SS-01: Reset Your Brand in 2024: Style Insights from Ginni Rometty, former IBM CEO
A new year is here with the opportunity to begin again. For me, the start of a new year brings the gift to reset and to be clear on what I want to create.
As far as I can remember, I like to set goals and intentions for my business and personal life at the beginning of every year. The goals and intentions offer me guidance and inspiration throughout the year. They remind me of what I decided to commit to and why I am here—knowing well that each day is precious and I am responsible for creating the life I want to live.
I include my wardrobe in my goals and intentions, too. I know my clothes are part of my brand. Having a clear brand is crucial to a leader's success.
Clothes can encase you in a role. Wearing the same outfits for years without a change becomes stagnant, and you become dated. Changing your clothes can shape you into a new you and liberate you into who you are becoming and what you want to create. Having your brand is about owning who you are and controlling your career path.
Think about this.
“Evolution keeps the brand relevant, but purpose makes a brand immortal,” says Richard Dickson, CEO of Gap since July 2023. Knowing what makes your brand unique is vital to lead at the highest levels.
Are you aware what is the first impression that you give? Do you know what makes everyone know you have entered into a meeting? Do you embody the colors, textures, lines, and shapes that communicate your uniqueness? Is your story represented in your clothes?
Change, as we know, takes time, and often, we don’t have control of the outcomes. Building your brand and wardrobe story is a process where you have complete control, the change is visible immediately, and the impact is instant. Science claims that creating a first impression takes 6-8 seconds. Imagine how quickly you have the potential to make an impact.
Leaders with high stakes know the importance of owning a brand and aligning the outside with the inside. Ginni Rometty, the former CEO of IBM, is one of these leaders. In her book Good Power, she writes, “As much of my working life was beyond my control, I tried to control what I could. Attitude is all about the choices we make when faced with chaos, conflict, setbacks, and criticism”.
Ginni Rometty shares that she prepared for meetings, rehearsed her presentations, and cared for her appearance, which was something she could handle. Dressing the way she wanted helped her become more confident, and it helped her focus on the other variables that she could not control.
Her clothes became more stylish and colorful, with bright blues, yellows, greens, and pinks. Although people noticed her fashion sense, her intent was not to be fashionable but to be herself and feel confident. In other words, have a clear brand that people knew who she was while being true to herself with her story, values, and traditions.
Knowing your brand will evolve through the years, there will be a core that remains as it is your essence and what makes you, you!
Here are some questions that can inspire you to reset and find your brand for 2024.
What is the story you want to share with your audience?
Define your values and what drives you to become a personal brand in your field.
How do you describe your style in 3 words?
What makes you unique?
Are there a set of colors you connect with more?
How do you want to feel every time you enter into a meeting?
What do you love to wear?
What do you not like to wear?
Do you own something that makes you memorable and impactful every time you wear it?
To a great 2024, resetting your brand, the one that will help you to communicate your unique attributes, highlight your strengths, build trust, and establish a reputation to manifest your goals and intentions.