Although they produced great products, Bill and Becky neglected to build the bakery’s image around their premium, high-quality items. Casual customers perceived the shop as an average bakery rather than as a purveyor of top-flight desserts. Why?

First, the owners presented their company as an old-fashioned corner bakery. Their window displays and signage were neat but simple, not conveying an upscale image. Inside, the counters and display cases were filled with an abundance of baked goods, but the high-end desserts were jammed in alongside the breads and rolls. A sign listing the daily specials was handwritten. The staff were neatly dressed but without a uniform appearance.

“Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7, NIV). Unfortunately, if the outward appearance of a business doesn’t clearly communicate a company’s unique strengths, customers may not understand everything the company has to offer. Bill and Becky did a good job of merchandising their everyday items, but they failed to capitalize on the potential of their high-margin desserts.

The first step in building your company’s image is to clearly understand your key competitive advantage in the marketplace, and then to craft your image around that advantage. For example, Wholegrain Bakery had several competitors for bagels and bread, but these other shops couldn’t match the bakery’s array of high-quality dessert items.

When Bill and Becky invested in an image makeover, they began to concentrate on merchandising their upscale dessert items, while still maintaining their inventory of basic baked goods. First, they repainted the exterior of the building and added new signs that replaced the corner bakery image with a more upscale, high-quality feel. Next, they replaced the old tables and chairs with some sharp-looking new furniture. They then rearranged the display cases to more effectively showcase the desserts. To create room, they kept all the extra bread, rolls, and bagels in the back until needed. The result was a sharp increase in the sale of desserts!

Creating an image for your company is only the first step, however; you must also support and maintain your image through your actions. Here’s a key equation to keep in mind: Customer expectations minus the reality they experience equals customer disappointment. Make sure that the image you present to your customers is accurate. When I was shopping for window blinds recently, I was drawn to a local store that advertised, “We beat all prices by 20 percent.” However, the quote I received from this company was the same as from other stores. As a result, the “discount” store lost all credibility with me. Once you have determined what your image should be, you must strive to deliver that image to your customers. Heed the wise words of King Solomon, who wrote, “Put away from you a deceitful mouth” (Proverbs 4:24, NASB).

Upscale isn’t necessarily the best image for every business. The point is to make sure that your image accurately reflects your company’s unique strengths. For example, a nearby vacuum repair business that offers great repair service and used vacuums operates out of a small shop cluttered with merchandise, and customers can see the repair staff fixing machines. This folksy setup conveys the company’s signature strengths: reliable repair service and low-cost vacuums. Or consider Sam’s Club and Costco: Their concrete floors and merchandise piled high to the ceiling reinforces the idea that you are getting warehouse-style bargains.

Some business owners mistakenly believe that advertising creates their company’s image. Instead, I believe that a company’s advertising should highlight the image the owners have defined for their business and what they deliver to their customers.

Take a step back. Determine your company’s key advantage in the marketplace. Then determine whether your current image fits that advantage. Are you effectively highlighting your key benefits? If not, identify three steps you can take to hit the mark. If you determine that your operation is out of step with your image, make the commitment to either align your image with your operation, or make changes in your operation to match your image.

One of the key components to effective leadership is setting expectations for those who follow you.

Some key points to consider:

• Does your team hear you cast your expectations on a regular basis? Don’t leave this for the annual meeting or retreat that you hold. Make sure that your vision and expectations are repeatedly stated throughout your tenure.
• Are you holding people accountable to the behavior expectations that you have set? It won’t do any good to state your expectations and then not follow through with your team if an individual is not playing along. Dissension can be fatal. It is important that you allow the people that work with you freedom to express their opinions and beliefs without any negative ramifications.

However, it is equally important to realize that not everyone is going to agree with every decision that you make. Let them know that you realize that. And, when it does take place, you need to help your team understand the why’s behind the decision and ask for their respect with it.

Holding people accountable to behavior is not dictatorship; that went out some time ago. And, it also does not mean that you are to go around and clean up every single statement that is made that is petty in nature. This is about creating one-on-one face time, when needed, with the influential people in your team. You know who they are. Every group has at least one, if not more; that individual who is either publicly vocal about her woes with you or works quietly behind-the-scenes to create doubts and frustrations. Don’t tolerate it. Gracefully confront the issue. Repeatedly state the clear value that she has to your team. Remind her how much you need her assistance but be firm with your statement of expected behavior.

Are you the calm-in-the-storm?

Chaos is part of every business these days. The key is for you to create a sense of organized chaos in your organization versus heavy dysfunction. Your team needs strong guidance during turbulent times and, whether you want to accept it or not, turbulence is here, and has been for quite some time and I’m not sure how quickly that will dissipate, if ever. Help your people understand the organization’s priorities as well as reminding them how far you’ve come. Share the history as well as the future. Tell stories of successful ventures and what has been learned from the perceived failings. Remind them that we’re in this together and can get through it. Show some vulnerability while also sharing your dreams for the future. Let your team hear the passion and confidence in your voice. Allow emotions to be shared.

True leaders have lots of demands on them and yet, that is usually why they are in that role. Without demands, boredom could set in and there is nothing worse than a driven leader feeling bored or unchallenged. Set your expectations. Set them high…not so high that they are impractical or unreachable but just high enough so your team has to stretch a bit to get there. Stretching is good; as long as it is handled with courage and grace.