Does Your Talent Performance =Your Brand Promise?

Companies are looking for talent at the same time people are being intentional about identifying their own talents.

It doesn't seem like much of a stretch to match the two. But there's a subliminal factor that influences all of this and on which corporate and individual success rely: It's. . .

The Promise

I was on the phone this weekend with branding guru Mike Wagner of Own Your Brand. Mike specializes in working with organizations who want to do just that--but with an added element. He's intense when it comes to emphasizing the importance of living the brand in every nook and cranny of a business: keeping the "Brand Promise."

We were talking about the fact that that HR groups are high-profile representatives of "the brand." They're often the first point of contact for recruits. If there is a war for talent, "living out the promise of the brand" can determine victory or defeat.

Doesn't the same hold true for "the talent?" It's one thing to be talented, passionate, and purposeful; it's another to consistently live out the promise of your personal brand.

Alltop: Living the Promise

No sooner had Mike and I finished our conversation than I had a chance to experience a promise lived.

I mentioned our new placement on Alltop in the last post. Here's why it was notable:

1. There's a certain etiquette--and mutual relationship--in most web publisher/aggregator link-ups. Alltop was short and sweet about what to do and how to do it.

2. I did what they asked in the way that they suggested.

3. I think All Things Workplace showed up on the site in a matter of minutes, not even hours or days.

4. The kicker: An email exchange initiated by Alltop principal Guy Kawasaki. I'm not tossing Guy around for name-dropping purposes. I'm mentioning it because he totally "lived the promise" of the Alltop brand, and then some. Honestly, I sort of figured that this was a start-up that Guy was involved with and excited about, but just one of many businesses with which he's involved. That he took time to connect tells me he is involved and excited. And, that I probably made a good move with Alltop.

Two thoughts for today:

• Is your company scoring top-notch talent because everyone lives out the promise of its brand?

• Is your personal brand intact because you are delivering on the promise of your talent?
  

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Comments

[Jochen]

I totally aggree. But I would take it personally: Be your own brand also means, never promise more than you can achieve. It is one of the most broken rules in business - especially from those with a big mouth. But all you produce by that habbit is brand disappointment and a bad image.

[Jo]

Our brand is what we live? And sometimes confusion is our brand?

[Steve Roesler]

Morgen, Jochen,

When you say "take it personally," I think that is exactly the underlying point! Personal "brand integrity" is what allows you to have your talent sought after and used.

Just like any company, the image can be tarnished by promises not kept.

Thanks, Jochen. . .

[Steve Roesler]

Hi, Jo,

That's a really funny line that also contains a lot of truth. When we aren't clear about who we are and what we can offer to our employer or clients, how can we expect them to be clear about any value we might offer?!

[Jim Stroup]

Hello Steve,

The connection of these two points - the intersection of organizational and personal brands - deserves more thinking, more study. There was talk some years ago of people viewing job interviews as though they - not the company - were making the hiring decision, an idea that I think is as valuable for the company as for the individual.

I hope we see more on this during the week!

And by the way: congratulations, slacker!

[Steve Roesler]

Hi there, Jim,

Hmm...I have a feeling I better see what David is up to. Just logged on a little while ago and am headed to the computer repair shop--the hard drive is making the kind of sounds that can only mean one thing!

This role reversal is a fascinating dynamic. I confess, having started off my career in an "old school" way, it makes me think harder. I "get it", I like it, but it's not an automatic fit for my synapses:-)

What I really like--and I think what you are alluding to, Jim--is the idea that a company needs to have its act together in many ways because its being held accountable by the people who will be running it. Can't go wrong there, eh?

Let's see where this leads. The more we start delving into that intersection you mentioned, the more interesting it gets.

[Dan Schawbel]

To me, alltop is only good for discovering influencer's. I would never revisit the site after subscribing to those that I enjoy.

Think about it, if I already get your RSS feed, why would I go to yet another website to view your last 5 posts?

What do you think?

[Mike Wagner]

Steve, thanks for expanding on our wonderful conversation Saturday!

Jo's comment reminded me of what one of my professor's use to tell us: "you're not ready to learn till you are sufficiently confused." Promise confusion...deliver a ready learner? Sounds like consulting to me....grin.

Jim's comment on the intersection of organizational and personal brands is a very strategic conversation. When I was at Saturn every employee was taught the importance of aligning Saturn's corporate brand with that of their individual brands. In those early years all we had was our Brand Promise and our determination to keep those promises one customer contact at a time.

At the end of the day, you can't give what you don't have.

Keep creating...a compelling conversation,
Mike

[Steve Roesler]

Hi, Dan,

For folks like us who are constantly online and are comfortable with all of the feed and networking "technology," you are no doubt right on the money.

As strange as it sounds to us, the majority of people on the web are still "surfers" who aren't into the "online" lifestyle. A lot of them would bookmark Alltop vs. subscribing to a feed. Really. I can't even get a lot of my 40 year- old clients to latch onto blogs as a source of up-to-date business info.

So yeah, I hear what you are saying. I think we're living in a bubble, although a popular and enjoyable one.

Thanks, Dan. . .

[Steve Roesler]

Mike,

This discussion is a perfect example of the usefulness and power of blogs. Our phone conversation--combined with the Guy Kawasaki experience--really just sparked what was a casual thought and I decided to weave it into this week's theme. Yet the truth that underlies the importance of "promise" has caused a genuine conversation to take place among people who I really respect here.

Thanks for the idea and the encouragement. . .

[David Sandusky]

All-top must work the same way RSS feeds do on Your Brand Forums @ www.PersonalBoardofAdvisors.com. People like to have the selected organized feeds per category.

By the way, I enjoyed the post - reads so well without the "ing" in brand.

[Steve Roesler]

Hello, David,

Thanks for the heads up re: Your Brand Forums; now I will have one more place to spend some time:-)

Glad you enjoyed the post and I am thankful that you noticed the lack of "ing". That was, in fact, intentional. Maybe it goes back to grad school days when we got zinged for anything that took the punch out of one's communication. "Ing-ing" is one of those cardinal sins; we could talk about the underlying reasons, but you get it. So I appreciate it!

[Jo]

I had a quick look at Alltop. It's a little blunt for my edgy interests.

I use Pageflake which I can adjust easily to what is going on. And I add to it. At the minute I have a Pagecast so I can see at a glance what the news and blogging service is saying about the election in Zim, I have BBC Worldservice streaming audio, I have SWRadioAfrica, the independent Zim radin that beams from London, on minimize, and I have the BBC ticker running across the top of my screen.

And for a smile, here is an aspirational brand.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/indeliblegrace/2042050205/in/pool-zimbabwe/

[Steve Roesler]

Jo,

I know a lot of folks seem to like Pageflakes, based on the stats that I see behind the scenes. Now that you've shared how you use it I've got to go have a look.

Dan Schawbel weighed in and his take is legit as well.

I think maybe you touched on part of the issue when you used the phrase "edgy interests." We'll see how Alltop decides to grow.

As I mentioned to Dan, there are a lot of people out there who simply want straightforward choices and easy access; they aren't even into RSS. A lot of the things that we do as a matter of course is still more than the majority of people care to mess with.

Now I've got to go check out your suggestion. . .