The B2B Social Media Book: Become a Marketing Superstar by generating leads with blogging, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, E-mail and More

Happy to discuss your social media challenges and potential approaches on how to solve them, so please do not hesitate to contact us.

http://ch.grayling.com/News/2012-04-18/SeniorManagementWechsel-bei-Grayling-Schweiz

LEIDAR helps companies, organisations and NGOs connect and engage with target audiences and continuously monitor key topics.  LEIDAR’s practical social media strategies for B2B and B2C communications have proved successful time and again, by developing social media policies, Listening Officer’s reports, and by training teams across the world.

During this session, we will use real examples to share best practice on how social media can be handled by companies and organisations, aligned with the overall corporate communications, HR and business area strategies and used to manage crises.

Please contact kristin.nilseng(at)leidar.com for more information and have a look at InternationalLink.

The first session on 10 May 2012 from 12 noon to 2PM is now fully booked. We have scheduled two other sessions on the same subject on 24. May and 28. June.

“Changes in international affairs and a diverse stakeholder environment demand new models and tools for analysis and action”, said Professor Cedric Dupont, Director of Executive Education at the Graduate Institute. “We welcome the partnership with LEIDAR as well as the new concept of Executive Certificates which are designed to provide working professionals with the highest level of training in a tailored format.”

International affairs and a global communications environment require an in-depth understanding of advocacy and its related tools. The four modules of the Executive Certificate – Advocacy in International Affairs cover; advocacy concepts and practice; public diplomacy and campaigning; governmental affairs and lobbying; and communications programmes.

In addition to the Graduate Institute faculty’s expertise and LEIDAR’s communications experience, the programme’s location is one of its major advantages. “Geneva is home to a wide range of global players:  governmental, international and non governmental organisations, academic institutions and multinational enterprises as well as media and other influential figures. Delivering this course in Geneva, we will be able to draw on both the knowledge of the various players and the deep insights that the Graduate Institute can offer through its research and faculty. We are convinced that we will deliver a unique programme on an international scale”, said Rolf Olsen, CEO of LEIDAR, and the co-Director of the Executive Certificate – Advocacy in International Affairs with Professor Dupont.

The programme is designed for working professionals who aspire to leadership positions or are in charge of their organisation’s advocacy activities hence requiring strong expertise in advocacy in the public and private sector.

The applications are now open and the programme will take place from January to June 2012.

Detailed information on the Executive Certificate in Advocacy in International Affairs is available on the Graduate Institute’s Executive Education website.

WEF is highlighting Arne’s many years of experience in both business leadership and building multi-stakeholder collaboration for sustainable agricultural development (in particular through the African Green Revolution Forum) stressing that they will be great assets in building and shaping a new level of partnership between the private sector and international organisations to improve food security, drawing from the New Vision frameworks which he knows well.

I am delighted for Arne and for everyone who will be touched by his work in this very important space. I have the entire LEIDAR team with me as I personally thank him for his contribution  in shaping the Leidar brand and offer. He has now stepped out of the Leidar family to practice both leadership and navigation on the global scene, but we will welcome him as a guest lecturer on our executive education programs at the Graduate Institute.

LEIDAR is proud to provide communication and advocacy support to EWI on a pro-bono basis and we look forward to your commitments in helping Haitians break out of the poverty cycle. For more information on EWI, please visit: www.ecoworksinternational.org or contact Christophe Lécureuil at LEIDAR.

In 2000, he joined public affairs and communications agency, Fleishman-Hillard, as Director Corporate, Regulatory & Trade. There he led a team of twelve consultants dealing with competition issues, advocacy and lobbying, corporate communications, stakeholder engagement and other issues for clients such as Wal-Mart, Marks & Spencer, Volkswagen, Coca-Cola and Hewlett-Packard.

Christophe then went to Yum! Brands (KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell) to head International Communications and Public Affairs. Before signing up with LEIDAR, Christophe served as Communications Manager for The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) where he was responsible for developing the organisation’s communications strategy and tools and building the brand. He sits on the Advisory Boards of EcoWorks International and of the African Press Organization.

LEIDAR´s mission is to help leaders navigate the many issues and challenges in today’s rapidly changing world. Christophe will contribute to our high-impact communications and leadership programmes through his special knowledge and experience in the public affairs and advocacy sector. This will further strenghten us to help our clients set new directions, identify and steer away from trouble spots and stay on course for success.

Would the changes in Tunisia, Egypt and now Libya happened without social media, I was asking myself? And while scrolling down FT’s online version to get a nice angle to start my blogpost with, a headline on an FT section drew my attention: “More Stories”. And this headline diverted my thoughts a little bit.

Yes, journalists are interested in stories, on behalf of their readers. A truism since the first paper was printed. And when journalists think of stories, they mean facts embedded – not hidden – in attention grabbing, entertaining life stories that are close to the heart and minds of their readers. Scheherazade told 1001 wonderful stories just for the amusement of the Khalif and to keep his attention. Well, for her storytelling was actually a matter of life or death.

Today every leader, be it in politics, civil society or the corporate world face the challenge to reach fragmented target audiences via scattered, 24/7 communications channels to get their story across. I would not go that far to say that “story telling” is a matter of survival for corporate leaders. But for sure leaders will be more successful in sustainably managing their organisation’s reputation if they get the (corporate) story across well.

In theory it is dead simple: you need to determine what to say when, to whom and how. Well, it is not that simple though, if you think about the complexity of organizations, topics, stakeholders, target audiences and media and – today more than ever – competing (news) stories. So you always need a solid strategy as the foundation for communications. But not every leader is as gifted as Scheherazade was in using language and speech. That’s why leaders need to train and practice story telling regularly. But please, stories and not fairy tales. If you compromise on facts and trust in your corporate storytelling, yes, then it will become a question of survival.

By the way, those leaders that have been blown away in the storm of change within days in North Africa compromised massively on the truth. The truth was unearthed while millions of witnesses could watch, comment and protest – online at the same time as it was unfolding in real life.  Social media have irreversibly changed the way with which leaders have to communicate and tell their stories – not fairy-tales.