Debbie Laskey On Branding And Leadership

Image Credit: Freepik.

For years, branding, marketing and leadership expert, Debbie, Laskey, has offered her insights, observations and tips to my blog readers. Today, Debbie joins us again to answer questions about branding and leadership.

Debbie Laskey has nearly three decades of marketing experience and an MBA Degree. She developed her marketing expertise while working in the high-tech industry, the Consumer Marketing Department at Disneyland Paris in France, the nonprofit arena, and financial services and insurance sectors. Her expertise includes brand marketing, leadership development, and customer experience marketing. She is a regular contributor to several national blogs that provide insights about marketing and leadership, and she's been recognized as one of the "Top 50 Branding Experts" to follow on Twitter/X at @DebbieLaskeyMBA. Visit her website at www.BrandingAndMore.net and her blog at www.DebbieLaskeysBlog.com.

QUESTION: NBC has launched a new unscripted reality series called “On Brand with Jimmy Fallon,” which will be hosted, created, and executive-produced by Jimmy Fallon, host of The Tonight Show.

In each episode, On Brand Agency creatives will work with a major brand in need of a big idea for a massive, high-priority campaign – from creating earworm jingles and unbelievable activations to producing the most quotable commercials and must-have merchandise. They will have unprecedented access to the client's business before pitching their vision to a brand rep, with only the best ideas moving on to proof-of-concept and the opportunity to see their campaign brought to life on the national stage after each episode. What are your thoughts about this new TV show?

DEBBIE LASKEY: Here's Jimmy Fallon's explanation for the show, "I love branding, I love marketing, I love the world of advertising, and I think there are a lot of people out there who do as well. This show lets the audience and our contestants get a peek behind the curtain of how campaigns for some of the biggest brands come together and what goes into making them. It's exciting."

As someone who views the world through marketing-colored lenses and as a professional marketing pro, I cannot wait to see the show! It sounds like a lot of fun - and hopefully, it will teach everyone about the importance of marketing - and that marketing success isn't easy!

On Brand with Jimmy Fallon premieres on NBC on Tuesday, September 30 at 10/9c and airs Tuesdays and Fridays, with the second episode premiering on Friday, October 3, at 8/7c.

QUESTION: Cracker Barrel dropped its plans to remodel its restaurants while also quickly rolling back its recently announced new logo after public backlash. What went wrong and what are the brand marketing lessons learned?

DEBBIE LASKEY: This brand's logo change played out in the mainstream media unlike most brand identity changes. In fact, we can look back in time and recall only a few that garnered such public interest, for example, the GAP's logo change back in 2010 may rival the attention of Cracker Barrel - and of course, there was New Coke back in 1985. But what made this change so unique was that it attracted attention and comment by the White House - and then became a divisive political issue.

According to Tim Calkins, Marketing Professor at the Kellogg School of Management, "To understand the Cracker Barrel situation, it is important to realize that the brand has been struggling. While the chain has grown significantly since its creation in 1969, it is no longer on a promising path...Behind the brand’s struggles is an aging consumer base. Cracker Barrel’s core target is over 65: individuals with time to enjoy a leisurely lunch and browse through the retail offerings. Traffic with this group fell off post-pandemic and remains weak. It’s hard to see how the current trajectory leads to better results; the brand’s old-time look and feel is comforting but not likely to resonate with younger consumers or those entering their older years. The problem is that the Cracker Barrel rebrand is becoming political. The former Cracker Barrel imagery was old, rural, traditional, and, for some people, racist. Any move away from that can appear inclusive or woke. In a world with hair-trigger social media and commentators eager to stir up controversy to drive ratings, this is a dangerous area."

It's hard to tell what logo changes and brand identity changes will stir up controversy (although the debate regarding the Sydney Sweeney jeans ad campaign by American Eagle Outfitters should definitely have been predicted!), however, we live in such a divisive era that brands should conduct more extensive focus groups than ever before to gain insights into possible public reactions.

QUESTION: MSNBC recently re-branded and became MS NOW. What are your thoughts about this brand identity change?

DEBBIE LASKEY: The Hollywood Reporter explained, "The MSNBC name is about to be phased out. On August 18, as the news brand preps for a future separated from NBC News, the cable TV stalwart unveiled a new name, logo, and acronym-driven identity: MS NOW, meaning "My Source for News, Opinion and the World." The shift retires a name that was christened in 1996 with the launch of the co-branded partnership between Microsoft and NBC News that carried the MSNBC name. The impetus for the change? NBCUniversal owner Comcast is spinning off most all of its TV channels into a separate publicly traded company, Versant, in a deal that may close this fall. Because of that, the formerly named MSNBC is rebuilding its news outlet for a world in which it doesn’t collaborate directly with NBC News and carry the peacock imagery."

These days, since we have so many outlets for news and information, this one option's rebranding may seem insignificant. However, when a brand changes its name and, in this case, meaning behind its initials, one must wonder about the explanation - and if the "new" version of the outlet will have staying power

QUESTION: Now turning our attention to leadership. Often, we read about best boss traits. What are two traits of a bad boss, and why are those behaviors so damaging within the workplace?

DEBBIE LASKEY: Here are two...when leaders think they know everything AND when leaders don't own errors.

When leaders presume to be the smartest person in the room, they create a toxic workplace because employees are afraid to ask questions and speak up. The best work environment is when leaders acknowledge their own strengths (and weaknesses and/or areas where they can grow and learn) and assemble a team of people with areas of expertise in a variety of areas that enrich theirs. This demonstrates that the leader trusts the team and wants to develop the team as a whole. And also, the room is full of experts - not just one!

Second, everyone makes mistakes. When a mistake is made, the leader is the top of the food chain - and the error is his/hers/theirs. No one wins if a leader points fingers at the team member who actually made the error - and especially, if the finger-pointing happens in public.

QUESTION: Do you believe that there are differences between leading for a for-profit versus a nonprofit organization? If yes, what are some differences?

DEBBIE LASKEY: Leading a for-profit is different than leading a nonprofit. Revenue is the top priority for a for-profit leader (also referred to as KPI's or key performance indicators) while spreading the mission, doing good work, and attracting donors are the top priorities for a nonprofit leader.

In addition, C-Suites in many large for-profit orgs include experts such as CFO, CIO, CISO, CITO, CMO, and Chief Personnel roles. These don't exist in the nonprofit arena, and as a result, many of these areas of expertise fall to people who end up wearing many hats. One area in particular has not received appropriate attention in the nonprofit arena - due to small budgets – is the marketing function, and as a result, brand awareness campaigns suffer.

QUESTION: What is the most impactful book about leadership you've read, and why is it your favorite?

DEBBIE LASKEY: There are so many inspiring leadership books that I'm going to share one that may not appear on the classical leadership lists. It's HOW'S THE CULTURE IN YOUR KINGDOM, Lessons from a Disney Leadership Journey by Dan Cockerell.

Here are some memorable quotes - and lessons - from the book:

"As leaders, it is within our control and our responsibility to create the right culture for our organizations. It is also the most important thing you can do for the success of those with whom you interact."

"Find your moral compass. Ask yourself these questions:

What do I want to be known for?
What do I want people to say about me?
What makes me the happiest and fulfilled?
Who are the role models I would like to emulate?"

"Get to know your teammates...send out a worksheet to them asking their favorite songs, movies, food, and more...in order to treat them as individuals and make them feel special."

Comments

Seven Ways To Be A Collaborative Leader

Edward M. Marshall 's book, Transforming The Way We Work -- The Power Of The Collaborative Workplace , remains relevant today, more than a decade after Marshall wrote it. Particularly useful is the book's section that teaches readers how to be a collaborative leader. Marshall says that there are seven different, important roles and responsibilities of collaborative leaders when leading teams , and those leaders should select the appropriate style to meet the team's needs. The seven roles are : The leader as sponsor -- You provide strategic direction, boundaries and coaching for the team. You also monitor progress and ensure integrity in the team's operating processes. The leader as facilitator -- You ensure that meetings, team dynamics, and interpersonal relationships function effectively. You also ensure internal coordination of activities among team members. The leader as coach -- You provide support and guidance and you serve as a sounding board. The lea...

Six-pillar Roadmap For How To Move From Merely Surviving To Truly Mattering

In the new book, The Mattering Effect: Creating A Life Of Meaning And Worth , podcaster and author John R. Miles reframes today’s most common struggles and empowers individuals and institutions alike to break bad habits and reclaim a sense of worth and belonging. “Organizations have spent the last decade chasing 'engagement' and 'psychological safety,' yet global productivity is stalling and 60% of employees report they do not feel valued in the places where they spend their days,” shares Miles. He calls this “The Great Erasure”—a condition where high-achievers become highly visible to the organization while becoming invisible to themselves. In addition, Miles argues that many of today’s most common struggles—burnout, anxiety, loneliness, and disengagement—are not personal failures or mindset problems. They are the result of unmattering: the gradual erosion of felt significance within modern systems that reward performance while overlooking presence. Fortu...

More Leadership Quotes From John C. Maxwell

The real gems in John C. Maxwell's book, Everyone Communicates Few Connect , book are the abundant leadership and communication quotes, such as these: To add value to others, one must first value others. People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude. All good communicators get to the point before their listeners start asking, "What's the point?" The first time you say something, it's heard. The second time, it's recognized, and the third time it's learned. In the end, people are persuaded not by what we say, but by what they understand. People pay attention when something that is said connects with something they greatly desire. Maxwell also says that: Management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could . The book covers five principles and five practices to help readers so they can connect one-on-one, in a group, or...

Questions You'll Likely Be Asked At Your Next Job Interview

Many Human Resource (HR) managers have moved away from questions like "What's your weakness?" and prefer behavior-based questions , which ask you to: describe how you handled specific situations at your former jobs If you are about to interview for your next leadership position, be prepared for questions like these (from an article in Reader's Digest ): Tell me about a time when your integrity was challenged . What was the situation, and what did you do? Tell me about a time you had to work with someone you did not personally like . If you could come to work with only three tools to get your job done, what would they be ? What personal and professional development have you been engaged in outside the workplace over the past year? Describe your Outlook calendar on a typical day

Decide

Many years ago, I worked with a person who could not make decisions. Neither big nor small decisions. That indecisiveness paralyzed our business in many ways. Unfortunately, the book, Decide: Work Smarter, Reduce Your Stress, and Lead by Example , had not been published. Had it, I would have shared it with my co-worker. Decide , published this past February, teaches readers how to make better decisions based on the real results they want to experience. The author, Steve McClatchy, explains how to use the two forms of human motivation -- Gain, or Prevent Pain , to make more effective decisions. For example, he demonstrates how inserting a Gain task in the middle of a Prevent Pain day can give you the energy you need to move forward and make the Prevent Pain tasks take less time through motivation. Deeper into the book, you'll be reminded about not only the problems with procrastination, but also about the benefits of procrastination, and, if you are ...

High-Performing Teams Are Made Of This

According to Ron Ricci and Carl Wiese, authors of the book, The Collaboration Imperative , high-performing teams have the following characteristics: People have solid and deep trust in each other and in the team's purpose--they feel free to express feelings and ideas. Everybody is working toward the same goals. Team members are clear on how to work together and how to accomplish tasks. Everyone understands both team and individual performance goals and knows what is expected. Team members actively diffuse tension and friction in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. The team engages in extensive discussion, and everyone gets a chance to contribute--even the introverts. Disagreement is viewed as a good thing and conflicts are managed. Criticism is constructive and is oriented toward problem solving and removing obstacles. The team makes decisions when there is natural agreement--in the cases where agreement is elusive, a decision is made by the team lead or executiv...

5 Compelling Benefits Of Having An Ethical Culture

In Andrew Leigh's book, Ethical Leadership , he provides these compelling and important benefits of having an ethical culture in your business/organization: Customers prefer dealing with companies who put ethics at the center of their culture. Most employees would prefer to earn less working for an ethical company than being paid more and working for an unethical company. More than one in three people at work say they've left a job because they've disagreed with the company's ethical standards ( Trevino, L and Nelson, K - 2011 ) If you adopt an early warning system against misconduct it reduces the risk of you facing expensive litigation. An ethical culture helps you make your company a strong affirming place to work in. "The foundations of an ethical culture include values, attitudes, meaning, behaviors, purpose, and management practices," explains Leigh.

Make It Easy For Your Employees To Volunteer

Start planning now for this year's National Volunteer Week, April 15-21 . That's the week when nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S. will celebrate and honor their volunteers. If you are not already volunteering, what a great time to start. Make a commitment to yourself to start volunteering before that week starts! And, if you are a workplace leader who supports a volunteer program at your business, you already know that by encouraging employees to give back to your community you are: building teamwork motivating employees attracting new hires In fact, job seekers much prefer companies that have a strong volunteer program. And, a growing number of businesses are rewarding employees who volunteer by giving them extra vacation time and other incentives. Fortunately, throughout the U.S. there are hundreds of volunteer opportunities where employees can contribute individually, or where leaders can organize teams of employees to volunteer together on a routin...

Good Coach Versus Bad Coach

Former Verizon Wireless CEO, Denny F. Strigl offers these tips for how to be a good coach to an employee. He explains that good coaches help performers by : Keeping them focused. Giving them objective, helpful feedback. Acting as a sounding board for new approaches. Identifying blind spots that may be holding the performer back. Reinforcing key values, principles, and behaviors that improve performance. Recognizing positive behavior and performance. Providing encouragement after setbacks and failures Setting "stretch" goals. Acting as an accountability partner. Strigl believes that some managers fail in their coaching roles because they : View coaching as babysitting. See coaching as only correcting performance. Don't spend enough time with their employees. Are reluctant to criticize. Have social relationships with their employees. Have a "sink-or-swim" philosophy. Believe coaching is not helpful or meaningful. "Coaching may...

How Will The Value Of Your Days Be Measured?

I recommend that all leaders every so often read the What Will Matter poem by Michael Josephson . It serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of unselfishly serving and leading with character. I've highlighted in bold and in color my favorite parts of the poem: Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else. Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed. Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear. So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire. The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away. It won't matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end. It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brillian...

Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

Search This Blog