Professional Development

Personal branding is crucial in any industry but even more so in a tight-knit community like club management. While your club constructs a brand to facilitate its goals of member acquisition and retention, community building, and experience creation, it is equally important for the manager and team to have their own authentic personal brands. To the club professional, personal branding is not about self-aggrandizing publicity but rather a statement that signifies a commitment to service, team, and profession. Whether it’s day-to-day operations management, member engagement, or project management, a strong personal brand helps solidify meaningful relationships for increased access to rewarding career options. When considering your brand, start by reflecting on the strengths you bring to the position you’re in and qualities you’d want others to acknowledge. When you have a good idea of those, then breathe life into those attributes across your interactions and communications.

Balancing Perception and Reality
Like any service-based industry, first impressions count in the club industry. From how you welcome members to interactions with the team and networking at industry events, every single interaction builds a perception about you. Your brand is not just how you want to be perceived; it’s how people perceive you through consistency, values, and behaviour. A personal brand is your real character, well-represented by your strengths, personality, and so on. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just authentic. Your colleagues and members will appreciate the fact that as a manager, you are honest and transparent in your intentions; this will further develop your relationships and build trust. Take the time to understand what you have to offer, then highlight those gifts through your actions on a continued basis.

Authenticity and Consistency
Personal branding in club management is derived from a very important foundation. One might say the most important quality that someone can possess in any client/member relations business is self-awareness. Members and colleagues like leaders who are friendly, consistent, and easy to identify with. Quite often, a bit of modesty and a disposition to listen goes even further. If you value teamwork, reliability, and clarity, let these values be manifested in what you do day in and day out. Define three or four core values you want to represent, and then seek to instill these in your daily life in small, significant ways.

A Compelling Value Proposition
A true personal brand has a value proposition: what makes you uniquely suited to do what you do? This is also known as your “why,” something that lies at the heart of your being right for the job. Rather than trying to be everything to everyone, focus on a few core strengths that make you different, such as running successful events, making good conversation, or managing finances. Then, write a short statement of what you bring to your role using real examples like positive feedback from members or success stories from a recent initiative. Practice turning these examples into a short “elevator speech” so that you can share your strengths quickly, easily, and naturally when the opportunity arises.

Allowing Others to Tell Your Story
Having a network of valued contacts can lend credibility to and help you progress your career. Many times others’ referrals mean more than self-promotion. When others in your network or peers have positive stories to tell about you and your work, it reinforces your brand way more than you could yourself. Find ways to add value to your network like sharing best practices or insights into the industry. Sharing information relevant to your areas of expertise will be helpful to others and further reinforce your reputation. Pay more attention to relationship-building rather than short-term gains. A great network grows with you over time and continues to support you long after the initial meeting.

Your Online Presence
In today’s society, almost everyone exists online, and for most, that’s where first impressions are made. Future employers and peers will look for you online; it is thus important your online presence reflects your intended image. A profile like LinkedIn should focus on your work experience, accomplishments, and values and never be too personal or political. When all your “intersections” with the world, specifically your electronic and live presence are consistent, people get a sense you’re reliable and trustworthy. Examine your social network sites. Are they congruent with the personal brand you would want? Consistency breeds confidence and allows others to view you in the way you want to be viewed.

Observing and Learning
One of the smartest barometers in building your brand is observing successful peers. Note the respected leaders and colleagues around you. Observe how they interact with members, overcome obstacles, manage teams, and present themselves. Reflect on those qualities you admire, whether it is their way of communication, integrity, or problem-solving skills, and consider how those might be related to you. Similarly, notice the traits you don’t connect with because they are often learning opportunities in themselves. Nurturing your personal brand does not involve using everything one sees; it actually involves choosing those qualities that best connect to who you are and who you’d like to be.

The time and energy you put into building your personal brand are an investment in a professional identity of growth, connection, and success. A well-developed personal brand earns you credibility and trust from members and colleagues alike and respect in the club management community. Your personal brand, above all, reflects your journey. Let it be authentic and multi-dimensional to your personality and character, and it will serve you well throughout your life.

Michael Herd is an International Consultant and Search Executive with KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE, a consulting firm providing executive search, strategic planning and data analysis services to the private club and hospitality industries. Michael can be reached at +44 (0) 7903 035312 and at michael@kkandw.com.