Developing your "brand" at work

I work with people who are rarely seen without a Diet Coke in their hand. I know people who shop exclusively at Trader Joes. And many I know would choose Starbucks over another coffee whenever they have the option. What is it about a particular soda, store or coffee that engenders such loyalty? Why are people so committed to one brand? And what does branding have to do with your job?

Branding

Originally branding was a way to identify your cattle – ranchers would stamp their mark on their herd so if they intermingled with another herd, they could identify their own.

But now a brand is more than just a mark on the hindquarters of a cow; it’s the personality or perception of a product. The term has evolved to cover companies, products and even your own personal image.

Why should you have a brand?

As companies will tell you, the competition for customers increases every day. Just like a product’s brand is its promise to its customers, your brand is your promise to your employers or colleagues.

How do you develop your “Brand Experience?”

If you were a product, how would you describe your qualities?

• Think of three to five words to describe how you want to be known at work
• The words should be influenced by your personality and your field
• Make sure your words are genuine – this isn’t about creating a new persona. It’s about focusing on the parts of your personality and skills that are most relevant to your job

Some examples:

• “Creative” - Helpful for an art teacher, generally not appropriate for an accountant
• “Refreshing” - Important for a soda, and it could be a great brand for a receptionist
• “Professional” - Boring, but important in a time when it seems like so many people are bothered by the thought of doing their job
• “Entertaining” - Good for a clown, but also probably helpful if you’re a pediatrician or a pediatric nurse.

Live Your Brand

Similar to how a company can’t just tell you they’re the best – they have to build a relationship with customers, you don’t put these words on your résumé and assume everyone will believe you. You have to live your brand.

Now that you’ve thought of the words you want to describe yourself at work, think about ways to put them into action. Keep a list of the words by your desk (you can hide them in your desk drawer so no one else can see them) to remind yourself throughout the day how you want to be known.

Realize it’s not just an image you’re creating. You aren’t doing this for everyone else so that they think better of you. This is who you are.

Looking to next week:

But what if you aren't new to your job and you feel like it’s too late to brand yourself? What if you feel like you’ve passively already been branded – and even worse – what if you’re not happy about your brand?

This blog is the first in a 3-part series about branding:

• Come back next week and we’ll talk about re-branding. It’s a trickier subject, but it can be done.
• Then the week after that, we’ll talk about whether the word “Christian” should be a part of your professional brand.

Adjusting to a new job (aka: I just want to figure out how the copier works)

I just dashed off a monthly financial report in about 2 hours. When I first started this job, and started doing this report, it took me the better part of two days. I didn’t know where to find the information I needed, I was inept at the program we used, I didn’t know how to update the graphs.

Now, instead of a daunting task that I dread at the end of each month, I can fit it in at the end of a day without any pressure!

You know what it's like: you've put the hard work into finding a new job and it is time for your first day. You walk in excited and confident, and within minutes, you're confounded by the copier as you try to make copies of HR forms. You feel like you have to ask someone for help with everything.

If you've been at your job for a while, think back to your early days when you didn't know the organization's "best practices" for how to start a project. Now you breeze through project startup without a second thought. Or think about how you used to be so confused by the org-chart. Who is your boss' boss? What does that person across the room do? Now you know exactly who to go to for any question you have.

If you're new at your job - take heart - there's always an adjustment phase. Here are a few tips to speed it up:

- Take notes like it's your job: get a notebook, write down observations and details as you go through the day. Who is responsible for what? Where are documents stored on the shared drive? Who really seems to know what's going on? At the very least, write a summary to yourself at the end of each day about what you worked on and who you worked with. Review your notes or summaries every few days till the knowledge rests firmly in your head.

- Volunteer for specific tasks: Don't just say "I am happy to help however" say "I know you need help writing that press release, I have experience with that, could I take the first stab at it and send it to you for revisions?" You'll get to know more about a project and let people know what your skills are.

- Give yourself grace: in a few months, you'll have a handle on these tasks and be on to new challenges (a quick survey of those around me says it takes anywhere from 6 to 18 months till you really feel like you have your feet under you).

So relax - you'll get there soon enough. And if you're already adjusted - help the new gal. Show her how the copier works, and introduce her to the person who really runs the office.

A Christian Commuter?

On Monday a report came out from Texas A&M University saying that DC has the worst traffic in the country. Something to be proud of?

It reminded me that a gal in my small group Bible study had brought up the topic. She knew it sounded funny, but said: “I’m serious. By the time I get to work I’m so frustrated from crowded trains and annoyed from dodging tourists I don’t feel very Christian.”

She’s suffering from something called “Sidewalk Rage” – yup, it’s a real condition!

Probably anyone can benefit from reducing their commuting stress, but as Christians we are called to be “slow to anger” (James 1:9) and to “overlook an offense” (Prov 19:11). Easier said than done when we’re sitting in an 8 mile backup.

Why do we get so annoyed?

• We expect “best case scenario” – somehow I think I can get just about anywhere within my city in “oh, about 15-to-20 minutes.” Whether I’m driving across the clogged roads of rush hour or trying to take the metro in the middle of the day when trains are running on an “off-peak” schedule.  Whatever your record commute time is from one place to another, it becomes your baseline expectation.
• It’s not a time you planned to connect with other people – there are times and places in life where we expect to have to be kind, professional and graceful. Commuting is not one of those times. Most people commute alone and see it as a kind of in-between space. You’re not quite at work and not quite at home and your greatest expectation of yourself is to wake up on the way in, and decompress on the way out. If something gets in the way of that (say, an obnoxious seatmate on the train) it kills you because you didn't think there were any demands on you during this time.
• People are inconsiderate – Sometimes it’s unintentional – tourists don’t know where they’re going. But sometimes it’s intentional – commuting can really bring out someone's true nature. People do cut you off on purpose, they do push around you on the escalator, and they do yell profanities (or use “sign language” to communicate from inside their car).
• We are inconsiderate too - Commuting can bring out my own true nature: I've cut people off. I've not let someone in when it was a reasonable thing to do. I've sighed and muttered at people who just don't understand you are supposed to "stand on the right and walk on the left - what is so complicated about that??" In the privacy of my car (or my head) I've said some really unkind things to strangers on my commute.

So how do you overcome your rage – whether it be sidewalk or road?

• Low Expectations/High Satisfaction – set realistic expectations for your commute. Both the time it really takes and what factors influence it. Where I grew up it was not uncommon to encounter a tractor taking up half the road going 7mph that would set you back a few minutes. Now I live in a city that has a reputation for becoming paralyzed any time precipitation falls from the sky. Be realistic about your average commute time, then give yourself a couple minutes of cushion. You may actually [gasp] get places on time!
• Budget grace for your commute – Realize that it’s not guaranteed “alone time.” You may have to interact with people. Be prepared to be kind. (And while you’re at it, budget some grace for the DMV - that place gives me palpitations.)
• Get over it – There’s no other way to say it. You’ll encounter jerks and it’s up to you whether you let them ruin your day or not.
• Knock it off - you aren't the only person on the planet who needs to get somewhere.

Set realistic expectation. Budget some grace. Ignore the jerks. Stop being a jerk. Simple, right?

What's the worst part of your commute? How do you deal with "the jerks?"