Dispatch Two: Building Character, Building Brands

In most senses, I work for three faculty members. In another very particular sense, I work for three products. Any Ivy League professor can be transformed into a valuable commodity, lending expertise and prestige to a given enterprise, in exchange for a more glamorous lifestyle than most academics can afford. This is especially true at business schools; there's no shortage of CNBC segments or BusinessWeek column inches or Fortune 500 in-house presentations for these folks.

Each of my faculty takes a different tack when marketing him- or herself. In observing them, I've learned a great deal about the possible benefits (and drawbacks) of these approaches. All three are in the late stages of their careers, and can trade on a lifetime of experience and reputation-building; but I think there are lessons here for folks like me, decades away from retirement.

The Prince

Of my three bosses, the so-called "Prince of Productivity" is the most energetic when it comes to self-promotion. A former CEO and state treasury secretary, he's always looking for projects that will enhance his stature even further. He's likable, respected, and philanthropic... but also blunt and impatient. This combination makes him dogged in pursuing new levels of visibility in almost every field. 

• Pros: Strengthens one's professional network; gets involved in an array of interesting projects; cultivates productive relationships with diverse parties
• Cons: Occasionally burns bridges; many opportunities to become frustrated by lack of progress
• Takeaways: Persistence often means getting what you want, but has the potential to backfire, leaving others with a negative impression. If you're going to adopt this approach, it helps to balance it with friendly social interactions and any available charisma.

The Dame

As my principal, supporting the Dame takes up about 70% of my time and energy. But she can be quite the enigma, even to me. I'd call her a study in "quiet power." Like many professionally successful women of the early Boomer generation, the Dame got to where she is by being better--and infinitely more diplomatic--than her male counterparts. She's extremely poised, exhibiting an attention to protocol that borders on obsession. This makes her an ideal Senior Associate Dean: she will never embarrass the school, and mediates between constituencies like none other. That quiet power approach has served her well, since her unimpeachable reputation makes her suited for all manner of consultations and leadership opportunities. She doesn't make the same kind of bank as the Prince; if she were to promote herself that heavily, it would tarnish her carefully-cultivated respectability.

• Pros: A well-protected reputation is a desirable asset, and many groups seek to associate with it
• Cons: Can only be achieved after one has a proven track record; efforts to remain diplomatic make it difficult to turn down invitations
• Takeaways:  Learning to give a polite but firm "no"--or proposing a workable alternative--can help maintain a reasonable workload and preserve good relationships

The Archbishop

The third person I support has developed a best-of-both worlds strategy. (This is not surprising, considering he's a marketing professor.) The Archbishop travels a lot of the time, so I do not see as much of his daily operations... but when he's at the office, a steady stream of colleagues and entrepreneurs waits to be received. He has the Prince's breadth of appeal, but exercises a quiet power similar to the Dame's. He treats himself as a luxury good: exclusive, yet welcoming.

• Pros: Fortifies an extensive network without compromising an aura of selectivity
• Cons: Frequent, time-consuming meetings and travel requires efficiency in other areas to compensate
• Takeaways: Let your priorities determine your strategy

Each approach is worth emulating, depending on one's circumstances and goals. On a practical, day-to-day level, I cannot adopt any one of these wholesale--they're simply not suited for someone in an assistant role. (It would probably not be wise, as their "face to the community," to be as blunt as the Prince or as selective as the Archbishop.) But the broader lessons are still applicable, and I've identified several areas I should work on:

• Maintain level-headed persistence in the face of obstruction
• Maximize efficiency where possible, to free up time for more complex or interesting projects
• Diplomacy is only effective if you can also express an opinion respectfully--don't give equal weight to all proposals

I am planning to track my progress in each of these areas, and see if my output is enhanced. Let's see what happens for Brand Erin!