Every time I go abroad on business, my daughter and I have something of a ritual where she says to me, “Dad, while you’re there, make sure you do something worthwhile.” Obviously that is a pretty good life lesson for all of us; it’s also something that we at Ketchum endeavor to do every spring, when we bring out our annual Ketchum Leadership Communication Monitor (KLCM) – now in its third year.
After all, if getting out of bed in the morning is about more than just making a buck, then exploring the views of over 6,500 people in 13 countries across five continents on leadership, communication and the umbilical link between the two is time and money well spent.
Every year we delve into new areas, as part of our work helping clients chart a path towards more effective leadership communication, and as our contribution to what we view as a crucial debate. And every year, we explore uncharted waters, alighting on new, exciting and sometimes surprising findings. Among those that stood out in this year’s study – out today at www.ketchum.com/klcm – were:
1. Female leaders outperforming their male counterparts on almost every one of the key attributes identified by the research as being the most critical to effective leadership communication – signaling the rise of a more “feminine” leadership communication model, with important lessons for leaders of both genders.
2. The global leadership crisis showing no signs of abating – how many of us would be delighted if less than one in four of our colleagues felt we led well? Well that’s the verdict the world has passed down on its leaders.
3. An even clearer picture emerging of leadership perceptions by country and by industry – captured in our new KLCM Global Disillusionment Index and KLCM Global Industry Leadership Index.
4. The advent of the “Leadership eVangelists” – a vocal sub-set of consumers who have a disproportionate impact on companies’ commercial and reputational outcomes.
Watch this space over the coming days and weeks for far more on this year’s findings. For now, we hope you enjoy this video and infographic – providing a flavor of the multiple practical lessons contained in KLCM 2014.
