Authenticity is the most powerful business concept you can possibly employ.
Mess that concept up and you will either spend years doing damage control or your business will fail. Authenticity evolves around representing the true image of your business. It is not something created by a spin-doctor, nor is it an image that you wish to put forth just for the sake of putting the image forth. It’s about representing your unique business brand truthfully, with no smoke screen.
It’s like the story of The Wizard of Oz. We all know the story, the wizard had one image that he projected, but the true image was far from what he wanted everyone to believe. The authenticity model was irreparably flawed. It would do business owners well to step back and calibrate their authenticity model. That one factor can truly cause great success or great failure in business.
Authenticity can work well in both positive or negative modes. The codes fail when a business projects one image but are internally not that image. For example your company creates a voice mail that greets everyone that calls your company and says, “Welcome to XYZ Express the company for exemplary customer service.” Yet when someone calls in for customer support the service is extremely substandard.
In the age of social media it becomes harder and harder to have a non-authentic model. Major companies have been slammed on line by social media and have had to work over time getting their image improved. It would have been better if that particular company had a good product but was known for poor customer service. That would have been more authentic. It would have been negative authenticity but it still would have been authentic.
Authenticity is the true code for success in business. Attitude in your business always reflects leadership. If it’s messy at the top, no matter how you project your brand, the truth will always come out from your front line employees. Be authentic from the top down and it will filter through to all your employees creating a dynamic and successful brand and business. If you’re looking for some simple ways to build your brand with authenticity feel free to contact me.
Read more posts by Linda Leon, a marketing professional and entrepreneur. Feel free to contact her at www.thewealthsolutions.com.
