The cult of the outspoken CEO has had ripple effects in Scottish businesses - Billy Partridge comment

Business leaders are trying to keep their balance on the tightrope of managing their personal reputations, says Billy Partridge of PR and public affairs agency Grayling.

We can all think of those businesses and brands whose leaders dominate their profile. Elon Musk springs to mind. Then there are those whose leaders leave indelible marks because of their public role – for good or ill, leader and brand are closely aligned. Think political party leaders or football club managers.

There is also a growing fascination with founder CEOs, particularly in the tech sector. They often enthral us with their outspoken views and predictions. In a recent video I watched, this was eloquently explained thus: “Founder CEOs have written their own rules and built a system from scratch.” In other words, they’re necessarily selling a vision to attract investment and customers, and much of that is built around one person. It’s quite a unique set of circumstances, and tends to be exciting to watch unfold.

But what about everyone else? Most CEOs are focused on running established organisations, and treading carefully in the public domain. They’re also further along the business life cycle: the average age of companies registered at Companies House is 8.6 years; and the Scottish Government’s small business survey suggests 70 per cent of SME employers started trading more than ten years ago.

Consequently, the “cult of the outspoken CEO” can preoccupy business leaders. They know their personal brand can positively affect that of the organisation they lead, but often question where to start.

In reverse, they know leading a successful organisation confers on them certain personal benefits, too. Performance and perception are intertwined, but leaders don’t always know how to capitalise on this, either.

Our research shows that CEOs and MDs appear at least once a day in Scottish media in the context of business leadership – so it is understandable that the theme is front of mind. A quarter of those mentions include reference to leadership styles and traits like empathy, ruthlessness, strength and weakness. We have seen an increase in interest from business leaders looking to understand their personal reputations.

So why the intrigue? For some, this is because they are hatching exit plans; for others, it is because they are new in a role and want to make an impression; and common to all is a desire to understand the role of public profile in the context of leadership.

Business leaders know their personal brand can positively affect that of the organisation they lead, but often question where to start, says Partridge. Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto.

That's why there are so many business coaches and mentors out there: people want to work these themes out in pursuit of excellence. They want to know they are doing their best. It is an important task.

One of the most common challenges facing business leaders is to offer up a point of view. They see how quickly the world has polarised and how little this helps constructive debate, and fear sticking their heads above the parapet.

And rightly so – no matter how positive the intent, there are now themes some leaders simply will not engage in for fear of public scrutiny. These vary from the environment to community work and diversity and inclusion. I think we all want to hold businesses’ feet to the fire and ensure they do not overclaim their impact, but the extreme nature of debate (particularly online) is also preventing us from hearing about positive examples of change, which could in turn inspire others to do the same. This may be a price worth paying in pursuit of better social and environmental results, but it’s a backdrop against which few wish to risk their personal reputations.

One approach to this is to focus not on what you wish to say, but what you wish to do. Sometimes business leaders find action a more valuable currency than words. Ask a CEO what they want to change and they’ll quickly list their priorities and passion points. Ask the same person to share a point of view on something and the conversation is often more guarded.

Billy Partridge (pictured) says CEOs and MDs appear at least once a day in Scottish media in the context of business leadership. Picture: Graham Flack.

One of the most frustrating words a CEO can hear is "authenticity". It is unfair to ask someone to simply switch on their “authentic self” in this context. There are careers and livelihoods at stake, and a leader’s personal reputation is necessarily inter-related with that of the organisation they run. Being “authentic” is not, in and of itself, a solution.

Yes, being true to your beliefs and personal ethics is important, but let's not pretend personal branding isn't a purposeful, deliberate exercise. Many CEOs plan their external profile carefully and consider what sort of role model they want to be. While this isn't inauthentic, it is measured. The same is true when CEOs consider how to improve their personal brand. The very best make it look easy: you wouldn't necessarily be able to divorce personal brand from business brand.

But in other cases a plan is needed. So many people don't know where to start. Should I be posting more on LinkedIn? What should I say? Should I meet more journalists? Who and why? Which stakeholders should I influence? How do I tackle my monthly town hall meetings with all staff? Should I record a video message or do it in person? What do people even think of me and my leadership? What about competitors? Being a business leader can be a lonely place – and self-doubt can creep in where you least expect it to.

The Scottish business landscape has some particular challenges for its leaders. With the economy here in a constant state of stagnation, many of the desired changes are political or policy-driven. The Scottish Government launched a “new deal” for business last year, yet various sectors are decrying the domestic tax regime and pleading for help and investment. Many leaders hope for a more entrepreneurial system that takes advantage of Scotland’s size and international reputation and influence. Saying this in a new way is not easy, and nor is playing the role of “critical friend” to Scottish ministers.

What is clear is that business leaders are paying closer attention to their personal reputations than they ever have before. Doing so begs as many questions as answers, but these are at least healthy questions to ask. After all, positive and constructive leadership ultimately leads to better outcomes for organisations and their customers – which is something we all need.

Billy Partridge is a UK Board Director and Head of Scotland at Grayling