Fast Company and Facebook partnered for a virtual series on leadership. Here’s what three CEOs had to say on leading in tough times. When the coronavirus pandemic crashed onto the shores of the United States in March, it knocked the wind out of all of us. In the months that followed, while the country collectively tried to find its footing, business leaders nationwide faced the challenge of at least seeming to know how to navigate the unprecedented waters of the global crisis. Read Full Story

At its most basic, innovation is the introduction of something new. And in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the process of innovating has flourished across Australian marketing and customer teams as they strive to keep up with the rapidly evolving crisis and its impact on customers, business models and market dynamics. CMO caught up with five marketing leaders from the 2019 CMO50 list of Australia’s most innovative and effective marketing leaders to find out more.

Harness the power of communication to lead during the darkest times.

Old success was selfish and short-lived; new success must be shared and sustaining. The abstract idea of “success” may be the most important idea in business: the fuzzy notion that motivates millions of choices, careers, and dreams. But for all the energy applied in its pursuit, there’s little energy applied in contemplating the destination. Fortune recently published its annual Fortune 500 list, which it bills as “the ultimate business scorecard.” But its ranking is driven by just one metric : revenue. Is that really the ultimate scorecard in business? The pinnacle of success? And if not, what is? Does this time of crisis, reassessment, and renewal compel us to revisit what motivates all this work? Read Full Story

If leaders’ optimism and confidence matter more during a crisis than their actual talent and competence, shouldn’t we encourage leaders to fake positivity? Few suggestions seem more logical during a crisis than the idea that leaders ought to exude a sense of confidence and optimism. As Napoleon famously noted, “A leader is a dealer in hope.” The last thing people want when they face extreme adversity and need calming down is to see their leaders worry, stress, or melt down. Yet it seems reasonable to question whether displays of optimism are actually beneficial, or whether other, more critical attributes that coexist with optimism are more useful. Read Full Story

In a shifting world, what leaders say matters more than ever.

An ecommerce marketplace isn’t the first thing you’d expect an airport to create in a time of COVID-19 crisis. But that’s exactly what Brisbane Airport has done in 16 days in order to support its retail tenants and end customers.

At the Cannes Lion Live 2020 event last week, a group ofmarketing leaders spoke about their experience leading the marketing mission for their organisations through this time of coronavirus crisis

In a year defined by uncertainty, company leaders need to think differently about how to set their teams up for success.

Working virtually offers new challenges to communication. Make sure you are clear.