Why internal reputation doesn't translate externally

She was visible in the room but invisible online. A client said to me recently, “In person, people know who I am and what I bring. But online? You’d never know it.” And she was right. In person it was clear she had decades of credibility. She was the person people turned to when decisions needed to be made, things needed to get done, problems solved, or trust established. Her peers knew it. Her clients knew it. Her team knew it. But when someone Googled her, her LinkedIn profile came up, and the message simply didn’t match. 📉 A profile that undersold her expertise. 📉 Inconsistent or non-existent activity. 📉 A digital first impression that didn’t reflect the reputation she’d earned. And here is the challenge with this - people don’t separate offline from online anymore. ✨ The client meeting you tomorrow has already looked you up today. ✨ The board member you’re pitching to has already scanned your profile. ✨ The graduate considering your firm has already checked your team’s presence. ✨ The investor you’re meeting next week has already searched your name. ✨ The client referral you haven’t even met yet has already formed an impression. If your online presence doesn’t reflect your offline reputation, it creates disconnect before you even enter the room. “Are they really the expert?” “If their business is as strong as they say, why can’t I see it here?” You’ve worked too hard to be invisible. The good news? You don’t need constant posting or flashy campaigns to close that gap. What you need are the right foundations: ✔️ A profile that communicates value, not just a job title. ✔️ Consistent, purposeful activity that mirrors how you show up in person. ✔️ A digital presence that builds trust before the first handshake. Because your reputation shouldn’t depend on which version of you people happens to find first. Make sure the person people meet online is the same one they already trust in the room.

"How well a brand is understood externally depends on how well it is understood internally." – DixonBaxi That's why we involve everyone in the brand building journey. From leadership to front line teams, alignment and collaboration is non negotiable. Internal confusion, fragmentation, or lack of clarity will always reflect outwardly...your customers will sense it. A fractured internal narrative becomes an inconsistent external message...on top of that this is also WAY more expensive to maintain in the long run! If you want to make a meaningful impact externally, start by cultivating a deep, shared understanding internally. When your entire organisation speaks the same language and shares the same purpose, your brand becomes magnetic, cohesive, clear, and impossible to ignore. Strategy isn’t just a document. It’s the process of bringing everyone together under one vision, one mission, and one purpose. That’s where the magic happens, and that’s how great brands are built.

𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝. Here’s what no one tells high-performing leaders when layoffs hit: The market doesn’t reward experience. It rewards positioning. You might be a Director, a VP, a CTO, a Program Manager. 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬. 𝐎𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬. 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐭𝐲. But now you’re stepping into a crowded space where no one knows what you’ve done. You’re not a marketing expert. You didn’t need a personal brand—until now. But if you’re shifting into consulting, advisory, private-sector leadership, or board work— your résumé won’t carry the weight you think it will. 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲, 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬, 𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬. They only understand perception. And if your positioning doesn’t match your performance... You’ll lose to someone with half your experience and twice the visibility. You’ve built trust internally. Now it’s time to build recognition externally. This isn’t about personal branding for branding’s sake. It’s about making your value understandable...fast. You're not starting over. You're stepping forward. But only if the right people can see it.

Your business culture might be sabotaging your reputation. Surprised? Culture isn’t an HR buzzword. It’s the silent architect of your brand’s image. Leaders pour time into external branding. Yet often overlook what’s happening internally. Every employee's actions and decisions are sculpted by the culture around them. Here’s the reality: Perks and motivational posters don't create a true culture. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀. The everyday actions that reflect what you genuinely stand for. If there’s a gap between your stated values and what's practiced daily, trust will erode. This distrust seeps outwards, tarnishing your public image. Let’s not forget about subcultures. Every organization has them: Departments that form their own norms and practices. These microcultures can either align with your overarching mission... or pull away from it. Leaders must pay attention. Ignoring these subcultures can lead to confusion. And alienation among stakeholders. Ultimately, a fragmented culture invites inconsistency and miscommunication. Your business culture is the heartbeat of your organization. So, take the time to tend to it. When your culture aligns with your values, your reputation enjoys a natural boost. Remember: In business, your culture speaks louder than words. What does yours say? Comment below with your thoughts.

🚨 Brand Truth Bomb Alert 🚨 At one of our executive panels, one of our CMO advisors dropped a truth bomb about brand safety that really got me thinking! Here’s the gist: Picture this: A bright-eyed recruit, dazzled by your external brand, buys into the hype, and moves across the country to join your company. But when they arrive, the internal reality is miles away from the polished brand they’ve experienced externally 😬 Guess what happens next? That employee becomes your worst brand nightmare. Why? Because your employees are your most powerful brand ambassadors—even more so than your customers. They’re the ones living and breathing your brand every single day. When the internal experience doesn’t match the external promise, it’s not just disappointing—it’s downright dangerous for your brand. Those disillusioned employees? They talk. They post on social media. They leave scathing reviews on Glassdoor. But even worse, their discontent and disillusionment seep into how they communicate with customers, clients, or anyone doing business with you. And just like that, your carefully crafted external brand starts to crumble 💔 It’s not just about keeping employees happy (although that’s super important too!). It’s about maintaining the integrity of your brand from the inside out. So here’s my challenge to you: Take a hard look at your internal branding. Is it living up to the promises you’re making to the outside world? Are you investing as much in your employee experience as you are in your customer-facing marketing? If not, it’s time to close that gap. Because in today’s hyper-connected world, your internal brand is just as visible as your external one. And the consequences of neglecting it can be dire. Remember: Your employees are the heart and soul of your organization. Treat them that way, and watch your external brand flourish as a result. #InternalBranding #EmployeeExperience #BrandSafety #AuthenticMarketing #EmployeeAmbassadors #DriveChange with ChangeEngine