Leadership Beyond Borders

Business Etiquette is a set of rules by which we conduct business. Essentially, business etiquette enables a company to function smoothly in its interactions with other businesses, its own employees and the general public, although today it has taken on new dimensions. In this global environment, we need to pay attention to the subtle differences in behaviour that lie behind proper etiquette. What is acceptable in one culture may not be acceptable in another, even though the foundation of proper business etiquette, which is curtesy and respect, remains the same. Proper business etiquette is also the key to successful business relationships. Successful people generally have good business instincts, which include proper etiquette among other habits. We are going to talk about why business etiquette is important, how it can help you court clients and customers. We also take a look at other habits that make people successful.

"Show me your friends and I will show you your future" Mark Ambrose. We all have friends, peers and associates that are part of our everyday life. Very often they provide us with support, they motivate us and give us a sense of community, but if we do not surround ourselves with the right people, it can also affect us negatively and hold us back. Speaker Jim Rohn says "You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with" and if these people are not helping you focus in the direction you want to go, then maybe you should not spend time with them. But very often leaders or aspiring leaders do really think about this. The old quote "It's lonely at the top" reinforces the thought in a lot of leaders that they are alone and have to do everything alone, but this is not true. There are a lot of ways to find great peer groups and communities where you can learn and grow. This episode explores the power of peer groups and how they can help you navigate your career.

If we really want to break down the boundaries and have diversity in all industry sectors, we had better start reversing the trends, and one of the most difficult sectors to do this in is technology. The number of women that tech companies employ has declined from 37 percent in 1995 to 24 percent in 2016, and this trend should really be going the other way. There are many reasons why this industry belongs at the top of the list of industries that do not promote and, in many instances, do not hire women for important jobs. This episode explores some of those reasons. This episode also sends a message to the tech industry. You must start integrating women into leadership roles, senior management, and middle management positions because Information Technology is the future, and we cannot exclude 50% of its users in as this industry grows. Our guest today has done a lot of research and a lot of thinking on how we can reverse these trends and get more women into the technology sector.

Influencer marketing has gotten big in the past few years, but what is it about? It is the process of leveraging existing social media influencers—people who carry a strong reputation with a large number of people in a given niche—by having them endorse your brand, support your content, or co-create content with you and your brand. In 2017 research showed that 39% of marketers were increasing their marketing budgets for 2018, with 86% of marketers integrating some kind of influencer marketing in their campaigns. Now that 2018 is almost over what have we seen? We have seen that influencer marketing is indeed still on the rise. So, with so much success, should we all be jumping on the influencer bandwagon? Maybe. Although influencer marketing is an effective campaign strategy for many, the challenge lies in determining the best way to approach and work with influencers. This episode talks with a successful influencer marketing and how to manage it from all sides.

Powerful partnerships are the key to improving sales revenues, margins and profits. They are also the best way for you to exponentially increase your business success and grow you company. Partnerships help you increase market share, get more qualified leads, give differentiation & a competitive edge, gain and Close ratios and margins. But partnerships are also difficult to form. Finding the right partner and getting to a win-win position is a lot about identifying the right partner, finding out how you can help each other and then negotiating a win-win solution. In the end, partnerships and cooperation?s are about finding the best way to help your company grow. In this episode, we explore why partnerships and cooperation?s are important and how they can lead to revenue growth. We also talk about how they are changing the face of sales.

According to OECD Better Life report, the Danish have a better work-life balance than any other country surveyed.

Danes also rank above average in other areas like environmental quality, civic engagement, education, skills, jobs, earnings and general well-being.

And when it comes to Gender Diversity, they are in the Top 5 for Gender equality, with both men and women working, and very often in high-level jobs, but they are able to balance this with a great work-life balance.

According to the Danes themselves in a recent study, they say the key is to prioritize life and work.

Ensure there is a high degree of flexibility at work, and ensure you have the correct attitude.

In this episode, we go to Denmark and talk to a high-powered career couple who manage to balance not only their CEO jobs but to organize the lives of themselves and their 2 children.

It very seldom we get to hear what work-life balance is like in Denmark, directly from those who live it.

The world is no longer obsessed with the Millennial Generation. Today we are more concerned about understanding Generation Z, and the two are different. Although the two generations share the same affinity for technology, a better understanding of Global culture and both generations have endless opportunities, they do not always share the same concerns and values. Understanding this is important for leaders and educators. Generation Z may be the next generation that really has a great impact on jobs, education, and social issues, such as inclusion and humanity. In this episode, you will hear from two expert guests who are constantly working with Generation Z and preparing them to enter the work force. They are helping educators and leaders understand the values of this new generation. They have conducted extensive research and gathered many Generation Z stories and will share their findings and conclusions with you on this show.

State of Women-owned business reports that in the USA alone, there are an estimated 11.6 million women-owned businesses that employ nearly 9 million people and generate more than $1.7 trillion in revenues.

Even with the growth in women owned businesses, these businesses are having difficulty competing for corporate and government contracts and earning less than 1% of the money spent by these organizations. They are simply not getting their share of the contracts.

But at the same time, corporations are focusing on diversity and inclusion programs, but they very seldom include diversity in the supply chain. But with the help of women’s organizations, this issue is finally coming into focus.

A supplier diversity program is a proactive business program which encourages the use of minority-owned, women owned, and other minority or underutilized businesses who normally do not get the chance at becoming suppliers.

In this episode, we take a look at diversity in the supplier chain.

In 2015 CBS news reported-- according to a government study-- 1 in 10 adults in the workforce have either an alcohol or drug addiction problem. In 2016, Quest Diagnostics analysed 10 million workforce urine test results and noted an increase across the board for cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamines meaning employees were using more drugs. The Drug Testing Index statistics in 2018 are constantly revealing the increase of drug use in the workplace and the on-going threat drugs pose to workplace productivity and safety. So, in general we can say alcohol and drug abuse is on the rise and not only in general but in the work environment. But what about the new kid on the block--- Opioids? Where do they fit into this grim picture? In this episode, we talk about the increase in opioid abuse not only in the workplace, but also in our communities and in our families. We explore the cause and effects, and what we can do to recognize and reverse this trend.

Small and Medium size businesses (SMBs) want to stay ahead of their competition, but do not always understand how to do it. Digital marketing, although very effective, is confusing and time consuming for the SMB. While most local businesses have some kind of presence on the web, they seldom understand that poor presence is almost like having no presence at all. And because SMBs do not have huge marketing budgets, much of the digital marketing is done by non-professionals, leaving a gap in their presence. SIINDA, the Search and Information Industry Association of Europe, whose members support SMBs with digital marketing advice, took a look at the digital landscape of small and medium size businesses in Europe. Surveying 10% of the SMB market, they were able to form a picture on SMB's digital presence. SIINDA's market research focused on Europe, although the conclusions reflect worldwide trends. This episode talks about the state of digital marketing among SMBs in general.