Two Superpowers of Great Brand Strategists
By Levina Kusumadjaja
What makes you and me better brand strategists? Is it the knowledge we have about brand strategy? Is it the people we know? Is it the brands that we get to work with? Yes, knowledge, network, and client experience are important. However, being a brand strategist is never about being the most knowledgable or elite person in the room. Fundamentally, it is about staying curious and being able to communicate that curiosity well. It’s about asking great questions and facilitating great discussions. Being a brand strategist centers around your ability to practice empathy, connect with others, and serve them from where they are coming from.
With all that said, how can you do that then? If curiosity and empathy are essential to brand strategy, what can brand strategists do to cultivate these two things and make them a part of their daily practice?
Here are 4 ideas you can start with:
Read fiction:
Stories are a big source of inspiration. People remember stories because stories can easily connect emotionally to readers. So, why fiction then? The world of fiction gives us access to characters, lives, and mindsets that we might have never encountered before. Fiction gives us inside scoops into the lives of people that we might never encounter in our lives. It helps you be more aware of other cultures, social issues, and even daily routines. (Tip: if you don’t like to read, you can always listen to an audiobook or watch a movie.)Talk to people:
Connect with as many people as you can. Be friends with everyone! Get to know people from different countries, people with different interests and skillsets. Engage in meaningful discussions with them and share ideas to one another. Having a diverse group of friends will open up your mind to ways of thinking that you otherwise would never have thought of. It helps you stay humble and open-minded to an overflow of points of view.Get comfortable with being bored:
Not all the time, but sometimes. Being bored here talks about disengaging from technology and social media for an hour a day or so. It is about stepping away for any activity to make space for your mind to wander and create. You can do this by taking a walk, sitting at a park bench, or observing your garden. The idea is to give your brain a break from thinking and creating under pressure, so that it can just ponder on things and imagine new ideas.Make a commitment to routinely try something new:
Get into the habit of trying new things. Get used to the thrill and “fear” of not knowing how it will turn out, something out of your usual routine and habit. This can be a new skill, new food, new sport, new pet, or even new daily schedule. Join your friend who loves to garden, or buy a pet fish. Look up a recipe and try baking something for your family. Go hiking with a new friend or order a takeout from the newly opened cafe in your neighborhood. Whatever it is, just try something new.
In my own experience, the 4 things above have helped me grow to be more understanding and empathetic. They constantly remind me to cultivate curiosity and courage to take on new challenges—all the things that make you and I better brand strategists. What do you think? What do you do to stay curious and empathetic as brand strategists?
Cheers!
Levina
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About the author:
Levina is a writer based in Indonesia. Because of Melinda Livsey, she recognized the power of brand strategy for every creative. She is sharing about her learnings as she goes to help creatives have fun in their growth and journey of building brands. Connect with her on LinkedIn and say hi!