As more and more executives seek out agents to further their career, image and branding expert Jon-Michail believes they need to take a holistic approach to their leadership management and look beyond monetary gain to create real influence.
Actors, elite athletes and writers all know the value of a good agent: someone who will represent them with their best interests in mind to help them meet their career objectives. In fact agents have been responsible for some of the biggest deals in history. There’s football kingpin Jorge Mendes, who negotiated the Christiano Ronaldo transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid worth $132 million. His buyout clause is reportedly valued at Euro 1 billion. In the acting world agents recently helped clinch a deal that saw the three leads of the biggest show in the world, The Big Bang Theory, sign $1 million per episode contracts. They also own a percentage point of the show and production rights. The deal could net them $90 million over the lives of the deals.
These are extreme examples but they give you an indication of the value of a good agent in relation to bank balance and career objectives.
Furthermore it is not just actors and elite athletes who are seeking the services of agents, there is a new trend among mid and senior level executives and entrepreneurs seeking representation not only to fast track their careers but also grow their reputation and legacy.
Whilst their qualifications and experience count for a great deal, their individual brand accounts for so much more. Building an individual brand with the help of an agent ensures greater career success and further opportunities in your chosen field.
A good agent will work with a client to ensure that people have clearly defined career and life goals and back those goals up by being presentable and approachable. They will then assist in salary and benefits negotiations.
In a tough economic environment you need all the edge you can get. Not only should you be willing to put in the hours, but you also need to place a higher value on personal standards, including dress and grooming, etiquette, manners and respect; the values that get you noticed and turn you into a brand that represents all the qualities of a leaders including confidence, communication and drive.
In my experience acting as an image specialist, I have assisted many organisations and coached executives to be able to present themselves in a manner that commands respect and that really builds the foundations of a personal brand.
My approach to personal branding is holistic; it crafts authenticity, which is then used to sway negotiations. Executives and business professionals use this approach to improve their personal dynamics, communication skills and overall business influence.
I had one client who was somewhat lacking in skills and confidence to make a career move within the organisation she worked for. Image Group International worked with her to first revamp her image and then went into action building her personal brand. She hadn’t realised the impact that appearance, speech and general demeanour can have in a negotiation scenario. We had a four-month one-on-one coaching course and at the end came out of that with more confidence, sharper presentation and more professional. Together what we did was develop goals and aims that was supported by skills coaching and used those to create a positive image that won her a new and challenging role within the company with a 78% salary increase. Depending on the clients individual needs the financial aspects may be secondary as they may be more interested in growing their reputation or cementing their legacy.
We work with employees, organisations, CEOs, entrepreneurs and politicians to effect the same outcomes: that is to improve their reach beyond their current circumstance and we do this through seminars, workshops and confidential one-on-one coaching.
For instance we had one CEO as a client who failed to understand the culture of the business and the expectations placed on him in this role. We acted as his guide in identifying new directions and parameters for the business and then helped him to action his strategies to create tangible results. It is a progressive approach.
Like any agent, there is a fee and this is usually taken in a percentage of annual salary or as a retainer, and it is worked out with clients to be mutually beneficial. Clients are always happy to invest when they know the benefits will be greater than their initial outlay.
You need an agent that works with you. That takes a holistic approach to your leadership and management needs; salary negotiation is just one facet of the process. A real agent will work with you to improve your image and brand, so that your worth is measured not only by the amount you earn, but also the professionalism and brand awareness that you bring to an organisation. There’s no reason why a CEO, entrepreneur or executive can’t be the Christiano Ronaldo of their field.
Jon-Michail is Group CEO of Image Group International, an Australian based multi-million dollar corporate brand image advisory and coaching organisation, established in 1989 and now represented in over 18 countries worldwide. Jon-Michail is recognised as Australasia’s No.1 image consultant.
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