What kind of leader are you?
You're not alone if you do not have a clear, concise, and thoughtful answer to this question. While many leaders have an elevator pitch ready for what their company does or what they’re working on, when asked about their leadership, they’re left at a loss.
To help you be prepared to communicate who you are as a leader, here is a list of 175 leadership brand words. It contains powerful leadership qualities and attributes to incorporate into your leadership brand and statement. In addition, we’ve included a definition of a leadership brand, why it is important to build your knowledge, and a step-by-step template to incorporate your leadership brand words into a leadership brand statement.
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A leadership brand, much like a company’s brand, is the unique and distinctive qualities and characteristics that define your leadership style and approach. It is comprised of your reputation, your interactions, and your experiences with others. It’s the sum total of your behaviors - how you act, look, interact, think, and speak at work. It comes through in your energy, your attitude, and your words. Think of your leadership brand as what people would say about you when you leave a room.
Why Is a Leadership Brand Important?
Your leadership brand can propel you forward or hold you back as a leader, as it is the combination of your reputation, interactions, and experiences with others. Therefore, if you’re not intentionally curating who you are, what you value, and what your identity as a leader is, you are leaving your leadership effectiveness up to chance.
Every leader has a leadership brand today, whether they know it or not. It is your unique signature as a leader. When you thoughtfully define your values, qualities, and leadership style, it acts as a compass to provide clarity and consistency in your leadership. It clarifies what team members, colleagues, and stakeholders can expect from you, making it a powerful tool for effective leadership.
Leadership Brand Words
Being intentional about defining and crafting your leadership brand starts with understanding where you are today. What words would your team members, colleagues, customers, and stakeholders use to describe you? What words would you want to remove? What words would you like to keep? What words would you add?
Use this list of 175 words to evaluate your leadership brand today and the qualities and attributes you want your leadership brand to be tomorrow.
Next Steps: Building a Leadership Brand Template
Now that you’ve evaluated the words to describe your leadership brand today and how you want people to define your brand of leadership in the future, it’s time to put it all together. Using our four-step leadership brand template, you’ll be guided through creating a compelling leadership brand that authentically represents your leadership brand.