Personal brands make me queasy

‘‘Ileft my ego at the door,’’ said Tana Umaga as he stood down as Blues head coach two years ago.

Tana had thought about where he could contribute the most and what was best for the team. He knew the ideal place for him was working one-toone developing players and passing on his experience. He wasn’t interested in the title, just what was best for the team.

He wasn’t concerned about bad headlines. He knew the only decision to be made was what would work for the greater good of the rugby club... and this season’s results show he got it right.

In today’s world of presentation skills and the importance placed on personal brands and titles, this type of decision-making is increasingly rare.

Those who know Tana, know Tana is Tana. He has never attempted to cultivate a personal brand. He is not interested in titles, he just wants to use his experience and knowledge for good and to get things done. There is no pretence, he doesn’t suffer from imposter syndrome and he does not consider his contribution any greater than the other members of the team.

What is a personal brand anyway? I’ve always been uncomfortable about the business of designing them and the internet is full of courses – one even designed for ‘‘dummies’’ although I note that even though it advises you to be authentic, it doesn’t advise you to use the word ‘‘dummy’’ in your personal brand statement.

Personal brand statements have become a key part of CVs, but how many read that introductory statement and wonder what it really means? Statements like: ‘‘I am a natural change agent. I am used to assisting people and driving change in an organisation. My energetic personality and genuine assessment of situations make me a good decision-maker and give me confidence to assert myself in situations that require me to do so.’’

But what is a natural change agent? How did being a change agent become natural? Did they learn how to present naturally or is it innate? Is it a good thing to be able to naturally alter other people’s lives and work experience whether they want it or not? What is a good decision-maker and who decided you were one? Does this mean ‘‘I am an autocratic or consultative decision-maker’’, or ‘‘I am good at making decisions’’, or ‘‘I make good decisions’’?

All of these ‘‘skills’’ have been sold to us so we can describe what we think is needed to lead us on a path devised to culminate in a job or a position with a title.

But what really matters? ‘‘He Tangata He tangata He tangata – the people, the people, the people’’, that is what is important. Titles don’t matter, because titles don’t implement anything.

I have recently been called in to work with several boards of directors in what have been defined as crisis situations. It was concerning how many people have been selected for governance roles due solely to their networking skills and ability to selfpromote a wellprepared personal brand statement, not their experience and appropriate skills.

The problem comes when these people achieve their sought-after titles: they fail to understand that although they may appear to have authority, they are the least important people in the organisation.

Directors need to learn that autocrats do not make good leaders and the organisation would continue without them, but cannot function properly without the people who report to them.

I have found many board members, unlike Tana, are often very uncomfortable with this suggestion.

The sense of importance and entitlement that comes with title and position is highly destructive to progress and can lead to a loss of great talent. As some are still finding out, talented people can always go where they are appreciated.

A good leader is not an autocrat, doesn’t have the loudest voice, should not be the centre of attention, should not demonstrate more ego than leadership.

A good leader is one who implements what is best for all, and who learns quickly they are not always right. If we want to get through this very difficult time, it will be important that all of us adopt thought processes which are not all about us. It’s about what is best for all. The only way we will get this right is to suspend our egos.

A good leader is not an autocrat, doesn’t have the loudest voice, should not be the centre of attention, should not demonstrate more ego than leadership.