Ken Hickson has the Last Word on Communication and Leadership:

Challenges Mount in the Unpredictable World of Social Media

This all started because Adrian Monck, Managing Director, Head of Communications at the World Economic Forum sent me an email with some comments from a forum at the Davos meeting.

In it he reported that:  Social networking and communications tools such as Facebook and Twitter are putting new pressures on business and government leaders and the deficit in global leadership is impeding agreement on pressing global issues such as climate change.

It got me thinking about all the businesses, groups and individuals I know which are doing their best. But we need to do a better job of “shouting from the rooftops”. Don’t be shy. Communicate effectively. Step up to the plate or platform. Speak up. Lead. Read More

Ken Hickson has the Last Word on Communication and Leadership:

Challenges Mount in the Unpredictable World of Social Media

This all started because Adrian Monck, Managing Director, Head of Communications at the World Economic Forum sent me an email with some comments from a forum at the Davos meeting.

In it he reported that:  Social networking and communications tools such as Facebook and Twitter are putting new pressures on business and government leaders and the deficit in global leadership is impeding agreement on pressing global issues such as climate change.

It got me thinking about all the businesses, groups and individuals I know which are doing their best. But we need to do a better job of “shouting from the rooftops”. Don’t be shy. Communicate effectively. Step up to the plate or platform. Speak up. Lead.

Technology and social media are significantly changing the way leaders in business and government make decisions, global opinion-shapers told participants in a session predicting scenarios for 2012 at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.

Some well-known journalists and commentators had their w say:

“The days of the one-way conversation are over whether you are the prime minister or the CEO,” said New York Times foreign affairs columnist Thomas L. Friedman. “We are all in a two-way conversation. The challenge for political and corporate leaders is to understand the power of what can be generated from below. The sweet spot for innovation is moving down. The sweet spot in policy and politics is moving down.”

Gideon Rachman, Associate Editor and Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator at the Financial Times, agreed. “Both democratic and authoritarian governments are struggling with this.” But he warned against exaggerating the impact of social media. “You wonder how they managed to storm the gates of the Bastille without Twitter,” he remarked.

Also creating governance challenges in the new hyperconnected world is the lack of global leadership, argued Nouriel Roubini, Professor of Economics and International Business at the Leonard N. Stern School of Business of New York University.

“This doesn’t look like a G20 world; it looks like a G-Zero world. There is disagreement. There is no leadership. In a world where we have the rise of many powers, the US cannot impose its will.”

On important global issues from climate change to dealing with the impact of the global recession, disagreements have prevented the shaping of effective solutions, reckoned Roubini.

Leaders too are hampered in their decision-making by the mounting complexity of problems and the fast pace of developments. In addition, politicians often have to think about getting re-elected as soon as they take office. There is no time to think, Robert J. Shiller, Arthur M. Okun Professor of Economics at Yale University, observed. “You can’t be a leader unless you have time to think and develop yourself.”

In Asia, including the large, fast-growing economies of China and India, political leaders have also had to cope with the pressures from the emergence of social media and the “two-way conversations” with their people.

Asian leaders are listening and responding, noted Kishore Mahbubani, Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. “It’s about how you respond to the wake-up calls,” Mahbubani explained.

“Things are happening in Asia under the radar screen because of the quiet and unpretentious nature of the leadership. Within the Asian cultural fabric, there is awareness that the role of government is important. People are not trying to overthrow their government. They want to get better government.”

And what do I think about all this? And does it matter?

Yes, as those who know me well and those who hear me sounding off occasionally can confirm.

Leadership is important. Effective communication is essential.

Nowhere is this more important than in the whole global space of climate change action and awareness. Many have tried and given up.

Many are still going strong in spite of insults, rejections, threats, lack of funds and diversion of Government support.

We cannot afford to be demoralised or disheartened when we hear that the very wealthy heads of mining companies in Australia listen to the likes of “Lord” Monckton when he tells then they must get control of media to win the battle for the minds of politicians and influential business people to advance the cause of those who deny that humans had anything to do with climate change.

We cannot afford not be impressed when global businesses like GE, Kraft, Walmart, Marks & Spencers make serious and genuine commitments to make their businesses more sustainable and acknowledge that they, their suppliers and customers must work towards a low carbon future with less reliance on fossil fuels.

We must acknowledge that what starts small and in one place, or one country, can lead to a movement. It can grow and take hold.

We see some great examples of sustainability in business being set in Asia by YTL and CDL. Give them credit. Give them encouragement. They are on the right track.

We cannot afford not to use all the media at our disposal – social media, new media, old media and face-to-face communication – to get key messages across and to get people on board.

We can all start some where. Energy efficiency in the home saves money too. Reducing waste. Using public transport. Designing and operating our buildings more efficiently.

Of course we need a revolution – in thinking and acting for the good of the planet and its people. That includes us.  Maybe we’ve been too polite and too quiet for too long.

We must make our voices heard. We must speak up for action on climate change. We must encourage a sense of urgency. We must get everyone on board the sustainability band wagon – at home, in the community, at schools, and in business and industry.

And we can no longer wait for others to do something about it.

Your country needs you. Your world needs you.

Source: www.weforum.org and www.abccarbon.com