The Engaging Brand

Brand You...Or Brand New YOU

I heard a wonderful session by Jane Delfino, Innovations Director of the Manchester Academy of the United Learning Trust last week. She was speaking about how she wants to develop the minds of children, she said
she wanted them to have "a belief that identity was not their destiny"

What a powerful thought not just for children for for leaders, managers and even brands. Our labels can define us if we let them, yet our future is there for US to define.

Imagine a world where brands believed passionately in their destiny not just their logo, that leaders expanded the minds of their teams to believe that their present titles did not have to be their destiny, imagine a world where you believed that your personal brand, your present circumstances did not have to be your destiny.....Wow! I feel inspired just thinking about it

Now you have imagined it, let's do it.....together

Leadership, comfort zones and related rant!

Anyone recognise these traits?

• Too many (and overpopulated, and too frequent) meetings?
• Decision by committee (or not)?
• Constantly, redoing the strategy but nothing changes today?
• Objectives that people know will be met - after all we all deserve our bonus for just turning up?

I could go on, however most of you will know the kind of organisation I mean. Inertia has struck hold, mediocrity is seeping through the floor boards and no one realises it. The leaders don't have parking, they have comfort zones that they pull their cars into on a morning....

Mmmm maybe you can tell that this is a subject close to my heart :) Well, it is because I think we forget the role business plays in society, the role leaders and managers have with their teams lives....business is incredibly important and if we as leaders don't keep pushing the boundaries, challenging our working practices, inspiring new ideas, developing talent...then people become disengaged. The effect is felt in society both through disengaged employees and consumers who feel the lack of passion.

So, I proffer this idea...a comfort zone is only allowed when we understand that standing still is uncomfortable because we know we are falling behind the competitors....a comfort zone is when we are doing what feels comfortable for successful leaders - that of expanding the minds of our consumers and of our internal talent.

Feel better for that rant...:)

How to be an Engaging Leader

As some of you know I write another blog called Widows Quest and a couple of days ago I wrote a post about The Art of Forgiveness. I quoted Francis Maitland Balfour who once said

“The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity.”

I was just wondering whether we could take that and translate it for business leaders?

"The best thing to give your critics is forgiveness; to another department, tolerance; to a colleague, your heart; to your team member, a good example; to the CEO, deference; to your boss, conduct that will make them proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all consumers, conversation!"

Show #147 - Tips from TV and Radio - Engaging the Audience

Show 147 of The Engaging Brand podcast is ready just for you. To subscribe or listen on your PC now - both for free, you don't need to download anything - it is all explained at the end of the post.

An unusual show because I am not speaking to someone specifically about business or marketing. Instead I wanted to speak to someone about how to emotionally connect when you are in a one to one situation. Be it an appraisal or even in front of a client. Who better to speak to then someone with years of experience in TV and radio!

Maggie Philbin, UK radio and TV presenter, joins me on the show today to talk about how to engage with someone in a one on one situation, how to find the real human story, and how to get the best out of the interviewee. This first part concentrates on her presenting career but watch out for the second part when we will talk about the art of facilitation.

If you have feedback on the show e-mail me at anna@theengagingbrand.com or hop over to Facebook group for The Engaging Brand.

How can listen to the Engaging Brand

1) You can listen on your PC now without downloading any software just click here and it will take you to the blubrry page. Then press the play button!

2) You can subscribe to the show via iTunes or

3) If you use a different podcatcher then you can subscribe using the following  http://www.podcasternews.com/feeds/enbr.xml

Message from Sponsor
“Online Meetings Made Easy with GoToMeeting Try it Free for 45 days use Promo Code Podcast”

Conversations Start Inside the Company

I like to think of a brand as a triangle - company, employees, customers. All have to feel the values of the brand. All have to understand and trust in the brand. All have a role to play in developing the brand.

The strength of the customer has increased, with the power of social media. They have a voice now, as we say they always were having the conversations but locally, now the reach is global. People say companies should join in the conversation. Mmmm I have some concerns about ALL companies.

If the company is not developing the conversation internally then do they have the skills externally? Conversations happen between people:- employee and customer, customer and company, company and employee. If the company ignores the internal conversations, then the triangle will not be formed. So a question I would ask any company is

"Do you have strong internal communication and dialogue that will support the external push to the customers?"

Now, no company is perfect! However, if communication and conversations are not valued internally then they will not be authentic externally.
I will post tomorrow my top tips for developing communication internally....but would love to hear yours - you see dialogue at work :)

Social Media Telesummit - Anna For One Night Only!

As a reminder, if you want to hear my thoughts on how to engage people, including suppliers and vendors, through social media, I am presenting at the Social Media Telesummit tonight at 2pm EST (7pm GMT)

Hope to see you there...but no difficult questions at the end!

Social Media Needs Human not Technical Skills

I was at a wonderful conference last week and was often faced with two social media statements

• It's OK for you, you are a geek...
• You must have lots of technical knowledge to live in a social media world

Oh if only I had programming knowledge!If only I was a geek.....

For me, the technology is an enabler not a barrier. Nowadays, the technological knowledge needed is as little as being able to log on to the internet. The block to effective use of social media is not programming knowledge but YOUR knowledge, passion and ability to communicate your brand.

I think Web 2.0 has never made it so easy to use technology, all you need are 3 human skills

1. Curiosity. Be a child and explore the possibilities The desire to find out how you can use it, and how others are using it was all that I had, when I first started out. The story goes - received iPod, saw word podcast, googled how to make podcast, watched on line video, put podcast together, kept asking questions to people of how to improve it. No technical knowledge required!
2. Connecting. There is a whole support network available to you on the web, via podcasts, blogs, social networking. There are people there to help you develop, that are waiting for YOUR expertise, that maybe want to work for a boss like you, that want a someone like you to listen to them and solve their problems....they are waiting for YOU. The only thing you need to do is to connect with them....How did I connect? Through being curious about who people were and what they did!
3. Consistency. I think being consistent with what you do on-line, consistent in frequency, consistency in approach, consistency in values, consistency in providing value. Consistency needs discipline but discipline comes through the passion for my work.

So no I am not a geek...I love technology because of 'what it does', not 'what it is'...

I believe curiousity, connecting and consistency will overcome any technological barriers that you may have! And actually they are 3 skill that you have to have for any business or any success in life

Trust is to Business, What Oil is to an Engine

Trust is such a vital part of business. Trust between employees, trust with consumers and trust in the leaders, from the stakeholders.

I often work with teams to develop trust but there are no words that will build or develop it, only actions delivered against promises

T = Telling the truth, not spinning the story
R = Realistic expectations that are stretching for people yet people trust that if they are delivered, they will bring business and personal success
U = Understanding people and their emotions. People are emotional by nature. This can lead people not to give truthful feedback, however people need the truth for growth. So understanding people, showing empathy to what motivates them can really help in their growth. Confidentiality is imperative.
S = Seeking the truth is important in the business. People can hide behind data, people can hide from the truth. To be successful you need to want the truth and constantly seek the truth to improve over time. When you seek the truth, people will learn to be truthful.
T = Taking the rough with the smooth. Trust is built when people do not judge in the short term, they judge over the long term. Trust that people know that no one is perfect, mistakes will be made....but that the mistakes were made for the right reason..pushing the boundaries. Trust is developed when people know, that they will be supported to push those boundaries.

6 Tips on Facilitating a Conference

I had the pleasure this week of speaking at the Prowess conference and seeing a real professional - Maggie Philbin -  in action, on how to bring a conference together and facilitate thought provoking sessions. (I have asked her to come on the podcast, so keep your fingers crossed and watch out for some in depth tips!)

But here is my take on how she engaged the audience

1. She clearly understood who the audience were and what value they wanted from the conference. She had researched the topic and shared her knowledge openly.
2. She shared stories of her own TV career to connect emotionally with the audience.
3. She ensured that the stars of the show were the speakers...she facilitated rather than managed.
4. She took time for people in between sessions, she connected with the attendees at each opportunity to understand more about them, more about what value they were getting from the event and more about what they wanted from future sessions...knowing that a word with her, was special to them.
5. She linked the sessions, often through personal reflections or stories. You felt that she was putting a jigsaw together in front of your eyes.
6. She smiled. This sounds a little strange but remember smiles are contagious and that set the tone for an incredibly friendly event.

When we are in business, we often mistake facilitating with managing. The skills are completely different...and it is wonderful when you see great facilitation in action.

Show #146 - Does Marketing Exist Anymore?

Show 146 of The Engaging Brand podcast is ready just for you. To subscribe or listen on your PC now - both for free, you don't need to download anything - it is all explained at the end of the post.

Scott Monty talks to us, today about whether marketing exists anymore! Has it changed from a verb of action to something else...?

He talks us through how marketing has and will continue to change, who defines the brand, his role as a Relationship Director at Crayon and also gives insights into how to market successfully. Also watch out for his great Simpson's impression at the end of the interview!

If you have feedback on the show e-mail me at anna@theengagingbrand.com or hop over to Facebook group for The Engaging Brand.

How can listen to the Engaging Brand

1) You can listen on your PC now without downloading any software just click here and it will take you to the blubrry page. Then press the play button!

2) You can subscribe to the show via iTunes or

3) If you use a different podcatcher then you can subscribe using the following  http://www.podcasternews.com/feeds/enbr.xml

Message from Sponsor
“Online Meetings Made Easy with GoToMeeting Try it Free for 45 days use Promo Code Podcast”