Show up in the relevant forums for impact rather than pageantry.
Leaders have an obligation to show up and be the best advocates for their institutions.
Today, as the world becomes more interconnected, there is no shortage of confabs and convenings where the most salient issues are discussed: the United Nations General Assembly, Davos, TED, Aspen, Milken, the G7, and G20. Where should leaders be present? What should they be discussing? And should they even be showing up at all?
Most gatherings appear to be high-level and relevant. The full calendar leads to a corporate merry-go-round of the same players. Talking points appear similar, and leaders sing along to get along. The cost to attend to all these engagements, however, is high. It requires large travel footprints, extensive teams, and media operations. The return is less clear as executives focus on faraway forums rather than core operations. Focusing on the pageantry of returns is easier than on actual returns.
The critical question, front and center, should be: What will maximize value for shareholders, and how? Ubiquity leads to the dilution of an institution’s brand and message. Global staging today requires a more intentional focus to enhance visibility only when and where needed. The first step is having a clear understanding of the global staging landscape. It then includes targeting the right audience and crafting on-message engagement.
This approach leads to lower costs, more consistency, and a deep alignment with business strategy, which ultimately leads to institutions cutting through the noise for higher impact.