This new model of building CEO reputation is driven by the high demand for content and by the numerous platforms on which leaders can engage with stakeholders in today’s digital era.

“Years ago, CEOs and those around them confused CEO visibility with CEO celebrity. Today, it is not about CEO celebrity, but CEO credibility that can be built through multiple channels that add value inside and outside the organisation,” according to Weber Shandwick’s chief reputation strategist, Leslie Gaines-Ross. “Today, CEO visibility means having a greater presence with greater purpose and in more ways than one.”

Conducted by Weber Shandwick with KRC Research, The CEO Reputation Premium: Gaining Advantage in the Engagement Era, is based on an online survey of more than 1700 senior executives across 19 countries in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America.

“At Weber Shandwick, we are always looking for ways to enhance executives’ leadership and communication styles – to help them to remain relevant in Africa’s harsh economic standing and today’s social media age where communication hierarchies are blurred by interactive and constantly changing landscapes. CEOs need to step forward and engage with internal and external communities,” says Weber Shandwick Africa managing director, Jill Hamilton.

Why CEO reputation matters

It’s undeniable that CEO reputation matters to an organisation’s success and is one of its most valuable and competitive assets. Global executives in the survey agree: on average, they attribute nearly half (45%) of their company’s reputation to the reputation of their CEO. This inextricable link between CEO and corporate reputation is only expected to strengthen, as 50% of executives expect that CEO reputation will matter even more to company reputation in the next few years.

CEO reputation matters to the bottom line, too. Executives estimate that 44% of their company’s market value is attributable to the reputation of their CEO. Strong CEO reputation also attracts and retains employees (77% and 70%, respectively).

“The ways in which people engage with companies, brands and the products they offer continues to evolve,” said Weber Shandwick’s EMEA Corporate Practice Chair, Greg Prager. “Our research shows that a CEO who can personalise and bring to life the company narrative can be a driver of company reputation in this new era of engagement.”

CEO humility has its rewards

Despite the growth in importance of CEO reputation, building it is not about enhancing egos or celebrity. In fact, a Weber Shandwick media search found that 2014 was a record year for coverage related to CEO humility. “Humility is now the new green among chief executives,” according to Gaines-Ross. Indeed, executives with highly-regarded CEOs in the study are nearly six times as likely as those with less highly-regarded CEOs to say that their CEO is humble (34% vs. 6%, respectively).

CEO public engagement is the new mandate

There is a close tie between reputation and external relations. Admired CEOs are four times more likely to be seen as being good at engaging the public than those with less admired status (50% vs. 13%, respectively). The question is: Which of the many available platforms are mission critical for CEOs when their time is so limited and they are understandably risk-averse?

The majority of global executives (82%) consider speaking engagements job number one for engaging with external stakeholders, but there are many other important external CEO responsibilities as well.

With the high demand for CEOs to narrate their companies’ purpose and what they stand for, it is good to know that the number and types of communications activities are plentiful, offering a variety of strategic options for CEOs to use.

Adds Weber Shandwick South Africa managing director, Linda Weaver: “When embarking on a CEO engagement campaign we harness the power of the CEO by empowering them on their vital roles in the businesses internally and externally; we develop suitable, unique and consistent communication styles for each individual by preparing them with key messages that are aligned to their business and lastly encourage every CEO we work with to be open-minded, embrace change and build a prominent and visible presence that tells the success story of their business no matter the economic change.”

For more information on Weber Shandwick, visit www.webershandwick.com.