Dolly Parton Told Elvis No. That Decision is a Masterclass in Personal Branding

Even in death, Dolly Parton showed up on her own terms. Last month at the Americana Honors, she accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award through a video she recorded before she died in August at 80, a final reminder of how deliberately she shaped her own story. 

I first saw Parton as a preteen, in a movie theater with my friends, watching “9 to 5.” I remember thinking it was funny and cool. I was raised to think like a feminist, and my parents assumed I would do anything I set my mind to. 

Parton proved that a personal brand works best when it’s built on who you actually are, not who others expect you to be. Her life offers three lessons for leaders. 

1. Decide whether you’re a role model or an activist. 

In her song “9 to 5,” Parton’s character puts up with a lot of sexism. Her boss is all over her, and she turns him down in a way that’s funny. Women in the audience understood. 

You might think of Gloria Steinem as an activist and Parton as a role model. But they were advancing the same cause, and it was a large part of their brands. 

Parton showed girls and women that they could look the way they wanted and still be successful. It was always about what you could do, rather than what you should do. She used humor effectively. People let their guard down when you make them laugh. 

This is a topic I explore in my forthcoming book, Let Me Introduce Myself. When you think about your personal brand, consider your strengths and passions. How do you communicate them? If you have a cause, are you a thought leader, a role model, a supporter, or an activist? 

If there’s a cause you care about at work, decide which role you’re taking because each one tells people something different about you. Then let your words and actions reinforce that choice. Remember that when you have something serious to say, sometimes a little humor can help people listen. 

2. Show up as yourself. 

Some people were surprised that Parton’s big hair, the sparkles on her clothes, and the long nails belonged to such a sharp businesswoman. She once said she thought of the music business as a business. She kept her own songs and her own publishing company. 

When Elvis Presley wanted to record “I Will Always Love You,” his manager asked for half the publishing rights. She refused. Years later, Whitney Houston’s version made her a fortune. 

Parton’s ultra-feminine aesthetic look told you little about her business judgment. 

Her attitude about her look seemed to be, “you do you.”  

I used to tell my clients to dress in a way that reinforces their personal brand. Parton dressed the way she liked. I’ve updated my own advice. Now I say, “Dress the way you want to dress and understand that people make assumptions based on how you show up.”  

That requires self-awareness. So, it’s important to know your values and read the audience. Be true to yourself but be purposeful about the messages you’re sending. 

Before your next high-stakes meeting, ask yourself what your appearance is signaling. Then decide whether to adjust it or own it, the way Parton did. 

3. Stay true to your values. 

Parton’s brand evolved over the years, but she stayed consistent in her look and in the things she cared about. 

Parton stayed focused on her mission. Her Imagination Library has given more than 200 million books to young children. Also, she built Dollywood to help the economy of the Tennessee region where she was born. 

She was in service of others and true to herself. The literacy work was her mission rather than a way to promote her brand, and her ambition served her values of generosity and lifting other people up. 

Write down the two or three values your work is meant to serve. Before taking on something new, ask whether it helps you put those values into practice. 

Parton never asked to be a role model, but she used it to show people what was possible. Leaders don’t get to opt out of that scrutiny either. Your expression in a meeting, the projects you take on, and the way you treat people all send a message. Decide what you want that message to be, then live it.