Image Credit: Depositphotos

Think about your favorite brand.

This could be a product, a restaurant, a store, a clothing line, or a service provider.

Now, consider why this is your favorite.

Is it their…

• Culture?
• Pricing?
• Variety?
• Uniqueness?
• Quality?
• Packaging?
• Flavor?
• Environment?
• Outstanding service?
• Customer recognition and attention?
• Values?
• On-time delivery?
• Community connection?

Pick your top three.

Now, imagine that tomorrow, new leadership comes on board and swiftly changes those top three things you love about the brand.

Broken Trust

When companies make these kinds of changes, it tends to break the trust of loyal customers and, also, within their inner teams.

Here are some examples of how companies have broken trust.

They have…

• Changed the formula of their best-selling beverage.
• Changed their iconic, recognizable branding and packaging.
• Changed their signature environment.
• Dramatically changed their menu.
• Changed company values.
• Replaced hospitality with machines.
• Lost focus on good customer service.
• Lowered the quality.
• Decided to shrink products and packaging instead of being honest about price changes.
• Traded the one thing they were known for, for something new and uncertain.
• Tried to be like everyone else and lost their uniqueness.
• Failed to deliver.
• Lost their defining culture.

This is the frustration of modern-day consumers. While change and progress are important, it is also important for companies to understand the underlying focus that has drawn their customers, sometimes for decades.

By changing that focus, they risk losing the business.

Maintaining Trust

Now, consider your own brand. This may be your company or your personal brand of leadership.

What about you or your company matters most to your loyal followers?

If you are not sure, ask. You can even use the points above as a starting point.

Determine your top three.

While you must pivot in business here and there, make the decision that those top three items are non-negotiable.

These top three items define you. If you change them, you lose trust. If you lose trust, you lose customers and clients. And if you continue, you could lose the business.

Personal Leadership

Values

This is foundational. If you don’t have your core foundational principles defined, you won’t have a basis for leadership. Your team needs defined values because shared values create strong teams and customer relationships.

Strengths

It is also critically important that you know your strengths and serve from them. While what you do may grow and change as your career grows, you must always be working from a place of your strengths. This allows you to bring your “A” game. It also helps you create your “A” team, where members serve from their unique strengths as well.

Culture

You, as the leader, set the tone for your organization. Culture is not something you mandate. It is the result of how you and your team work together, with defined values and strengths. Great leaders have teams who work together, communicate well, and enjoy the camaraderie. They get results. They celebrate wins and learn from losses. They experience a sense of trust and belonging.

The Bottom Line

Here’s the bottom line that translates, literally, to the bottom line. Define your brand, strengths, and values; and build your culture on the foundation of trust.

For valuable resources on Leadership Strengths and Tools, click here.

Deb Ingino is a highly sought-after executive coach, mentor, consultant, and speaker worldwide. Deb is well versed in business operations and in the importance of asking key questions most business leaders won’t ask themselves. She brings deep experience in leadership development, strategy, high performance team building and effective communication. She has a passion for leading people to discover and maximize their strengths as well as those of fellow team members, while offering advanced strategies to achieve high performance. Deb is the perfect fit if you’re ready to take your leadership and impact to the next level!