If you live anywhere in the Rocky Mountain Region – or even the United States – you’ve certainly heard the name of the Denver Broncos star quarterback, Tim Tebow. He came on the scene in Denver after a successful college career in Florida and began making a name for himself for his developing sports abilities and his personal character and strong values.
I was delighted to be asked by Denver’s NBC news affiliate, KUSA – 9News, to comment on leadership qualities that business professionals can take from watching this emerging sports star.
Here are some of the qualities I think most notably reflect Tebow’s personal brand:
1. Conviction and Values
In any interview of Tim Tebow, we see him communicate with strong conviction. He is passionate and committed to his faith, his team and the strength of his personal values. As we talk about in personal branding, being able to articulate your personal values and show consistency in action towards living them builds your credibility.
2. Authenticity
When interviewed after a win, or a loss, Tebow shares a genuine and authentic appreciation of the situation. We don’t believe he is hiding behind a facade or putting on a “game face” when addressing audiences – from the media, to fans to fellow team members. We feel we are seeing his authenticity.
3. Consistency
Similar to his authenticity, Tebow represents himself consistently with his values. He believes in Christian principles, and they guide his actions towards the people he interacts with. Always. He tells us that he believes in community and giving back. We see evidence of this in the numerous hands-on efforts he delivers through his charity work and philanthropy. His consistency makes him believable and trustworthy.
4. Humility
There is a vulnerability and humility when Tebow is interviewed that makes him very likable. When complimented on a win, he immediately thanks others – from his Lord, to his team to the fans. He doesn’t hog the spotlight; instead he celebrates the success of others.
The business leaders I work with strive for conviction of values, authenticity, consistency in actions and humility. In the professional community, we know that collaboration, buy-in and healthy competition come from being able to form relationships that are focused on a common goal and are achieved by acting with integrity.
As business continues to navigate the turbulent economy, and particularly with the exciting election season beginning, we can remind ourselves that similar to Tim Tebow (and the entire Broncos organization), there is no predicting the outcome of the game. We can, however, ensure we live and act with integrity, share responsibility and move forward in building our personal brand from a position of strength. When we stay focused on the personal qualities we bring to the table that make us unique, compelling and relevant to target audiences, we build the desired reputation that attracts the opportunities we desire.
ABOUT LIDA
As counsel and reputation management expert to international corporations, senior executives, CEOs and business leaders, Lida Citroën launched LIDA360, a reputation management firm, to devise corporate marketing strategies and personal branding processes that drive results. Her programs continuously and intuitively revolve — and evolve — around client business objectives while positioning companies and executives to outshine their competitors.
As an accomplished professional speaker on personal branding and reputation management, her programs, “Stand Out from the Crowd: Leveraging Your Personal Brand” and “Personal Branding & Reputation Management Online” generate rave reviews.
The author of the best-selling guide to reputation management, “Reputation 360: Creating power through personal branding,” (Palisades Publishing, 2011) Lida delivers speaking programs, consulting and coaching on:
– Reputation Management for Executives
– Reputation Management for Professionals
– Reputation Management for Non-Profits
– Personal Branding for Today’s Executives
– Personal Branding & Reputation Management with Social Media
For more information visit www.LIDA360.com or call 800.314.5060.
