, convert your team purpose into their language — what does your success help them to achieve?
The second stage of the process is all about what you do with this analysis and thinking, and how you translate this into practice and gain the value of a stronger team brand. It involves seven further steps that you need to take your team through together.
The Team Brand Development Process
Colin Gautrey
Provocative Coach/Mentor | Specialism: Impact and Influence
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