Visible leadership
Whether you are a company of one or work in an organisation with tens, hundreds or thousands of other people - as a leader - the expectation of being visible can seem unrealistic, overwhelming or leave you feeling shit scared!
Yet it is something that you need to proactively manage and plan for.
And I'm afraid sending emails alone doesn't cut it!
Think about it.... people relate to people. And to be successful in your business you need to connect.
Now that doesn't mean that you can't have boundaries. You don't have to be accessible 24/7. You're not required to show up at (or on) anything or everything.
But you need to be strategic. Make sure that those you need to connect with the most - your staff, your customers, your community - feel that they see and hear from you often.
Be smart about how you do it. A mix of approaches will increase the likelihood that you are noticed...
A short video on your website/intranet. Engaging through your social channels. A blog post or newsletter opinion piece. An interview in the media. Attending or hosting events, Q&A sessions, networking. Face-to-face briefings or presentations. Walkabouts to informally speak to staff and customers. Getting back to the floor to better understand other people's experience of your business.
These are just a few ideas. There will be whole load more specific for your audience. Pick and mix what would work best. Test things out. Regularly seek feedback.
Consistency is key, so don't try and do everything at once only to realise that it isn't sustainable.
Work out a schedule that feels manageable. It may be that, for whatever you choose, you do each thing once or twice a month (eg one or two videos, one or two walkabouts, one or two events etc etc - you get the picture). It will mean that you are doing something different every week, which all adds up without putting pressure on your time.
And then, when you throw in talking about what you are up to and interacting with people on social media a few times a week, suddenly you are visible!
Carve out 15 minutes this week with a notebook of choice, a cuppa and plot out how you can start to increase your visibility in your business.