DO YOU HAVE A BRAND?

On a chilly winter Sunday morning, I was running late for church. It was 11 a.m., and I still needed to pick up a child I was mentoring who lived 15 minutes away. As I arrived at his home, I opted for a gentle honk instead of my usual text, “I’m here.” He hopped into the car, and as he fastened his seatbelt, he made a surprising statement: “Ms. Renee, you’re the only person that trusts me.”

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Caught off guard, I paused, waiting for the click of the seatbelt while my mind raced. Was I being pranked by a seven-year-old? I kept my emotions in check and asked, “Why do you say that?” Without missing a beat, he replied, “Because every time something happens, my mom asks me what happened, but when I tell her, she doesn’t believe me.”

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His bewilderment resonated with me. He was struggling to overcome misconceptions due to past behaviors. I pondered how to explain this concept to him in a way that was age-appropriate and constructive. Instead of jumping to conclusions, I bookmarked his statement for a deeper discussion later.

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After our church, we headed to his favorite spot, McDonald’s. After devouring a six-piece Chicken McNugget Happy Meal and a cherry pie, he insisted he was still hungry. When I asked what he wanted, he pointed to a poster advertising a 10-piece Chicken McNugget for $1.99. I hesitated before agreeing to buy it, wanting to ensure I made a thoughtful decision.

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He then added a small fry to his order. As I prepared to give him the money, I explained how to place his order at the counter. However, when I overheard the cashier say, “You don’t have enough money,” I rushed over, concerned I had miscalculated. To my surprise, the cashier said he had ordered a 10-piece Chicken McNugget, small fries, and a smoothie.

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I looked at him and gave him my best “you’ve-been-naughty” look. I asked the cashier to remove the smoothie from his order and returned to our table, reflecting on how to handle this moment. Just as I was about to speak, he jumped into his seat and declared, “The smoothie was for you! I wanted to surprise you.”

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I appreciated his thoughtfulness but took the opportunity to explain why spending someone else’s money on a surprise gift might not be the best way to show kindness. This moment led us back to his earlier statement about trust, allowing me to introduce him to the concept of personal branding and its significance in shaping relationships.

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The truth is, we all have a brand—one we’ve been building since birth. It influences how we’re perceived by others, from classmates to colleagues. Understanding this can empower us to change how people view us based on our actions and behaviors.

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Do you have a brand? Absolutely! The key takeaway is that you can reshape perceptions through your choices and interactions. You have the power to influence how you are perceived, and it starts with your awareness of how your behaviors affect others. ?

Copyright ? 2024 by S. Renee Smith.

S. Renee Smith has been developing leaders and executives for over 15 years. She is the Founder of Leaders Career Accelerator which provides scalable leadership development solutions. To learn more visit S. Renee's profile here.