Brunswick released its 2022 Connected Leadership Report, which includes 6,400 respondents comprised of financial publication readers and employees of large enterprises as well as in-depth interviews with 16 companies, to shed light on the communications expected of corporate leaders. 

Most respondents (close to 90 percent in both Hong Kong and Singapore) expect corporate leaders to use online platforms to communicate issues ranging from the company’s mission and values to crisis response. Employees also prefer to work for a CEO who uses digital and social media as part of their work. Respondents in Hong Kong and Singapore are found to be more inclined to agree than not, with approval rates of 82 percent and 63 percent respectively, compared to the global 56 percent. Moreover, direct and transparent leadership communications are found to be leading factors for employee retention.

In terms of tangible benefits reaped from a CEO’s social media activity, executives cite positive outcomes from their online platforms such as complementing traditional investor relations and advancing public affairs objectives. While executives vary in their involvement with social media, to become an effective Connected Leader, they spend on average at least 30 minutes per week strategising, capturing content needs and reviewing results. Such strategies for Connected Leadership are constantly being developed to meet the needs of the audiences on different platforms.

We’ve also spoken with Brunswick's Antoine Soussaline, Partner, Digital Asia-Pacific Lead, Hong Kong, who shared his insights on effective and transparent communication and where the future of leadership plans lies in the age of new tech.

How can leaders make sure of effective and transparent communication with the right message, especially on social media, in an age of constant information flow?
Connect with the issue. Leaders need to be clear about the challenge / reason they’re communicating. Their voice carries weight, and they should deploy it where and when it makes sense for the audience they’re trying to influence and avoid the temptation to try and “fill a channel with content”.

Identify an audience group each post is relevant to. No single piece of content, however innovative the format or sophisticated the production, will be relevant to all stakeholders. Leaders should be clear about who they’re addressing, what that audience’s relationship to the topic or issue is and how the content they create can add value.

Measure everything. Every piece of content published is an opportunity to gather insights and feedback and learn from it. Be ready to start small and refine / optimise over time.

Looking ahead of future leadership plans, would new technologies such as NFTs and the metaverse be areas that leaders expect to invest in?
It’s obvious to most leaders, but the only constant in their role is the amount of change they have to adapt to on a daily basis. Communication is no different, and leaders should remain curious and push their teams and partners to constantly challenge the status quo and try new and emerging platforms and technologies, balancing investment, resources, risk and potential reward, such as being the first mover or quickly gaining visibility among a group of early adopters.

Read here for the full report.