If you’re working your butt off in your leadership role and you don’t feel like you’re getting the recognition you deserve, chances are it’s not because you need to work harder. And if you’re feeling frustrated because you feel like “nobody sees the value I bring to this organization,” then this article about personal branding for leaders and managers is for you.

Today, we’re going to unpack:

• Why, despite your hard work, you might be flying under the radar
• The simplest way to get the recognition you deserve without being self-promotional or manipulative
• Why building a brand is not just important for your career, but important for the world as a whole.

But first, we have to ask the $250,000 question, which is: “Shouldn’t my work just speak for itself?”

In an ideal world, sure, your work would speak for itself. But the truth is, as a leader and manager, not everybody is going to know what you’re doing. And sometimes people do know what you’re doing—but they don’t understand how it’s valuable to the organization. We’re going to fix that now.

How To Showcase The Value You’re Bringing As a Manager

Have you ever noticed that some managers do very little, yet they are praised for their “great work,” while others are doing a lot under the radar and get none of the recognition? Why do you think that is?

It all comes down to the fact that decision-makers are busy. That’s why personal branding for leaders and managers is so important.

The decision makers you’re looking up to right now are singularly focused on the big, important things and don’t necessarily have time to dig into who did what and when.

I’ve been in those rooms—when the stakes are high and you’re focused on saving an entire department, not combing through the minutiae of every contribution. And that’s why the managers who make it easy for people to see what they’re doing, or who clearly articulate their impact, are often the ones who get the recognition.

How to Avoid Sounding Like You’re Bragging (What I Do As an Introvert)

I know the idea of “making your value known” can feel a little intimidating (and cringey). But here’s the good news… you don’t have to make it about you when it comes to building personal branding for leaders and managers. This is a piece of advice that has really helped me as an introvert who doesn’t love being in the spotlight.

Instead of thinking, “I need to promote myself,” I turn it outward. I highlight my team. I spotlight what they are doing and how they are incredible.

Let me give you a few examples so you can see what this might look like in your organization:

• Did your team crush their goals this week? If so, bring that up as a topic for celebration during your next one-on-one with your direct manager.
• Has a team member expressed interest in growth? If so, share that with a key company influencer by letting them know you’re actively working on a development plan for that person.
• Have you as a team learned something new after a challenging period that could benefit others? If so, share your learnings at the next all-staff meeting. Better yet, have one of your team members share it on your behalf.

All of these showcase that you’re a leader who can grow and develop talent—and it plants the seed that your team is an incubation space for future leaders.

If you need even more incentive to do this, then you need to know if you’re not talking about the ROI and contributions of your team, then you are most likely stifling their ability to expand in their careers. 

Don’t see this as selfish. See it as serving your team, helping them grow, and celebrating them by saying, “Hey, look, we’re killing it.”

Building a Personal Brand as a Manager Through Your Repetition

Building a brand at work is simply about your reputation. And as we always say on my Youtube channel: your team is a direct reflection of you. So when you’re building your reputation, you’re also building theirs. It really is that simple.

Which brings me to my next point and I think it’s the most important point in this video.

If you had asked me five years ago if I would ever have a YouTube channel where I’d be branded as an expert or thought leader in my field, I would’ve laughed. 

And honestly, it even makes me feel a little bit uncomfortable saying these things out loud right now, which just goes to show how uncomfortable I am with this stuff. But the reason I bring it up is because I want to talk about why. 

Because if I don’t like that kind of attention, then why am I doing this? Why am I investing so much time and energy into it?

Well, it all boils down to one thing (and I think you can relate to this too): I have a deep desire to make a difference in other people’s lives. I really do. I’m in a season of my life right now where I’ve been poured into, mentored, and invested in by so many incredible people. I talk about them all the time on this channel. And now, I feel like I’m at a point where I can give back by sharing the insights I’ve learned and by passing on the gold nuggets they poured into me.

Can you relate?

You Might Need To Make Yourself Uncomfortable To Have a Bigger Impact

Now, maybe you don’t have the same goals I do in terms of building a YouTube channel or anything like that. But let’s look at it another way. I’m sure you have goals in your career—goals to move into roles where you can create change and be a positive disruptor in the lives of others.

But if you’re not building your brand, actively, then you may never get there. And instead, those roles may go to someone who could care less. Someone who only cares about the title, the power, and the money… instead of truly changing people’s lives or improving environments that need to be improved.

As You Grow, Remember That True Leaders Change Lives

When I first started my YouTube channel, I used to say something at the very beginning of all my videos, which was: “True leaders change lives.” 

And I said it every single time because I really believe it. I truly believe that leaders who care are the ones changing lives every single day. And I know you’re one of those leaders — that’s why you’re reading this all the way until the end, right?

That’s why I’m really pleading with you and encouraging you to actively work on your personal brand. Because when you do, it becomes so much easier for decision-makers to put you in the seat when the opportunity comes so you can make the changes in the workplace and in the environment that will positively impact people’s lives.

If you want help with this, watch this free training for new managers next.