Make it personal. Do it your way

Have you put the stamp of personality on your business? Is it good for business?

Or do you or the business need a personality transplant?

Sometimes the corporate personality is not aligned with the personality of the owner or CEO. They may remain hidden in the background providing leadership and strategic direction to the frontline teams.

Sometimes the CEO or primary shareholder dominates the corporate image and branding so that their personality and their actions continually affect the value of the business and the quality of its relationships with investors, customers, suppliers and employees. I recently read a financial analyst’s comment that a particular stock was very volatile and a risky investment due to the “Elon Musk effect.”

You don’t have to be as prominent as Elon Musk or the billionaire owner of an automobile or technology company, but you do need to be aware of whether your personality is affecting the business and how. Is your personality aligned with the corporate image and branding and reinforcing the internal and external messaging or is it a distraction?

If it’s not aligned, maybe even contradictory or in conflict, then the differences need to be reconciled. If you’re not bold, gregarious and engaging, then you need someone else to drive the marketing and sales teams and lead by example. If you’re not detail oriented, then you need someone else to manage product design, production, and the finances.

You can still put the stamp of your personality on the business, but focus on the characteristics and competencies that will attract business partners and associates, employees, customers and investors to support you in accomplishing your objectives.

Don’t be driven to flatter yourself, stroke your ego, or protect your exaggerated self-confidence. You cannot succeed without a competent, motivated and well-managed team. Accept your own strengths and weaknesses and build a team that leverages the strengths and reduces the weaknesses.

That’s the path to success, regardless of your personality.       

Be an Enlightened Entrepreneur.

Your Uncle Ralph,

Del Chatterson