What are some of the common pitfalls to avoid when building your personal brand as a leader?

It’s in the eye of the beholder… I worked for a company that defined leaders as those who had developed followership (brilliant!). I learned a lot (some of it painfully, some of it joyfully) including that leadership is not a title or a role. A leader is defined in relationship to others. Similarly, your personal brand is defined by the experiences you create for, and with, others. Maya Angelou described it beautifully: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Inconsistency can be a major pitfall for leaders when building their personal brand. A strong brand is built on trust, reliability, and authenticity. When leaders are inconsistent in their actions, behaviors, or messaging, it erodes trust and confuses their followers. Consistency breeds credibility and fosters a sense of dependability. Leaders must strive for alignment between their words and actions, maintain consistent values, and uphold their brand promises. By doing so, they establish a solid foundation for their personal brand, inspiring confidence and loyalty among their stakeholders. Avoiding inconsistency is key to building a strong and enduring personal brand.

When leaders don’t walk their talk it’s often easy to tell. Remember, as a leader that you are ALWAYS on stage whether you realize it or not. People, especially your direct reports, are watching you and seeing your inconsistencies. If you kiss up and kick down you might think you’re fooling people but I guarantee you that people see your true colors. Be consistently YOU, regardless of the folks you’re interacting with — whether they’re a waitstaff, a janitor, a manager, or an executive.

Consistency is important in developing a strong personal brand. So is sustainability. I see a lot of leaders start out strong, but at an unsustainable pace when trying to build a personal brand. So, rather than set yourself up for burnout and potential damage to your credibility, start off with an easily attainable goal. When you build up your level of comfort and proficiency then increase the level at which you are actively building your brand. For example, that could look like committing to posting once a week on linkedin and working your way up to posting everyday. It could also look like building in extra time when your VP asks you how long you need to complete a task. That way, you're building your brand in a healthy way for you.

Being consistent is difficult. The daily aspect of life gets in the way. There are two lessons I've learned here. 1. Build habits. Repeat the same tasks and the same time of day, each day until it becomes a habit like brushing your teeth. In the early days for me, this was simply to publish a Linkedin article every morning. I couldn't keep it up 100% of the time but even today its a habit I try to keep to. 2. Create a heartbeat in your planning. At Scottish Business Network this became a London event on the third Tuesday of every month. We did this for three years and the results were extraordinary. And of course, don't ever, ever, ever give up :)

As a leader it sometimes can be natural to want to be liked by others. But sometimes you have to make decisions that make make others not like you, and you have to be okay with that. It's important to remember that "clear is kind"

An example I have seen from great leadership is the willingness to share an unpopular opinion or go against the grain. Often times, once a brave leader speaks out with a unique and different perspective that won’t please everyone, others start to see the value of their ideas. Also one of the greatest contributors to a feeling of burn out comes from trying to please and satisfy everyone. It’s an important watch out.

Attempting to please everyone is a dead end for leaders building their personal brand. When leaders dilute their identity and values to appease everyone, they lose authenticity and clarity of purpose. Building a strong brand requires a clear focus and the ability to resonate with a specific audience. Leaders must define their unique value proposition, stay true to their beliefs, and attract like-minded individuals. By embracing their authentic selves and standing firm in their convictions, leaders cultivate a loyal following and establish a distinct personal brand. It's better to be genuine and connect deeply with the right people than to chase universal approval.

As my coach says: “You won’t please everyone. You are not pizza”. The key is to listen, digest and the act decisively and quickly.

Constructive conflict is very healthy! Leaders who avoid conflict and criticism also miss out on innovative ideas and opportunities for improvement. Aim for strong opinions, loosely held, and actively seek out more information. It's impossible to please everyone, but your reasoning should be sound, aligned with your values, and open to modification and iteration based on new facts.

Give credit where credit is due. I believe the higher you go in an organisation, the less it is about you and the more it is about the amazing team you have surrounding you because it’s very likely you wouldn’t be there without them lifting you up - IMHO

When you try and show up like someone else, you give away the power that makes you - YOU! Also, trying to copy what works for someone else can tend to lead to alot of compare and despair. Instead, a great question to ask is: 1. What 3 words do I want people to use to describe me? 2. What do I do better than anyone else? Where can I apply this skill right now? 3. What unique value proposition do I bring this organization? How am I using this in action?

While it is good to learn from others, you have to be authentic and be yourself. Self-awareness starts with self-acceptance. The more you know who you are and what is important to you, the more likely you can be an effective leader. "Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

Leaders who copy other leaders are destined to fail. True leadership is not about mimicry or imitation, but about authenticity & originality. Each leader has unique strengths, experiences & perspectives that shape their approach. Copying others erodes individuality and undermines credibility. Successful leaders embrace their own vision, values, and leadership style. They inspire others by being genuine, innovative, and true to themselves. They learn from successful leaders, but adapt those lessons to their own context and strengths. Instead of copying, leaders should focus on honing their authentic leadership skills, cultivating their own brand & making a distinct impact. Don't be a copycat; be an original leader who leaves a lasting legacy

There's no upside to copying the work of others and if you're caught it tarnishes your brand very quickly. Your superpower is that no one else can do you better than you. Remember that.

Leaders who over promise and under deliver are destined to fail. Setting realistic goals and managing expectations effectively is crucial. By aligning promises with capabilities, leaders build trust and reliability. Consistently meeting or exceeding expectations inspires loyalty and respect. Underpromising and overdelivering creates a culture of excellence, fosters loyalty, and ensures long-term success.

I will use my industry as an example. Often things in finance do not move fast. But clients expect quick and accurate results. So, the question is how to balance these realities. ?? 1) Overpromising: Do not commit to a timeline without doing your due diligence first! A simple email or call saying, “Let me review, and I will follow up if I have any questions.” This allows you to research and respond rather than agree before you realize the deliverable will take four weeks rather than four days. 2) Underdelivering: Keep everyone in the loop! When giving status updates, keep those who need to know in the loop. The last thing you’ll want to do is forget to tell the client their request has been delayed. Rather be honest than not say anything.

Here is another thought along this same line of thinking: Overselling yourself and your accomplishments. While it is important to showcase your expertise and accomplishments, it is equally important to do so in a humble and authentic manner. Actually, overselling yourself can come across as arrogant and turn off potential followers or clients.

If you don’t control your brand's narrative, trust me, it’s already being created for you. Whether good or bad, people talk, and if you neglect taking an active part and letting people know who you are, then whatever their perception is of you will be your brand.

"you stop investing time, effort, and resources in developing, maintaining, and improving your personal brand"...Every action you take and interaction you have, creates your "brand". If one worries about one's "brand" only...then we have a miss. "To avoid this, be proactive and intentional about your personal brand management" - I wonder if we could just say, your behavior and intentions matter. Get those in line, and your brand will follow?

Developing your own personal brand is both an internal and external exercise. Internally, it means thinking about what makes you unique and starting with the values, interests and strengths you have that you want to be known for. Externally in that you also should understand how others perceive you as well. Combining both of those elements can help you craft a brand that is unique to you

Step 1 - decide WHAT you want your personal brand to be. Step 2 - work tirelessly to build the brand you decided upon in step 1. If you want to be seen as a compassionate leader - be one If you want to be seen as a leader who can get things done, then get things done. If you want to be seen as a leader who builds and supports a great team, then do that. The world needs all kinds of GREAT leaders. Decide what you want to be, then be consistent in that effort. Don't send mixed messages, it just confuses everyone.

Alignment: your personal brand should always be in alignment with the goals of leadership in specific contexts. This is all the more important when you come to 'occupy' the leadership role of something others created and sustained thus far. It's not about you, but about improving your effectiveness as a leader in specific contexts. Your personal brand is nothing more than a means to advancing the goals of leadership.