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| Be Savvy About Your Future | 6.22.2010 |
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Greetings!
When I was general manager of a radio station here in Colorado Springs, we ran a spot for a local commercial painter saying he won the "painter Olympics". He was a house painter and it sounded good to him. However, it did not sound so good to the general council of the United States Olympic Committee. The USOC attorney happened to be a faithful listener and he was not pleased with our use of their brand.
After assuring the attorney that we would cease and desist, I made a mental note of this powerful lesson in defending your brand. Did you know that Xerox, Kleenex, Clorox, etc all have to mount a defense whenever they hear or see their brand infringed upon. The courts want to see active defense of the brand in order to uphold it.
So what's your brand and are you defending it vigorously?
Hip hop clothier, Daymond John of FUBU says that "you're a brand the day you are born. And your actions become the brand you are. And whether you're a famous rapper, an actor, or someone with a desk job, brand matters."
If I were to interview your friends and coworkers, how would they describe you? What are you known for...being trustworthy, having the answers, working hard...being contrary, being a loner? Check out how you are being perceived and if that's what you want, go for it!
If it's not the brand you want, you can change it...but it will take a product redesign (rethinking and practicing new behaviors) and a real marketing campaign to reinvent your brand. If you want to know what your "brand" is, check out the 360 assessment tools and coaching options at www.successsavvy.com .
Hope you enjoy the classic article below by Tom Peters who coined the term, personal brand, and the tribute to the late John Wooden whose personal brand was "winning with integrity."
Here's to your success, Linda Linda Tiernan Sommer, MBA |
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The Brand Called You
 By Tom Peters, August 1997
Big companies understand the importance of brands. Today, in the Age of the Individual, you have to be your own brand. Here's what it takes to be the CEO of Me Inc. Read more. |
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Personal Branding 101: How to Discover and Create Your Brand
By Dan Schawbel In the past few years personal branding has been discussed exhaustively throughout the Net. The difference between today and over ten years ago when it was first mentioned by Tom Peters, is the rise of social technologies that have made branding not only more personal, but within reach. Read more. |
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The Leadership of John Wooden
By Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D.  The late John Wooden was more than just a great basketball coach -- he was a superb example of leadership in action, writes Dr. Ronald E. Riggio. His humility, transparency and genuine love for his student athletes made him a model for all leaders, Riggio adds. "Coach John Wooden epitomized the very best leadership -- in and out of sports," he writes. Read more. |
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Step It Up Check out my new book and CD, Step It Up: An Insider's Guide to Career Development at stepitupcareerdevelopment.com.
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 L I N D A S O M M E R, M B A With a background in clinical psychology and management, Linda Sommer has over thirty years of international management and leadership consulting for large corporations, federal governments, municipal governments, and entrepreneurial businesses. Linda has an Master's in Business Administration in Leadership and Human Resource Management plus postgraduate certifications in Executive Development and Executive Coaching. She is currently President of Success Savvy LLC.
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