Why Branding LESSONS? Why MADMAN? A new World...

I'm enjoying writing book two, and it feels like a great FIT for me.

The topic is branding as many of you know, and I'm combining my two professional journeys, one in education and one in business to create a book for educators that contributes a text for school leaders that opens up conversations about school culture in a new way. I'm using the MADmen world frame of BRANDING because the powerful social media movement exists as branding online: facebook, myspace, twitter, all create BRANDING opportunities for users. We live in a world of BRANDING. Personal Branding starts even in utero as the cartoon suggests! Ever hear today's parents tortured decision making about names for babies in this new world? They are BRANDING! SHould she be called APPLE or AMY? Get the difference?

Rather than lament this as we as educators can do to when we see monumental change sweeping into our classrooms, let's welcome branding as a powerful tool that can be used to create positive shared language and positive shared attitudes about WHO WE ARE as educators in any school district...and WHY we should be trusted to deliver excellence in service that leads to achievement.

School agendas are thick and heavy with standards and compliances. A fresh direction with a new conversation on branding can help those discussions. Hard issues can be tackled better among people who have a common belief in a brand and in building relationships within the organization; relationships among teachers, staff and managers advance the brand.

The Branding conversation should move out to the public-- the customers; parents, businesses, community members and seniors in order to show the PROMISE of the school brand daily, and HOW is offers each group value. Every yearly budget vote can be empowered to a positive ROI if the Brand of the school is understood, and once the brand has been operationalized, moved into every facet of the community through all sorts of channels, social media, print, word of mouth, positive attitude follows.

It is a brave new world for schools who brand...not at truly a mad mad world!