| Brands evoke responses. Talk to anyone | | | | inconsistent or poor performance.Whether |
| who loves their Starbucks coffee, or | | | | emails or hallway hellos, meetings or |
| hates their car; loves their Apple iPod, | | | | project plans, ideas or feedback, you |
| or hates their internet provider. When | | | | imprint your signature with each action. |
| you think of your favorite or least | | | | Every encounter informs people what to |
| favorite brands, certain feelings and | | | | expect from you. And these impressions, |
| attributes come to mind. These represent | | | | good or not so good, create brand "you" |
| the brand. The same is true for | | | | at work.Remember first grade when you |
| people.When you hear the name Joe, you | | | | proudly printed at the top of the |
| have an impression of the Joe-brand, | | | | wide-ruled paper your name so everyone |
| good or not so good. When Erin is | | | | could see it? We may not write our names |
| assigned to your team, you may | | | | in big, bold crayon on our work anymore, |
| figuratively breathe a sigh of relief or | | | | but make no mistake, your name is on |
| roll your eyes. It's the Erin-brand that | | | | everything you do.People who are winning |
| evokes your response. What about your | | | | at working know that. They're like great |
| name? What reaction does it elicit from | | | | product brands. They're reliable, |
| your boss, coworkers or clients?We | | | | dependable and authentic. They deliver |
| expect brands to demonstrate their | | | | their unique brand attributes, not once |
| attributes, or brand promise, not once | | | | or twice, but day in and day out; not |
| or twice, but every time we encounter | | | | just on highly visible or politically |
| them. Inconsistencies in performance can | | | | aligned projects, but on the routine, |
| damage our brand relationships and cause | | | | mundane ones, too. And they're as |
| us to select other brands. With | | | | personable with the person who can't |
| people-brands, it means we promote, | | | | promote them as the person who |
| fire, assign projects and compensate | | | | can.People who are winning at working |
| based on that brand performance.Of | | | | understand they are a unique brand with |
| course, we may forgive an occasional | | | | specific gifts, talents and attributes. |
| slip, seeing it as an atypical hiccup | | | | Their name is their icon. Their brand |
| from a brand we otherwise love. For me | | | | promise is delivering the best of who |
| that happened with Disney. I'm a Disney | | | | they are. Want to be winning at working? |
| fan, traveling to Walt Disney World once | | | | Deliver the promise in your brand.(c) |
| or twice a year. But a few years back, | | | | 2006 Nan S. Russell. All rights |
| the magic was tarnishing. The parks | | | | reserved.Receive a copy of 21 Winning |
| weren't quite as clean, the staff not | | | | Career Tips (a free download) at Nan |
| quite as friendly, the experience not | | | | Russell has spent over twenty years in |
| quite as promised, or what I had grown | | | | management, most recently with QVC as a |
| to expect.Since Disney had the | | | | Vice President. She has held leadership |
| equivalent of banked good-will in their | | | | positions in Human Resource Development, |
| brand relationship account with me, from | | | | Communication, Marketing and line |
| years delivering on their brand promise, | | | | Management. Nan has a B.A. from Stanford |
| I tried a few more trips. Happily it | | | | University and M.A. from the University |
| turned around. But brand relationships | | | | of Michigan. Currently working on her |
| we once loved can be diminished and | | | | first book, Winning at Working: 10 |
| good-will accounts can be overdrawn. It | | | | Lessons Shared, Nan is a columnist, |
| happens at work, too. Previously strong | | | | writer and speaker. |
| relationships can become bankrupt with | | | | |