July 2009 / August 2009
Express yourself
Who are you at work? According to a study by psychologists OPP, as many as two thirds of the UK’s workforce modify their personality in the office. The survey also found that while a fifth of workers tone down their assertiveness, over a quarter (28%) actively accentuate it – a contradiction that perfectly encapsulates the confusion people feel about who’re they meant to be at work.
Many a manager might wonder why this matters – as long as they’re doing their job, why worry if an employee hides their true personality? But pretending to be someone you’re not is demanding, diverting energy away from the job at hand and potentially damaging performance. As we discover in this special identity issue, managers face a delicate balancing act between encouraging individuality and creating a cohesive culture to unite everyone behind the corporate goals.
Also this month, we explain how to build a powerful personal brand and talk new identities and names changes with Interbrand's Rita Clifton. So read on and find out how to be – and better – yourself.
Features
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Called after Hollywood pin-up Rita Hayworth, Rita Clifton once longed to change her ‘awful’ name. But she stuck with it and forged a successful career masterminding new identities and name changes for blue-chip companies. Now chairman of Interbrand, she tells Jane Lewis why a powerful brand is about more than a fresh moniker and a fancy logo
From concealing our quick temper to suppressing our sexuality, we all alter our identity at work to some extent. While playing down some aspects of our personality won’t hurt, a non-stop Jekyll and Hyde act will undoubtedly harm performance. How can managers make sure they – and their teams – are true to themselves yet aligned with organisational values? Steve Coomber reports
In an increasingly competitive world, the strength of your image is crucial in marketing what you have to offer. So how do you go about creating a powerful personal brand? Scott Beagrie explains how to promote Me Incorporated
Columns
How to motivate
Everyone, even the most disinterested team member, is motivated by something. The challenge for managers is to identify each individual’s motivational drivers and play to them – it will improve their performance and your job satisfaction, as Scott Beagrie finds out
Eyes on the prize
We’ve all met people with a sense of purpose – they know what they want, where they’re going, and how they’re going to get there. But there’s nothing stopping you from becoming one of them – all you need is a plan, says Jim Lawless
The generation game
One likes Radio 2 while the other’s all about the iPod – don’t be surprised if things get nasty in the battle between youth and experience, says Stewart Gowans