When it comes to learning about leadership, I have a ritual of reading a specific book every December, Ashish Tulsian introduced me to this book in 2019, & since then it’s been a year-end ritual Most people think “personal brand” is shouting loudly on the internet, its opposite of that Brutal truths about leadership & personal branding from Trillion Dollar Coach, simplified for founders, content creators & leaders: 1) Your title makes you a manager: How your people talk about you when you’re not in the room makes you a leader 2) Authenticity is a strategy: Bring your full self to work:values, quirks, flaws, people follow the real you 3) Humility > authority: Respect isn’t a line in your bio; it’s how you show up when you could easily pull rank but you don’t 4) Care is real USP: Ask about families, health, struggles, people never forget leaders who genuinely care 5) Truth beats comfort: The leaders people trust most are the ones who tell them what they need to hear, not what they want to hear 6) Listening is a power move: Undivided attention is rare, makes people feel heard & they will remember you for life 7) Love + hard feedback: Great leaders hug with one arm & hold a mirror with the other. High challenge, high care 8) Protect the “trust envelope”: Do what you say. Keep confidences, one leak can destroy a decade of brand-building 9) Be a confidence amplifier: See potential people can’t see in themselves, lend them your belief until they build their own 10) Service over status: If you need the spotlight, you’ll lose the room, if you grow others, your reputation compounds 11) Treat everyone the same: Board member or barista, your brand is how you treat the person who can’t “do” anything for you 12) Show your scars: Admitting “I don’t know” or “I was wrong” makes people trust you more, not less 13) Feedback in real-time: Praise in public, correction in private, as close to the moment as possible, clarity is kindness 14) Kill ego politics early: Don’t tolerate drama, silos or “I, me, mine” behaviour, protect the mission ruthlessly 15) Build psychological safety: When people feel safe to speak up, they give you their best ideas not their safest ones 16) Use 1:1s for humans, not just OKRs: Start with life, then move to work, relationships first, dashboards later 17) Be aggressively generous: Time, intros, credit, opportunities, the market remembers givers more than takers 18) Crisis reveals true brand: Everyone watches how you behave when things break, that is your leadership identity 19) Only invest in the coachable: Energy is limited, pour it into the people who are hungry to learn, not those defending their ego 20) Live your 1st principles: Values don’t matter when it’s easy, they matter when it’s expensive Bill never called himself the “Trillion Dollar Coach” The world did, the best leaders who owned Trillion Dollar Companies did Your personal brand isn’t what you say about yourself, it’s about what others think of you
Are You Playing the Game or Designing It?
Have you ever stopped to ask yourself… are you part of the story or the one writing it? In every workplace, industry, or content market, people fall into certain roles. Some are always told what to do.Some do the hard work but cannot lead change.Some think differently and create new moves. A rare few decide the rules, the players, and the length of the game itself. If you are serious about growth in business or as a creator, you must know which role you are in right now. You must also know which role you want to move into next. Here is how the roles look in real life: • The Pawns – They follow instructions. They are steady and predictable. But they are easily replaced. They move forward slowly, step by step, and often end up stuck unless guided. • The Rooks – These are the reliable workers who carry a lot of weight. They keep systems running. But when the rules or the environment change, they often struggle to adapt without guidance. • The Knights – Creative thinkers. They connect ideas in ways no one expects. They can change direction fast and bring fresh solutions. They are often the spark in any team or business. • The Bishops – Quiet planners and protectors. They work in the background to secure deals, safeguard interests, and create strategies others do not see. • The Queens – The most powerful in movement and influence. They set trends, shift markets, and break rules when needed. They can make major moves fast and command attention. • The Kings – The rarest role. They do not just play the game, they own the game. They create the rules, choose the players, and even decide when the game ends. They focus on vision and control, not just money. Most people spend their entire life as a pawn or rook. Some may become knights or bishops. Very few reach the level of a queen or king. If you want to grow your impact, income, and influence, aim to learn the skills of the higher roles. Think like a queen – act with speed and influence.Move like a knight – stay creative and unpredictable.Plan like a king – understand the big picture and control the game. The real question is this: are you simply playing, or are you preparing to design the board itself?