SMOOTH

“Give me your heart, make it real, or else forget about it.” ~ Santana

Our extermination technician – we’ll call him Titus –  has been providing service to our family for more than 25 years.  He’s been with us through two houses, two kids and several pets.  Titus has seen our home and yard in the best of times and in the worst.  He can navigate his way through the clutter in our garage and gently point out the carcass of a long-dead insect in the corner of the garden room without embarrassing me.  Titus arrives on time and efficiently delivers the promised services.

Titus’ consistent punctuality and attention to detail demonstrate a level of customer service that seems to be the exception rather than the rule.  What has sealed the deal for us all these years is the way that Titus fully shows up. His uniform is always clean and pressed, whether our house is the first one or the last on his route. He is well-groomed from the top of his head to the tips of his manicured nails. He has watched our children grow up, always asking about them by name and remembering what we’ve shared about them over the years.  Titus also updates us on his life.  He’s the senior-most person at the company that employs him, having survived the sale of the original company with all his benefits intact.  He’s the go-to person at his company for managing challenging customers and he trains and mentors both on the job and off.  He is loyal.  He is proud to deliver impeccable service.   He is authentic.

Titus exudes executive presence.

Wait, what?  Titus doesn’t carry a CEO, CFO or any of those C-suite titles.  What gives him executive presence?

Antonio Centeno, the founder of RealMenRealStyle, says that executive presence is not a thing unto itself, but is a byproduct of something else.  That “something else” is good leadership.  Antonio goes on to say that executive presence is the feeling that when people are around you, they trust you; they want to follow you.  The reason they want to follow you is because you’re a good leader.

Back to Titus.  I know a bit about the company that employs him, and I’ve had the benefit of a couple of decades of interactions with him.  He’s a leader in his family, in the community and on the job, and there are outward manifestations of his leadership.  As Antonio asks, what do we notice about good leadership?

Titus keeps up with changes in the processes and products of his trade and makes recommendations to change or continue services based on our family’s profile.  He speaks with confidence and knows what he’s talking about. 

He greets his customers warmly, leading with a smile and a firm handshake.  Ever mindful of the value of time – his own and that of his customers – he arrives promptly, executes the services, and completes the transaction so efficiently that we can easily plan around his appointments at our home.  I mentioned earlier that Titus is always well-groomed and that is no small feat during the devilish heat of a South Texas summer. 

Titus possesses a well-established personal brand.  In fact, if Titus moved to another extermination company, we would follow him.  In her article, What’s So Important About Personal Branding?, Meg Guiseppi notes that one’s personal brand is a vivid indication of the best that person has to offer.  Titus consistently reinforces his brand by delivering on his “unique promise of value” through the tangible delivery of quality service and the outward manifestations that are executive presence.

What does your brand say about you?