Public Image

Day 1,717, 11:57 • Published in Switzerland Switzerland • by Monsieur Guillontine





Salut madams and monsieurs,

This will be my second article in a series called, How to Become a Great Leader. Today, I will be addressing the topic of Public Image. What is public image? No, it is not how handsome or beautiful you are, and no, it is not a painting you chose to display in public. Public image are the talents, the achievements, and the personality people think about, as well as the emotions people feel when they see or hear your name. These subconscious thoughts are the source of your public image, whether good or bad.

You might be wondering... how do great leaders create such intricate, complex public images for themselves? Well, first they must decide on what sort of trademark figure they would like to work toward becoming. There are many types of stereotypical personas leaders choose to represent themselves with. To name some... there is always the brave soldier, the experienced veteran, the energetic patriot, the nurturing philanthropist, the friendly comrade, and so on. With these kinds of public images reflected in the attitudes and accomplishments of leaders, what makes a leader great, is his ability to adapt to circumstances and mold his own, unique image.


In many cases, creating an iconic representation for yourself is one of the most important qualities needed in order to become a great leader. It serves a key purpose. It allows you to stand out when you are compared to political opponents. There are countless times when you might have to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a rival, and at times like these, being able to draw upon your own special public image, which people can easily access and remember, is essential. The clearest example of when you would want to portray yourself properly, would be when you are participating in a presidential race. Often times, I observe bland candidates running for the presidency... and the problem with this, is that they have nothing new or different to offer when compared to opponents who are running for the exact same position. Public image is what will secure your spot at success when competing with others. It’s what makes you a great leader as opposed to just a leader.

Now... the question of how to define your own unique, public image, can be difficult at first. However, an easy trick would be to just analyze your personality. Are you stubborn? Or are you passive? Some traits like these will help you understand what characteristics you have, and how they contribute to your overall qualities. From there, you can experiment and further investigate your stances on certain policies, your reactions to certain situations, and so on. Once you have developed your own personality, the public image part just comes naturally. People will have a feel for what kind of person you are, and that pretty much is how your public image will be established.

Really, this is why politicians always have to watch their actions, especially since one mistake could cost them not only their image, but also the public’s respect for them. A great leader though, is someone who is able to cultivate both his successes and failures in a way in which he is able to create his own public image that is not only iconic, but also an image which the general people are able to automatically admire.


Like this article? Want to read more? How to Become a Great Leader is all you need!

Let's fight. Fight for peace.



Peace out,
Monsieur Guillontine
Le Diplomat