They say that what you focus on is where your energy goes. You’re buying a new car and you start seeing the models you’re considering everywhere on the road. And just mention that you’re thinking about your next holiday to your friend/partner/colleague and your your phone is advertising getaways to you almost instantly (oh wait, except it’s not listening to you).
The same can be said about your reputation. Start thinking about being visible and you start to see all the people in your industry who are already doing it and doing it well. And all the opportunities seem taken by all these already visible people. Plus, you’re already ridiculously busy in your leadership role and life anyway, so why add something new? These are all forms of self-sabotage and they can be fixed easily when you know how.
In an environment where many feel burnt out and businesses right now are pressured (which may be one reason you want to be more visible in your leadership), I’m seeing mindset come up as a way for leaders to be resilient and lead well. It’s obvious that mindset is critical to success, so if you want to be successful from the start when it comes to your reputation, here’s how to build the right mindset and see results from day one.
Strategy mindset
Good business requires good strategy, and so does your reputation. But it doesn’t need to be a plan that needs a powerpoint deck or a 10-page doc. You simply need to know in your own mind:
- Why you’re being visible
- Who you want to influence
- Where you’ll build visibility
Results mindset
Many leaders feel overwhelmed about building their reputation because it’s highly personal. That’s valid, but you can overcome this easily by seeing your visibility work as one aspect of your leadership. You’ll share your experience and perspective and it will be authentic, but you’ll be in control of what you do and don’t share and you won’t be sharing everything.
Ease mindset
The most visible industry leaders are the ones we compare ourselves to when we’re first starting out, but most of the time these leaders have been doing this for years so their results aren’t comparable to you now.
Creating the reputation you want is about taking the ladder approach and appreciating your early success. Because you started this with a strategy, your wins will be easy to identify and you’ll keep going because you know you’re engaging the right people regardless of the size of your audience. Keeping it easy and light helps your efforts to be sustainable at a time when most leaders are overloaded.
Growth mindset
A growth mindset is essential when you’re building your reputation, so where you start won’t be where you end up. Some things you do will be wins, others will be learnings that you’ll take with you into whatever you do next. You’re an executive leader with decades of experience behind you, so you’re not going to mess it up (that’s a fear for many). Give yourself the time and grace to figure out what works for you and your reputation.
Community mindset
The ability to find the time to do this work is critical, but a barrier for many leaders is that they think this work needs more time than it does. Getting support from a good strategist and skilled people who can help you with smart content is like having the support of a good leadership team. They help you make the right decisions for your reputation, they give you expert external perspective when you need it, and they keep you accountable.
We are all relying on the right mindset right now to navigate business challenges, to lead well despite uncertainty, and to support our teams. Being visible now is critical for any leader who wants to lead with clarity and share the expertise you’ve gained to get you where you are. The right mindset will get you the results you want with clarity, ease and authority.
FIVE SESSIONS ONLY – Advanced access to my new guide, ‘Unknown to the AFR’ + 1-hour get started now session with me
Most of my clients have the ultimate goal of being featured in the AFR, so I’ve written a guide called ‘Unknown to the AFR’ which shows you step-by-step how to build visibility that positions you as a thought leader and gets you into the AFR (or the tier-one media outlet you aspire to).
This guide will show you how to elevate your reputation with ease and authority, how to be visible on the platforms that feel right for you, and how to do it so it feels aligned to who you are as a human and a leader while you get results.
I’ll be releasing this guide more widely in a few months, so if you’d like your own advanced copy together with a 1-hour planning session with me to get you started now, email me and I’ll send you the link to book in.
Fee: heavily discounted rate of $250+gst, including your advanced copy of ‘Unknown to the AFR’, our recorded 1-hour session, and my follow-up action plan to get you started now.
These sessions are limited to five only. Email me and I’ll reply with the link.
Angela Cross is a reputation strategist who works with leaders and brands to elevate their reputations through PR, corporate social media, industry communication, and stakeholder engagement. If you would like to build your reputation with purpose and authority, email her here.
You can also download her guide to overcoming the most common barriers to building your reputation here.
