I like to plan things in advance, including the themes for each month and March’s theme is trademark behaviours. I am not sure what I was thinking when I originally chose it and I have considered changing it…but I am stubborn like that. It is calling out to me to be explored and I am intrigued as to what your trademark behaviours might be…so here we go.
What is a trademark behaviour?
A trademark is defined as: “A symbol, word, or words legally registered or established by use as representing a company or product.” When used as a verb it can be used to: ” Identify (a habit, quality, or way of life) as typical of someone.”
For me, when I think of the phrase ‘trademark behaviour’ it means a behaviour I would identify with a specific person. For example, I would describe my friend as resilient as she keeps on trying, even when it seems the odds are stacked against her.
Why are trademark behaviours important?
I think they are important as they help others see you as you really are, these behaviours are rarely learnt, but tap into the ‘real’ you; your authentic self. They allow people to understand how you might work with them, what skills you bring to a team/role/project. As a business owner they might help you sell your service or product – how you behave will say a lot about you to your customers/clients.
It is worth remembering that all behaviours can be seen as positive/negative – that is not the focus of this article. Here I am interested in getting you to consider how you behave on a day to day basis. Which leads me on to…
Identifying your trademark behaviours
How does one identify a behaviour? The first place I would look is your values. Our behaviours are often a reflection of our values. For example, if integrity is one of your values then there would be certain behaviours I would expect to see such as open communication within a team (honesty); keeping conversations confidential or perhaps leading by example. When we behave according to our values we act consistently.
Secondly I would get some feedback from people I trust – perhaps ask them what 3 behaviours they would identify with you. Ask 5 people and see if you get any correlation between them.
Finally I would think back to some situations you have been in – positive or negative and consider how you behaved. Would you do anything different or would you do the same again? We always have the choice to change the way we behave.
As I said at the start of this blog – I would love to know what you identify as your trademark behaviours. Over the next month we will be looking at how they benefit us and our careers.