The dangerous downside to personal brand building

By Michael McKown

Today, where LinkedIn profiles gleam like digital billboards and X posts can go viral faster than a cat video, executives and managers are increasingly tempted to build their personal brands. The allure is undeniable: a polished online presence can open doors to speaking gigs, industry influence, and even a cushy next job. 

But for every executive basking in the glow of personal branding, there’s a CEO or business owner peering over their shoulder, eyebrows raised, wondering if this self-promotion is a boon or a ticking time bomb. While personal branding can amplify a company’s reach, it comes with potential downsides that can set off alarm bells in the C-suite. From divided loyalties to reputational risks, the pursuit of a personal brand can stir unease in the corner office.

One of the most immediate concerns for a CEO is the question of focus. Running a company demands an executive’s full attention, and building a personal brand is no small side hustle. Crafting thought-leadership posts, speaking at conferences, or engaging with followers on social media takes time — time that might otherwise be spent steering the company ship. 

A CEO might wonder if their star manager is burning the midnight oil on strategy or polishing their latest LinkedIn article. Take the case of a tech executive who gained fame for TED Talks on innovation. While their talks burnished their personal reputation, their company’s product launches faltered, raising whispers that they were more focused on their spotlight than their day job. For an owner, this can feel like a betrayal of trust, as if the executive is moonlighting as an influencer while the company pays the bills.

Then there’s the risk of a brand mismatch, where an executive’s personal narrative veers off the company’s script. A personal brand is, by definition, personal, rooted in individual values, opinions, or quirks. But what happens when those don’t align with the organization’s mission? A CEO might cringe if their CFO’s X posts about cryptocurrency ventures clash with the company’s conservative financial ethos. 

This was evident in the case of a retail chain’s marketing director, whose outspoken blog posts on sustainability embarrassed the company when it was revealed their supply chain leaned heavily on less-than-eco-friendly practices. The disconnect painted the company as hypocritical, and the CEO was left scrambling to control the narrative. 

Reputational risk is another specter haunting the C-suite. Personal branding often thrives on authenticity, which can lead executives to share candid opinions or personal stories. But candor can be a double-edged sword. A poorly-judged tweet or a controversial podcast appearance can ricochet back to the company, especially if the executive is seen as its public face. 

Consider the infamous case of a tech CEO whose personal X rants on political issues sparked a customer backlash, costing the company billions of dollars, partnerships and goodwill. While that executive argued they were “speaking as an individual,” the public didn’t see the distinction. For a business owner, or chairperson, this is a nightmare scenario: an executive’s personal brand becoming a lightning rod for controversy, dragging the company into the fray.

Let’s play a game. Name that individual.

Loyalty is another sore point. A strong personal brand can make an executive a hot commodity, which might lead a CEO to suspect they’re one foot out the door. After all, why invest so much in building a public persona unless you’re planning to leverage it elsewhere? This fear isn’t unfounded. High-profile executives like Sheryl Sandberg, whose personal brand as a leadership guru grew alongside her tenure at Facebook, often become bigger than their roles. 

When Sandberg left Meta in 2022, her personal brand, which was bolstered by books like Lean In, made her departure feel like a natural step toward bigger things, leaving Meta to fill a void. For a CEO, an executive’s personal branding efforts can feel like they’re building a golden parachute, ready to float away at the first lucrative offer.

There’s also the issue of ego, which can creep in like an uninvited guest. Personal branding often involves a degree of self-promotion that can rub owners the wrong way. If a manager’s LinkedIn posts start sounding like a highlight reel of their own achievements, sidelining the company’s role, it can breed resentment. A CEO might see this as an executive taking credit for a team effort, hoisting themselves onto a pedestal while the company foots the bill. 

This was evident in a startup where a COO’s relentless self-promotion as an “industry visionary” alienated colleagues and irked the founder, who felt the company’s collective work was being overshadowed. When personal branding tips into narcissism, it can erode trust and team cohesion, leaving the CEO to wonder if they’ve hired a leader or a wannabe celebrity.

The financial angle can’t be ignored either. Building a personal brand often comes with costs, such as hiring PR consultants, attending high-profile events, or even producing polished content. If an executive expects the company to subsidize these efforts, whether through expense accounts or time off, it can raise red flags. A CEO might question why company resources are fueling an individual’s fame rather than the organization’s growth. 

This tension surfaced in a mid-sized firm where a VP’s lavish conference circuit, justified as “brand-building,” drained budgets without clear ROI for the company. The owner, understandably, saw it as a personal vanity project dressed up as corporate strategy.

Finally, there’s the risk of overexposure. Information travels at the speed of a retweet, so an executive’s personal brand can become a liability if it attracts unwanted scrutiny. A high-profile manager might draw attention from competitors, regulators, or even disgruntled former employees looking to settle scores. This happened to a fintech executive whose viral X presence invited media investigations into their company’s practices, uncovering issues the CEO would have preferred to keep under wraps. 

In the end, while personal branding can be a powerful tool for executives, it’s not without its pitfalls. CEOs and owners are right to approach it with caution, wary of the fine line between an executive amplifying the company’s mission and chasing their own star. The key lies in alignment. This means ensuring the personal brand serves the company’s goals rather than competing with them. 

Without that, what starts as a well-intentioned effort to stand out can end up leaving the executive, and the company, in hot water. For every CEO cheering their manager’s TED Talk, there’s another wondering if they’ve hired a leader or a loose cannon. 

My name is Michael McKown and I’m the co-founder and president of Ghostwriters Central, Inc. If you’ve been considering personal brand building, we can certainly assist with writing your business biography and professional speech writing services. We’ve been providing help with the written word to clients worldwide since 2002. If you’re confident your project won’t negatively impact your position with the company, visit our site and get in touch. Thank you for reading.