Why defining your PROFESSIONAL APPROACH builds value and trust – and what to do about it.

One of the core tools I use with teams and organisations is NWC’s Team Brand Confidence Scale, which measures how clear and confident a team is on who they are, what they do and why that matters. I use this rating scale to find out how team members feel about the level of confidence in their team or department, when it comes to communicating their identity.

Low scores all round…

One thing on that rating scale that usually scores quite poorly is how well the team articulates their APPROACH to the work they do. Have they defined, as a team, HOW they do things, and why this makes a difference for clients, stakeholders, or the rest of the organisation?

I also observe that many senior leaders and business owners I work with haven’t taken time out to really define their own professional or leadership approach, so they can’t readily put it into words or call on it when they need to – such as in performance reviews, job interviews, in business development conversations with new clients… or when leading their team.

What do I mean by defining your ‘PROFESSIONAL APPROACH’ to the work you do?

An individual professional might have developed a personal approach to their work, whether overtly or naturally over time. This can include things like how they tackle a new project, what steps they take, how they measure progress, how they communicate with others and how they lead.

Similarly, a cohesive team can have a collective, agreed ‘approach’ to their work, and this could include:

• Team Purpose and Goals – what we care about making a difference in, what we focus on achieving together, what we measure
• Team values – what matters to us in how we do things, what we prioritise and celebrate, what are our non-negotiables in delivery
• Method – the frameworks, important steps, principles and approaches we take
• Systems and processes – how we structure our work
• Style – such as our communication style, relationship style, sales style etc.

As an example – here’s a high-level model of New Work Consulting’s differentiated approach, along with a core analysis tool to start a client’s exploration of opportunities, gaps and risks:

What does a defined approach get you?

Many of my individual clients are senior executives moving to portfolio careers or starting their own consultancy in their area of expertise. When these clients are formulating their offering, I encourage them to illustrate their approach in a model or graphic that simply and clearly defines how they do things – their method for getting results.

A visual model not only helps people to quickly understand HOW you achieve what you do, but it helps them remember you for that clear approach, which in turn:

1. Builds trust in you as someone who has developed a time-tested method that achieves results.
2. Creates ‘share-ability’ – your audience can easily articulate, demonstrate or point to your approach to others they wish to refer.

My team needs a PROFESSIONAL APPROACH. Where do we start?

As a team, how can you communicate your professional approach with more clarity and confidence?

Some first steps might include:

• Gather as a team to reflect on our ‘best practice’ – how do we do things, at our best, that works for us?
• Look for the differentiator and put language to it – how do we do things differently, that makes a meaningful difference to our stakeholders?
• Review company values and examine how they apply to our team in practical ways.
• Revise and recommit to what we are trying to achieve together and for others.
• Co-create a visual framework or model to illustrate your professional approach, and decide how you will use it to communicate with your audiences.

Related material

How your business benefits when employees act as brand ambassadors

What has changed in how organisations approach trust and reputation management

Work with Julissa

Individuals   /   Organisations, boards & teams

My recent Leaders Roundtable discussion in Sydney was an opportunity to share some of the trends I’m seeing in how large organisations are changing their approach reputation management, brand visibility and value-building, and to hear from senior leaders across professional services about where they are seeing a need to focus.

From banking, finance and investment to HR, legal, risk and regulatory fields, we had a window into some fascinating worlds as we discussed this important topic.

FINSIA CEO Yasser El-Ansary presented opening remarks on why trust is a central theme in any organisation now, but it will mean different things in different contexts. For financial services, ‘trust and confidence’ are essential to survival.

The key trends I highlighted are summarised here:

…but most interesting were the insights the participants brought to the table, including:

• Leaders of industry are now COLLABORATING to lift the bar for the sector’s reputation, setting higher standards in transparency and conduct, engaging with regulators and learning from each other in how to build trust.
• The importance of supporting the INDIVIDUAL’s ‘personal brand’ and reputation, connecting their expertise and professional values with the organisation’s brand – because trust is formed through people.
• The challenge of translating a CHANGE in positioning to employees, or in having NEW STAFF appreciate and understand our reputation in the community.
• The need to work on the ‘internal brand’ (especially during restructures or team movement), including creating differentiated TEAM IDENTITIES and positioning ‘SPECIALISTS’ in the business.
• STAKEHOLDER INFLUENCE on story and finding the key points in story-building (for example, prioritising relationships and agendas in joint ventures).
• Getting employee representatives of the business onboard to communicate the ‘SO WHAT?’ for customers, and creating awareness of the outcomes of customer experience on reputation.
• Getting past the ‘PERSONAL BRAND CRISIS’ for technical experts who don’t like to talk about themselves… to help them position and communicate their value-add.
• CULTURAL DIFFERENCES within a GLOBAL organisation in how information is communicated are important to understand, e.g. language and benchmarking/goal-setting differences in diversity and inclusion.
• An understanding of the fragmented use of SOCIAL MEDIA by target audiences and employees.
• The consideration of the use of AI and technology in brand and reputation, including the speed of response to EMPLOYEE LEAKAGES of sensitive information.
• As professional advisors, ‘Just trust us’ is no longer enough… it has to be ‘TRUST US BECAUSE…’

“Just trust us” is no longer enough… it has to be “TRUST US BECAUSE…”

What was MOST EXCITING to me was that the roundtable discussion reflected views I am seeing in a range of enquiries and projects around Australia and beyond – the need to think about brand and reputation-building through meaningful engagement and empowerment of our people, and the need for brand and culture to align in order to build trust with stakeholders.

Related material

How your business benefits when employees act as brand ambassadors

What has changed in how organisations approach trust and reputation management

Work with Julissa

Individuals   /   Organisations, boards & teams

I recently posed the question: Is your mission-critical team being seen?

In 2024, our clients in professional services, resources and infrastructure took a much more strategic approach to team and leadership branding for the people who engage with stakeholders to drive outcomes for the business – and enquiries for 2025 indicate this focus will increase.  

WHY THIS FOCUS on team and leadership brand strategy for professional organisations in the current market?

 Accelerating competition through challenging market conditions and increased AI productivity and communication tools, combined with an increasingly risk-filled, litigious environment where businesses are held accountable to much more, mean that organisations are seeking:

1. A more pro-active approach to reputation value-building and risk mitigation – before a crisis hits.
2. Beyond relying on your track record: The need to stand out, not just for expertise but for the way leaders present themselves and build their ‘voice’.
3. The need to align siloed teams and empower different groups of people to talk about the organisation with confidence.
4. The need to provide cutting-edge, high-engagement and high-impact learning and development experiences to grow leaders and retain the best people.

Find out more about this approach here.

In 2025, I will be facilitating a series of complimentary leader roundtables around the country, to unpack what we’re seeing companies focus in on for brand growth, reputation risk management and culture strategy. In these sessions we will invite key leaders to bring their own insights and share their ideas and challenges with peers.

If you’re interested in co-hosting one of our leaders’ roundtables, either in your city or virtually, get in touch.

Related material

How your business benefits when employees act as brand ambassadors

What has changed in how organisations approach trust and reputation management

Work with Julissa

Individuals   /   Organisations, boards & teams

When people ask me what sets one organisation apart from another, I often respond with a question of my own: What’s your special sauce?

You know, that unique combination of ingredients that makes your organisation great—the flavour no one else can quite replicate. But here’s the thing: Can you bottle it? Could you clearly define and communicate what makes your organisation exceptional—both to your employees and the outside world?

If you’re pausing for a moment to think about that, you’re not alone.

Clear on Your Point of Difference

In a world where innovations in technology or pricing strategies are quickly copied, your true point of difference isn’t likely to lie there—at least, not for long. Your organisation’s real magic is far more likely to be about your people.

What do they stand for as a collective? What unique strengths and values do they bring as individuals? How do they connect with clients, build trust, and deliver value?

These questions get to the heart of your brand and culture. But here’s the challenge: how well are you communicating that difference? Because even the most genuine and powerful point of difference needs to be visible to have an impact.

“…even the most genuine and powerful point of difference needs to be visible to have an impact.”

For example, is it easy for your existing clients and referral sources to quickly express your value to their contacts? Are you showcasing your strengths in ways that resonate with new audiences online? Clarity is key – both internally and externally. If you can’t articulate your uniqueness, how will anyone else know it exists?

People as the Living Brand

I’ve seen time and again that brand growth stems from two fundamental principles: trust and visibility. For trust to exist, your brand needs to be aligned, cohesive, and consistently demonstrated through your people.

Think about it: In today’s increasingly virtual and connected world, every word your team members speak, every email they send, and every post they share online is amplified. Gaps in alignment stand out. That’s why clarity on your defining brand values is so important – not just at the leadership level, but throughout your entire organisation.

When your people are included in the process of developing those values, they naturally begin to embody them. This alignment doesn’t just elevate your brand; it builds confidence in your team. Employees who feel connected to a clear and meaningful brand and culture are empowered to communicate with stakeholders in a way that inspires trust.

From collaborating internally, to delivering client service, to building thought leadership online… every touchpoint becomes an opportunity for your team to reflect the essence of your organisation’s ‘special sauce’ – when they are clear and confident on what it is and why it matters.

A Recipe for Growth

So, here’s my challenge to you as a leader:

1. What’s your organisation’s special sauce?
2. Who in your organisation would describe it the same way you do?

If the answer to the second question isn’t everyone, then it’s time to dig deeper. It starts with clarity—getting everyone on the same page about what makes your organisation unique and valuable.

When your team truly understands and embraces your brand and culture, they become a cohesive force, united by a shared understanding of why their work matters. And that, more than anything, is what will drive sustainable growth and set you apart.

Your special sauce isn’t just about being different; it’s about being clear about why that difference matters. So, what’s in your bottle?

Related material

How your business benefits when employees act as brand ambassadors

Talking to everyone? Talking to NO-ONE. Get your value proposition right

Work with Julissa

Individuals   /   Organisations, boards & teams

In the last 18 months I have seen an uptake in organisation-wide Leadership Brand Development Programs. What does this mean?

 Organisations have, for some time now, had the following in place:

• A consideration of reputational risk on the board agenda, or at least, a crisis response process at management level and a concern for ‘trust levels’ with stakeholders.
• Support from their marketing and communications teams to clarify and build a cohesive brand through stakeholder engagement, digital platforms and campaigns.
• External ‘personal brand’ and ‘LinkedIn’ trainings at foundational level.

What has changed is that organisations are realising that they now need:

• A pro-active, company-wide approach to shared identity-building, online and offline, to build differentiated brand awareness and brand trust as the foundation for the company’s narrative – to help counteract reputational challenges when they come up.
• To go beyond a stand-alone ‘training program’ – instead, to develop a strategic brand re/building and online identity alignment process, that is championed and modelled at leader-level and cascades into the culture of the organisation over time.

What is a ‘Leadership Brand Development Program’ – and why this?

I talk a lot about Leadership Branding – how your personal brand requires a different level of thinking and communication at leadership level, and why so many leaders are seeking to undertake this process for themselves.

The trend I am starting to see in Australia is a marked increase in awareness and interest in developing an approach to Leadership Branding for senior staff across whole organisations or jurisdictions, in alignment with the global brand and aspiring culture. The goal is not just to train leaders in how to represent themselves and the business (what I call ‘personal brand foundations’), but in developing a culture of strongly positioned, visible and aligned leadership brands.

“Trust built into systems as a sustainable competitive advantage” – Marcos Aguiar, BCG

One analytical tool I use is NWC’s ‘Trust Map’, which helps decision-makers to see where their people sit on the map in terms of how effectively their individual brands build trust with others – of course, directly affecting trust levels in the business as a whole.

A strong organisation-wide Leadership Brand Strategy means that:

• Your most senior staff are united in leading trust-building through authentic but well-structured personal identities aligned with the company brand, and –
• You have not only an individualised, leader-level approach to brand-building, but a company-wide cultural strategy that works to move ALL your people towards the top-right quadrant on the Trust Map.

(You can watch me explain the Trust Map in the opening 15 minutes of this webinar recording.)

Getting leaders’ engagement in the process

When it comes to developing leadership brands, crucial to success is getting engagement and commitment-to-action from participants. These time-pressured leaders are working in complex environments and juggling multiple objectives, so connecting at an individual level on how this work will directly support them to succeed is vital. For example, many senior executives I work with are concurrently developing either a board portfolio or an understanding of how their work impacts board decision-making, so a consideration of their ‘board brand’ becomes part of the strategy to help them achieve at work. This tailored advice from knowledgeable experts is the kind of thing your leaders value spending time on.

Related material

Is your mission-critical team being seen?

People can’t come knocking if they don’t see a door

Work with Julissa

Individuals   /   Organisations, boards & teams

Using a Value Proposition Chart to FOCUS on WHO you are talking to.

Having just completed a sprint of team branding workshops and leadership brand strategy sessions to clarify positioning and value messaging, front-of-mind at the moment is the importance of narrowing your message to a specific audience.

Talking to everyone? No, you’re not.

In presentations on brand communication, I always tell the audience: ‘If you’re talking to everyone, you’re talking to NO-ONE.’

People’s first impulse when asked to identify their stakeholders or client segments is to give me a long list of examples, or simply to say, ‘Well, everyone, really!’ This is most prevalent among entrepreneurs starting new businesses who want to grow their market as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, many of us (myself included, in the early days of starting a business) learn the hard way: When you try to appeal to everyone, or many, your message ends up unclear, untargeted and ultimately… unheard.

When you try to appeal to everyone, your message ends up unclear, untargeted and ultimately… unheard.

If you want to gain traction quickly, keep it focused… just like a laser (many beams targeting one spot). It may seem counterintuitive, but a narrow approach will actually attract wider audiences – even ones you don’t expect. This is because you are ACTUALLY SAYING SOMETHING – and that will appeal strongly to your target audience, and others besides.

A business example

In a recent workshop with an energy client, I asked the group to identify their main ‘buckets’ of stakeholders. This experienced team straight away agreed on the 5 key audiences that they build a presence with, through their work every day. They knew them well – who they are, where they play, what they need from the team.

As we considered each stakeholder group and what the team helps them achieve, it was quickly evident how vastly different the messaging (both in content and language) needed to be to appeal to different groups.

For example, a community stakeholder may be largely concerned with the sustainability of their region: the provision of jobs and the welfare of its people. While this might also be a consideration for an internal stakeholder such as the executive team that our team answer to, the most important point to highlight with internal decision-makers might be how the team’s plan contributes to the company’s strategy to reach commercial, financial and ESG goals.

While the team knew this, taking the time to put the value proposition for each stakeholder into CLEAR WORDS was seen as an important step in empowering them to be more confident communicators when they step in front of these audiences (including online).

Your take-away here

Work with your team to put together simple value proposition chart like the one below, to help clarify some laser-focused messaging – then use the chart as a ‘roadmap’ when planning your communications to these audiences.

Deceptively simple… but difficult to do well. It will require some workshopping, reviewing and improving – and the all-important step of ensuring everyone is on the same page!

Related material

Do your people know how to talk about your brand?

Work with Julissa

Individuals   /   Organisations, boards & teams

Related material

Work with Julissa

Individuals   /   Organisations, boards & teams

Related material

Work with Julissa

Individuals   /   Organisations, boards & teams

Related material

Work with Julissa

Individuals   /   Organisations, boards & teams

Related material

Why a Purpose & Values ‘Retreat’ will not work for you

Briding the gap between Brand and Culture to build trust with stakeholders

Work with Julissa

Individuals   /   Organisations, boards & teams