Choice.

What makes an employee choose to work at my company?

Job title? Salary? Benefits? Is that enough?

Currently, the number of qualified people is lower than the number of companies offering these positions. We have more vacancies than talent to fill them.

Power is in the hands of the people.

This is when companies with a well-structured branding strategy, and consequently a strong corporate culture, are the ones that attract and retain the most talent.

In a world with information overload, the triumph of transparency, and generations with names (X, Y, Z), how can we prepare?

The American company Zappos seems to have some answers. The brand, which sells shoes and delivers much more than just products, was acquired by Amazon and has become a benchmark in this area due to its innovative methods in people management. Zappos' corporate culture, unlike many other companies, is experienced daily by its employees, who feel extremely engaged and passionate about the brand. This is evident from the selection process, which considers the candidates' identification with the company's essence and values as a decisive factor in hiring. To ensure this happens, Zappos offers newcomers $2,000 to leave the company on their first day of work, but the new employees are already so enthusiastic about what is being built there that they reject the money. And they do this because they know they have found much more than just a good job in this company.

For reflection:

Is it clear to society what your brand's purpose is? What legacy does it want to leave for the world?

Do your employees know the essence of your brand? What makes its heart beat and leads your employees and other stakeholders to beat in the same rhythm?

If the answers aren't readily available, it's time to revisit the route. We are in the Age of Choice. And in this Age, external communication alone is not enough. We have to speak and act.

A good example of this idea is the Mayo Clinic, founded in 1863 in a small town in the United States, which today provides medical care to millions of people in its three world-famous locations.

Founded by Dr. William Worrall Mayo, the clinic has always had as its main value "putting the needs of patients first." It was born with this premise because that is how its founder and leader believed medicine should work, and how he taught his children and successors at the clinic to see the best path to healing.

Just as Dr. Mayo shared this valuable lesson with his family and colleagues, countless other doctors, nurses, and staff members continue to do the same today.

Millions of patients and their families can tell heartwarming stories that confirm that at the Mayo Clinic, patients' needs truly come first. From using simple language so patients understand specific details of their treatments, to hosting a wedding on-site so the mother of the bride, who is also receiving treatment at the clinic, can participate in the special day.

Thousands of other people who have worked or are currently working there can confirm that the essence and values of the clinic have given more meaning to their work and brought profound significance to their daily activities. The result is evident in the excellence of the work and the unity of the team, which for 148 years has built the strength of this brand through spontaneous and word-of-mouth advertising.

In the Age of Choice, brands with a clear value proposition, and whose employees are fully committed to it, undoubtedly have more power and influence over people.

According to the book "Lessons in Management from the Mayo Clinic," when a value becomes part of an employee's DNA, it not only guides how daily work is performed, but also empowers employees with the moral authority to act in unique situations. They independently invoke an authority based on values.

It is in this context that leadership plays a fundamental role. Perpetuating a company's brand essence begins with the leader. And what makes a good leader? Increasingly, I see schizophrenic leaders. Competition, greed, the relentless pursuit of financial results cause leaders to neglect the brand essence. It's the eternal struggle between the short and long term. Good leaders inspire people to achieve their goals. They put themselves in the other person's shoes. They are aware of the impact of their actions. Often, I see a dissonance between discourse and practice. The investment in people must be genuine. To perpetuate a company's essence, it's not enough to do branding work, include it in brand guides, and train the team. Discourse and practice must be genuine. Full leadership comes from choice. From the choice to be a constructive leader, who accepts differences, who is connected to the real world and knows how to make a difference in the world, both inside and outside the company where they work.

Nowadays, simply having an excellent brand perception in the market isn't enough. I see companies spending millions on external communication and investing very little in internal communication.

It's crucial to understand that corporate culture makes all the difference when it comes to retaining talent. This is when the choice becomes easy, because there's a genuine connection between words and actions.

Make your choice.