Leadership is being redefined in a world of accelerating complexity, speed, and connectivity.
In June 2019, we launched Connected Leadership, a platform for understanding modern leadership in our connected world. This research combined opinion research of employees and financial readers with analysis of 790 CEOs and 100,000 data points in the S&P 500 and FTSE 350. Based on the response from this study, we know that the demand for Connected Leadership is global. That’s why we’re proud to introduce our analysis of CEOs on the Nasdaq OMX Nordic Index.
The evidence is clear–stakeholders increasingly expect leaders to actively communicate online. Investors and financial readers are looking to CEOs’ social media profiles to directly gain insight about companies. In addition, potential and existing employees want leaders to use social media to be accessible, transparent, and visible and to live corporate values.
How does the Nordic region compare to the U.S. and U.K. when it comes to Connected Leadership? With 3 out of 4 CEOs present on social media, Nasdaq OMX Nordic CEOs are far outpacing the U.S. and the U.K., where only half the leaders are present. However, less than a third (29%) of Nordic CEOs are active on social media, presenting an opportunity to lead with digital communications.
Key Findings from Nordic Connected Leaders
• LinkedIn is the top platform for Nordic CEOs, where 73% maintain a profile. Twitter is the second most popular platform, with 24% of Nordic CEOs present. Fewer than 1% are active on Instagram, a platform where CEOs garner three times the average engagement compared to Twitter and Facebook.
• The top sectors represented by Nordic CEOs active on social media are Industrial Goods & Services, Technology, and Real Estate.
• The average Glassdoor CEO approval rating for Nordic CEOs is 80%, while Connected Leaders benefit from an average approval rating of 82%.
Notable Nordic Connected Leaders
We identified six leaders who are setting the bar for Connected Leadership within the Nordic region. These leaders represent a range of industries including healthcare, technology, and logistics. Their online presence can serve as a model for leaders wherever they are on their Connected Leadership journey.
What’s Next for Connected Leadership
This research illuminates where Nordic business leaders should be online and how they can effectively engage with key stakeholders. We plan to increase the Connected Leadership Index’s scope by including more regions to help executives advance their business objectives leveraging the unique scale, speed, and connectivity of digital platforms. Visit our website and download the full report to learn more.
Craig Mullaney is a Brunswick Partner and a leading authority on executives’ use of digital and social media. He has provided strategic counsel to global leaders ranging from heads of state to Fortune 50 CEOs. Craig joined Brunswick from Facebook where he founded their Global Business Influencer Program and has also served as a senior advisor at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and at the Pentagon during the Obama Administration. He is a New York Times-bestselling author, Army combat veteran, West Point graduate, and Rhodes scholar. He has appeared on Bloomberg, CBS, CNBC, BBC World News America, National Public Radio, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.