Chapter 03. The Story We Belong To, Part 01

The Forest In Between the Trees

Branding is an integral part of leadership, as it calls for leaders to deliberately contribute to the sense of belonging everyone feels inside a team or organization. Every group and culture has a brand, which is much more than a visual identity. Instead, it's the set of emotions that someone feels when they interact with the brand or associate something with the brand. It is the story they tell themselves about how they belong with the group. We all sell things every day, regardless of our field of work or industry. Leadership is about understanding this responsibility to create a narrative around the vision, purpose and culture that others will find resonant. A culture's routine practices and norms are a reflection of the stories people tell themselves every day, and must therefore be carefully constructed and amplified by leaders. Branding can become a powerful force for driving intrinsic motivation. Leaders must communicate a sense of purpose and of belonging to the members of the organization.