What is your personal hashtag as a CEO? Three words that define your leadership

Hans Smellinckx
Dec 15
3 min read

Intro

Every CEO has a job title.But not every CEO has a clear leadership identity.

If you are leading a SME or scale-up in Belgium, the Netherlands or elsewhere in Europe, your people don’t experience your title. They experience your presence, your decisions and your behaviour – every single day.

In my work as a strategic sparring partner and in my book “100 Days to Make Your Mark as a CEO”, I often ask CEOs a simple question:

“If your leadership was a hashtag, what would it be?”

It sounds playful.In reality, it is a very sharp diagnostic tool.

From title to identity

“CEO” is just a role.How you fill that role is where the difference is made.

Some CEOs are naturally more:

strategic
operational
coaching
demanding
visionary
stabilising

None of those are right or wrong.But if you are not clear about your leadership identity, your organisation will constantly have to guess who is showing up today.

In an SME or scale-up, especially in Belgium and the Netherlands where teams are often small and close, that creates confusion and hidden stress.

The three-word exercise

The personal hashtag exercise is very simple and very powerful.

Step 1: Choose your three words

Ask yourself:

How do I want people to experience me as a leader?
Which three words describe me on my best days – in a realistic, not idealistic way?

You might end up with combinations like:

direct – fair – calm
ambitious – transparent – demanding
strategic – supportive – consistent

Write them down. Don’t overthink it. This is your intended leadership identity.

Step 2: Ask for three words from others

Now comes the real mirror.

Ask 3–8 people around you:

2–3 members of your management team
1–2 key employees
optionally a board member or shareholder

The question:

“If you had to describe my leadership in three words – the good, the bad, the real – what would they be?”

Make it safe:

they can answer anonymously
there are no “right” or “wrong” words
you will not defend yourself, only listen

Collect the words. You will see patterns.

Step 3: Compare intention and perception

Put both lists next to each other:

your three words
the words from your team

Look for:

overlaps (great, that means you’re congruent)
surprises (things you didn’t realise you were radiating)
missing elements (qualities you want to embody but people don’t feel yet)

This is not about judgment. It is information.Information you can use to lead better.

Why this matters for your 100-day plan as a CEO

Your first 100 days in a role – or a conscious 100-day reset – are not just about what you will change in the company. They are also about how you will show up while doing it.

If your personal hashtag is:

#Direct #Fair #Consistent → your 100-day plan should reflect that in communication and decisions.
#Visionary #Demanding #Impatient → you may need to add rituals to slow down and bring people along.
#Supportive #Calm #ConflictAvoidant → you may need to push yourself to take tougher decisions faster.

In “100 Days to Make Your Mark as a CEO”, the personal leadership identity is one of the foundations. Without it, strategy work stays abstract. With it, your plan becomes a credible story.

Using your hashtag as a practical tool

Once you are clear on your three words, you can use them every week:

Before a meeting: “How do I show up as #Direct #Fair #Calm in this conversation?”
After a difficult decision: “Did I act in line with my three words?”
In feedback with your team: “Where do you see me living or not living these words?”