Branding and Marketing YOU Through Teams: Destiny Man; 16 October 2013

DESTINY caught up with author and CEO of Branding & Marketing You Through Teams on her new book and the winning formula for branding in business.

• What inspired you to write Branding & Marketing YOU Through Teams?

Donna Rachelson (Photo supplied)

I have been in branding and marketing for years and have lots of experience in the field. I noticed that  a lot of emphasis is placed on personal and company brands, but no research has been carried out on team branding. As the people in an organisation are key to the development of a brand, it is vital that not only the people, but teams in the organisation understand how to brand and market themselves.

• How and why did you select the six companies you chose to work with?

I selected companies who demonstrated best practice in their fields. I also wanted to have a variety of fields like sport, NGOs, corporate companies and entrepreneurial based businesses. The issue of branding spans every kind of business, whether it be service or product-based.

• What are the skills or virtues one needs to be a good team player?

You must work on your personal brand in order to work successfully in a team. The team needs to know the virtues, talents and skills you have so you can be assigned accordingly. These skills and virtues can differ, however, I did find that members of the teams I profiled had high emotional intelligence (EQ) and an outward focus. This means they focus on the overall quality of their work without looking specifically at their job description and just sticking to it. They also stay away from office politics and keep focused on the job at hand.

• How would a person cultivate those skills and virtues, should they not come naturally?

Everyone has unique skills and talents, and I believe we’re most effective when we work to our strengths.  In terms of working in a team, it’s important that team members have complementary skills. Different clients and situations often require a different skill set. It is important to look at a project as though you are the client. Ask yourself, ‘what would I like to get out of this venture?’ ‘How would I want this team to tackle my project?’ This way it will be easier to identify the key outcomes that need to be achieved for each project.

• Many people worry working in teams means they will not be noticed for possible promotions. Would you advise that individuals move away from group settings to advance their careers?

Not necessarily. I strongly believe in personal branding. If companies focus on personal branding, they allow each staff member to become strong in their role and they develop a competitive edge as an organisation. Combining people with strong personal brands, who are willing to put ego aside, will make a successful team that adds value to the organisation. This means there’s room for growth for the individuals in the team as they are recognised for the difference the team makes.

It is also important to note, however, that some people just work best on their own and will get far more fulfilling experiences working as individuals. But in researching my book, I generally found that the teams were comprised of high-performance individuals. By putting top achievers together, the sum is greater than its parts – the talents and skills within the team are multiplied as the members work together.