The business news here in Detroit Friday was that of Chrysler cutting another wave of hundreds of employees.  It seems to be the endless drumbeat of bad news as we watch the auto industry implode here in town.  There is light at the end of the tunnel, however, but it is going to require a major retooling; not just a retooling of the now obsolete manufacturing plant, but of our careers, and how we deliver value to the market.

There is a great book by Tom Peters called The Brand You 50.  It is a must read for almost anyone.  In the book, Peters points out that you, are a brand.  Think about the images you get in your mind about the following brands.  Who has the best coffee, Starbucks or Speedway?  Who makes a better car, Ford or Ferrari?  (Personally I have my heart set on a Ford GT, but that’s just my own opinion).  All of these businesses have a brand, and Marketing leaders work tirelessly to develop and protect that brand.  YOU are a brand; a valuable brand.  When people hear your name, they get a feeling, and a vision of the type of value you provide.

It’s time for us to take a close look at our brand, and make some hard decisions about how we bring value to the market.  The jobs of yesterday are not coming back to Detroit.  We must find creative ways to retool how we offer our expertise to the marketplace.  That might mean offering your services directly to multiple clients, or it may mean a shift to a new industry.  (By the way, there are a few growing here in town if you haven’t noticed; more on that in my next post.)

Don’t forget your value, no matter what your title may be today.