Leadership Beyond Borders

Now there is no debate that your professional image is important.

Normally, when we think of professional image, we think about meeting or seeing someone in person, although in today’s global marketplace we live in a world where contacts take place online.

Images are built on social media and on professional online networks.

There are many professional online networks where you can develop your professional image, but there is only one professional network that has 467 million members and that is Linkedin. With 87% of recruiters using Linkedin to find qualified candidates, this is the one place you need to portray your image and build your brand.

A good Linkedin profile can propel your career forward, and if you have a profile that is not optimal you will just get lost in the crowd.

This episode will give you tips on how to build a powerful Linkedin profile, what to pay attention to in your profile and how to use Linkedin to increase your future opportunities.

In the digital age, it is essential for all businesses to have an online presence.

It does not matter if it’s a website, an e-commerce platform, a social media page, or a combination of all three; you need to be online regardless if you conduct business online or not.

However, what constitutes an excellent online presence, and what ensures a business can be found online? The answer is content. Have you ever heard the phrase, “content is king”? Well, it's true.

Content marketing used to be a way to set yourself apart from your competitors, but it has now become a necessity for being found and building a brand.

Content marketing can provide conversion rates that are six times higher than other digital marketing methods.

In this episode, we explore digital PR and content marketing; their relation to SEO and how they can help businesses be found online.

Women make up approximately 50% of the today’s workforce in many countries and 40% worldwide, although most of these positions are in not in management. When they are in management, they are normally below the middle management level and not at the executive level. The number of women in executive positions worldwide is less than 10%. If you look at the Fortune 500 companies, the numbers are even worse, accounting for approximately only 4.2%.

So, what is happening? Are women not preparing themselves correctly for executive positions? Do women not have enough opportunities? Have women not learned to play the game according to the male rules that have existed forever?

With over 60% of today’s university graduates being women, how can women help shift the system and change these statistics?

What has to happen to the system to get more women in executive positions? This episode looks at the challenges women face today, as well the opportunities that are available.

Privacy is dead, right? Facebook knows everything about you, LinkedIn has documented your entire career and consumer behaviour shows, repeatedly, that people just don't care about privacy, no matter how much they complain about it. Research shows that most U.S. adults — 60 per cent —claim they care about privacy but will barely lift a finger in an effort to make sure it's enforced. Regulations such as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and regulations in the US are trying to protect privacy, but are we too late? There is so much data out there already, are we really going to be able to ensure privacy after the fact? Content regulation of the Internet is also now an issue that both governments and net users are concerned about. Moves by governments to ensure privacy and to filter and restrict content are making life very complicated for leaders and business owners, and this episode explores what leaders and businesses need to know.

The new generation of workers is pushing back. They expect and demand flexibility — benefits, latest technology, like the ability to work remotely, come in late or leave early, or make time for friends and the things they enjoy. And all this is happening while they chat on their phones, using visual images on Instagram, snap chat and other social media. They are re-shaping everything as we know it and reshaping it for us, but the question is are we ready to be re-shaped and how will this happen? There are some big obstacles when it comes to re-shaping what weave know as common work practices and it's not just HR and company policies that are struggling with these changes. Managers and even the young generation of workers are struggling while we all try to find the right practices and the right rhythm. This episode explores what changes are taking place and how we all can deal with them.

In leadership, we have many experts, successful people, and those who have not been so successful, but they all have a lot to say, and many of them want to become writers. Many are seeking fame and encouragement because many believe validity and meaning will arrive out of publication. They see fame as offering a measurable amount of worth and competence. But others want to share a story and are not worried about fame. Some of the most famous writers we know, such as Stephen King says that it was an entirely personal reason he started writing. But no matter what someone's motivation is, writing is a craft, and it does not come easy, and can only be done with a particular determination, time and dedication. This episode explores the craft of writing and what you need to do to become a successful writer.

Influencer marketing has always been around with sports figures recommending various products or commercials that say "9 out of 10 dentists recommend this toothpaste". But times have changed, and Influencer is not only about big brands, but it is also about local businesses. Alongside this, Influencers have also changed, they are no longer only sports figures and celebrities, but the "girl and guy next door" has gotten into the game. Leveraging existing social media influencers, local businesses are beginning to use Influencer marketing in their marketing mix. But like any marketing strategy, it subject to changes in trends, audiences, and technologies. It is also not that easy to understand and although influencer marketing is an effective campaign strategy for many small businesses, the challenge lies in determining the best way to approach and work with influencers and what content you need in order to get engagement. In this episode, we look at exactly that.

Long ago when I thought about curiosity the first thing that jumped to my mind was the quote Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back', a saying we often heard as children. But today when I think of curiosity, I know that it is constantly cited as a trait that most successful leaders demonstrate. In May 2018, Success Magazine, noted curiosity as one of the top 7 leadership traits leaders can have, stating that "Great leaders are intensely curious about ideas that come from fields like art, literature, philosophy and more" Management guru Peter Drucker said knowing the right questions to ask is at the core strategic thinking and today many leaders have adopted Drucker's "be (intelligently) curious" philosophy, in their leadership style. Our guest in this episode is an expert on the trait of curiosity and talks with us about the relationship between curiosity and successful leadership.

When words are well-written in well-written communication they can help define goals, identify problems, promote understanding that can help people arrive at solutions. But we very often do not think about the impact of written communication. It is one of the most effective forms of communication one can use because if you write it correctly it can be understood by all. Written communication can very often be thought of as less personal as compared to oral communication that is why many people don't use it for sending emotional messages. But what all sides cannot deny is that the words you write or speak to others can leave a huge impact and create a lasting memory--either good or bad—and it is important to choose them wisely regardless if it is in business or private life. This episode looks at the power of the written word and examines how we can better communicate with each other in any situation.

As part of the Women in Tech Series, in this episode, we explore the impact innovation and technology is having on our businesses, our personal lives, and society in general. Today we are overwhelmed by data and new technologies, and we pose the question: Are emerging technologies positively or negatively disrupting the existing order of things? Our personal and business lives are touched by technologies such as voice-detection, suggestive searches, facial recognition and more, but where is this all going? We know autonomous cars are here, but what is next? And is all this disruptive or advancement? In this episode we talk to an expert in the area of technology and innovation and its social impact. We discuss data and the vast amounts of it we are confronted with everyday. We explore new technologies and the impact they will have on our lives, and we do this all with one of the leading Women in Tech.