Leading with the 4 P’s

With my colleagues, I led a short team-enhancing session yesterday on Langkawi Island, Malaysia. It is the home of Ironman Malaysia held at end-February each year. I finished the race twice there in 2007 and 2008, and respect the participants, heat and hills; so, the gates of my memories were replenished.

My colleagues and I watched a new managing director of a company deliver his message of optimism, cooperativeness, and purpose through his use of mixed media: his spoken word and cache of video clips. He has large aspirations, and these include being an outstanding company, aiming for number one status, valuing his people and helping them build a shared potential. I observed that his approach coincided with his personal values and leadership values; so, he delivered it with a sense of lucid clarity, humble confidence, and competence. I was glad I was part of an integrated process of engaging and energizing his team of 180 staff.

In marketing, the four principles of Product Marketing are: Promotion, Place, Price and Product. To this I add Providence (divine), or Pray. You never know even if all four bases are covered, that your marketing efforts will yield dividends for you. Brand management is an extended subject that covers product marketing.

For marketing oneself, you can adapt the principles of marketing as: Positioning, Personality, Purpose and Population.

Your personal brand is an important; it is more than just your name and your profession. How do you position yourself amongst your peers? What is personal style? What is your signature? Which audiences relate most to you? Which causes do you stand for? What are your stances and standing in your community/profession?

1) How do you seek under-standing, and create understanding?

2) How do you become out-standing?

3) What do you do to stand out from others?

4) How do you personalize your brand?

So, as a leader how are you engaging your team with your brand? How do you brand yourself? Which ways are you primed to purposefully lead your people, business and brands? As you facilitate a strategic meeting, how do you make time to attentively listen and pay attention to the various nuances and idiosyncracies of each leader on your team?

Credits: Standing model of leadership by Gary Yardley & Jan Kelly of PIPS Pty Ltd.