You’re building your brand today. Right now. Whatever you are doing is in some way contributing to it.
That’s the power and the danger. Because too often people act without a basis for what they are doing and without thinking about what it could lead to.
I see it in the decision to outsource something that turned out to be pretty important to the core of the business after all. In the decision to ignore a customer complaint because you feel like you haven’t done anything wrong. In the well-meaning policy to make things more efficient that completely disempowers people in the company. In the clever marketing campaign that leaves the company scrambling to deliver. In the well-intentioned hashtag run amok.
One of the things that sets great brands apart from the not-so great is their ability to be deliberate and conscious in what they do, how they do it and why they do it across the gamut of their actions and decisions.
I’m not advocating for analysis paralysis. It’s unrealistic to ripple effect every move you make – you’ll get nothing done.
To act short-term and think long-term you need to have a deeply rooted and understood framework of what you care about. Not as a poster on the wall or statement in the strategic plan, but something that’s woven into the fabric of the organisation.
Then, before you know it, second nature kicks in. Every action and decision moves you forward in the direction you want to go. Short-term and long-term are in sync.
Sure the big stuff earns a bit of extra time to stop and check the angles out. But the other day-in day-out stuff flows together confident in the knowledge that everyone is on the same page.
Now your organisation and brand can become stronger and more resilient every day.
See you next week.
Michel is an Independent Brand Analyst dedicated to helping organisations make promises they can keep and keep the promises they make – with a strong, resilient organisation as the result. She also publishes a blog at michelhogan.com. You can follow Michel on Twitter @michelhogan
