How Would a "Dream Manager" Support YOUR Personal Brand?

If a brand falls in the woods and no one hears it, can it be said to be a brand? Tom Peters talks in his blog and in his presentation to the Zurich International Business school about, among other things, the book The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly, consultant and author. Quoting Tom Peters quoting Kelly:

“An organization can only become the-best-version-of-itself to the extent that the people who drive that organization are striving to become better-versions-of-themselves.” "A company’s purpose is to become the-best-version-of-itself. The question is: What is an employee’s purpose? Most would say, ‘to help the company achieve its purpose’—but they would be wrong. That is certainly part of the employee’s role, but an employee’s primary purpose is to become the-best-version-of-himself or –herself. … When a company forgets that it exists to serve customers, it quickly goes out of business. Our employees are our first customers, and our most important customers.”

If your personal brand isn't validated, encouraged and utilized by your employer, can it fully exist? Similarly, can the organization thrive without your personal brand being exercised? Provocative questions. So many people are dissatisfied at work (we've seen stats of 80% or more). I would guess, if we think about it in the personal brand framework, that they are NOT able to express who they really are professionally, live out their unique gifts and promise of value, and fulfill their purpose. No wonder they are unhappy!

Managers, then, from C-level to factory floor should be hired with "emotional intelligence" and mentoring skills assuming a higher profile. And training of managers should teach ways to identify and build upon the unique strengths of their human resources.

Given that mentoring and managing others to enhance employee job satisfaction and organizational well-being is not easy to do, we would do well to acitvely express and exude our brands in such a way that our brands get noticed, get understood, and get used for the benefit of all.

So, if your brand falls in the woods, make sure someone hears it!