• Politicians are embroiled in personal brand management all of the time, and need to maintain a personal brand that embodies and reflects their message to the public.
• Businesspeople are similarly engaged in the creation of a personal brand, both for what they are producing and selling, and in their own careers.
• So, what lessons can we learn from politicians about building and maintaining a personal brand?

With a general election around the corner in the UK, and it being a landmark year for democracy, with national elections in 64 countries, we thought it a good time to reflect on what politicians can tell us about building a personal brand. Some do it more successfully than others. Some make epochal career blunders. Some keep it going for a good while, only to flameout fantastically.

Politicians are constantly building and maintaining a personal brand. By necessity, politicians (or, at least, the successful ones) become adept at shaping public perception and maintaining a consistent and appealing personal brand. Forged in the hot fires of political campaigns and public service, their strategies offer both big and small lessons for business. These lessons can be immensely beneficial to business professionals seeking to build and enhance their personal brands.

Writing in the Harvard Business Review, Harrison Monarth says that in ‘high-performing organizations, at certain levels, everyone is exceptional. To clearly differentiate your value and what you bring to the table, you need to do more than have a good reputation. You need to have an outstanding personal brand.’

So, with these words in mind, what are the top things politicians tell us about how to build a personal brand?

Authenticity

In our world, authenticity is a currency, and a valuable one. Overstuffed with images and data, constantly being sold something, people want to know that the person pushing a message or product believes in it. This has been an issue from classical antiquity to today.

Now that we spend so much time on social media, direct messaging, bypassing traditional and stuffy media, resonates with real people. And it has never been easier to do, too. When done well, and real passion and know-how come across, it can help create a sense of authenticity and personal connection. A corollary should be added here – this is only when it is done well! Corny messaging, faking authenticity, can backfire.

Chuck Schumer was recently embarrassed when a man-of-the-people photo showed, instead, a grilling gaff: a piece of American cheese atop on a raw burger. Chuck promptly deleted the photo, but not before it had done the rounds on the internet. David Cameron was caught out in 2013 in a typical gaff: he didn’t know the price of a load of bread. His excuse? That he had a bread-maker at home, which he ‘delights in using,’ alongside eye-wateringly expensive Cotswolds-milled flour.

Business leaders can adopt an authentic approach by using social media to share not only professional achievements but also personal stories and values, making them more relatable to their audience. They just need to make sure to avoid gaffs and cringe. Getting a trusted friend or colleague to proof the posts can aid in avoiding humiliating mistakes in tone and content.

Social media allows political newcomers to humanize themselves and connect with huge numbers of voters on a personal level, despite the engagement being through a screen, and the same can be the case for business leaders.

Authenticity in communication can create a powerful impression. Studies have shown that consumers are increasingly favouring brands that display authenticity. Business leaders can benefit by showcasing authenticity in their brand, style, tone, and communications, fostering lasting trust and loyalty from their audience.

Consistency and Clarity

Consistency in messaging is a crucial aspect of a strong personal brand. Politicians are masters of repeating core information and values to ensure that their message hits home and is remembered. Research shows that if a message is repeated, people are more likely to believe it, no matter whether it is true or not. Business leaders can learn from this by consistently and persuasively communicating their vision, values, and expertise across all platforms and interactions.

As JD Schramm, Director of the Mastery in Communication Initiative at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, says in the Harvard Business Review, ‘How we communicate, and how consistently we communicate, becomes a part of our reputation as leaders.’

Roberto Alvarez del Blanco, a visiting scholar at Stern School of Business, New York University, sees a personal brand as the accumulation of everything a person has created, is doing, and will go on to achieve in the future. This brand must be managed actively, with discipline and consistency over time, while also being able to evolve and adapt to changing circumstances.

‘Planning a personal brand is an intellectual process; it is a mental task. It requires reflexive thought because creativity and vision are extremely necessary. You have to decide what to do, and how and when to do it in order to fill the void that exists between where we are now and where we want to go — thus, enabling possibilities to occur, since there is no other way for them to happen’, del Blanco says, to Knowledge@Wharton.

By maintaining a consistent brand and message, business leaders can take control of their destiny and create and communicate a strong, cohesive personal brand that can be projected into the world.

Resilience and Adaptability

Politics is unpredictable, and highly combustible. It is one of the most scandal-riven arenas of human activity. The realm of business would come in a close second (and often pips even politics). How politicians handle scandal and setback defines their careers, from Bill Clinton’s scandal . Resilience and adaptability are essential traits for maintaining a strong brand in the face of difficulty, for politicians and businesspeople alike.

A piece in the Financial Times emphasises the importance of learning in the face of change: ‘The concept of continuous learning is even more important in today’s global marketplace, where competition for jobs that require a mix of skill sets is intense’.

Indeed, learning is making oneself adaptable, and choosing to learn is itself a mark of resilience. Resilience in personal branding can involve continuous learning and development.

Leaders who invest in their personal and professional growth are often better equipped to handle challenges and adapt to new situations. This can involve pursuing additional education, seeking mentorship, and staying updated with industry trends.

A report by McKinsey highlights the importance of continuous learning in business leaders: ‘Just when leaders need fresh thinking and decisiveness, they tend to fall back on tried-and-true ways… Adaptability is the ability to learn flexibly and efficiently and to apply that knowledge across situations.’

Many business schools recognise that people need to learn, and even offer courses tailored to building a personal brand. Bocconi University offers a special course in personal branding on how ‘How to build and manage your personal brand’.

Leveraging Media and Technology

Politicians are adept at leveraging media and technology to amplify their message. By employing an array of techniques, from emails to in-person canvassing to utilizing data analytics to micro-target voters with personalized messages, they aim to get the right message to the right people at the right time.

Business leaders can learn from this and implement political techniques in their building of a personal brand. We have all seen the careers built by thought leader gurus on social media platforms!

Recent research by Wharton’s Pinar Yildirim shows that social media can significantly boost the support of political newcomers by providing an extremely cost-effective and even free and organic platform for communication. With some intelligence and panache, business leaders can similarly utilize social media to reach potential customers, investors, and partners, thereby levelling the playing field against more established competitors. From Kylie Jenner reaching billionaire status thanks to social media stardom to Elon Musk’s (albeit rocky) social media superstardom.

Furthermore, the rise of video content on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram has given politicians new avenues to connect with voters. Business leaders can leverage these platforms to share their business and knowledge and engage with their audience in real-time.

Politicians as role models?

Politicians offer an endless set of case studies and broad lessons on brand management, which business leaders can learn from, and even pilfer successful strategies from.

A canny business leader will keep an eye on political campaigns, learning how to avoid embarrassment and how to harness new ways to influence, convince, and nudge people.

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