Brand yourself!

Lead the Future - Shape your Brand

Review of Oxana Zeitler's book

At last, an intelligently and engagingly written management book for senior executives. This book is potentially game-changing. Zeitler’s fascinating and rigorously argued book explains how the relationship between customers and companies has changed and why it is now essential for a chief executive to develop a personal brand and post on social media in the name that persona on a regular basis. Her point is exquisitely illustrated by citing giants from the best-known global concerns. She takes as her starting point the public announcement of Satya Nadella’s appointment as CEO of Microsoft when Steve Ballmer stepped down in 2014. Incisively, she takes this to be illustrative of a new era, contrasting the casual dress code and familiar atmosphere with similar occasions in the not too distant past, when the assumption of power was more akin to a state occasion, and the withdrawing CEO was not called upon to respond and hand over the reins but was discreetly ushered out.

Zeitler plausibly argues that customers seek relatable authority figures at the head of companies, with whom they can identify. She illustrates her point by providing detailed tips and extensive examples taken from the tweets and other posts from the greats, showing how to build a personal brand and inject it with clearly definable, consistent values and personality and thus with life and appeal. She also offers a clear plan on how to maintain a consistent and continually present brand voice. As she points out, a personal brand is an entity independent of the CEO’s company and continues to exist when that CEO moves on.

The book also discusses the importance of relevance and reach, which digital platforms to choose, how major figures have handled criticism and controlled damage in order to actually enhance their personal brand reputation, cross-cultural branding and the key role of generosity as a leadership driver. A few of her most hard-hitting examples are drawn from German-speaking management circles, so should be intriguing for outsiders.

In short, personal branding is not only essential but also a rewarding time investment and Zeitler’s book is a useful, entertaining resource and road map along the way. I personally have followed her detailed advice over the past six months and am enjoying greater visibility, recognition of my work and control of my workflow as a result, plus a deeper sense of meaning and purpose.