
CPR: taking the stress out of practicing public speaking
Practicing a speech is intimidating. Not only do you have to know your stuff, but you also have to think about your structure, your gestures, and your audience. Here’s how to use...
by Patrick Reinmoeller Published November 5, 2021 in Brain Circuits • 2 min read
The pandemic changed everything, and not just temporarily. The way people look at success and the future has changed as well, and it’s affecting businesses. Relevance is a quality that leaders formerly tended to overlook, but the new business landscape is making it a key driver of business strategy. You may have the highest profit in the industry, but if people realize you are harming the environment, or exploiting your workforce, suddenly a new perspective cuts the relevance of your competitive advantage.
Many business leaders are now looking beyond short-term financial performance and focusing on sustainable value creation. If you need to switch gears for an uncertain future where people demand more from the businesses they patronize, you can use this four-step framework for strategy rejuvenation.
Stakeholder collaboration
The first step is staying connected with stakeholders. Innovation requires organizational agility and resilience, the ability to bounce back from setbacks, and embrace continuous change. Innovation and inspiration are what keep stakeholders connected to organizations.
Conscious communication
You need to be consciously delivering specific messages to differing groups of stakeholders. To create and expand on meaningful relationships with various stakeholders, your communications must address their specific needs. Digital tools are a big help in this regard.
Sustainable value creation
If your company is resilient, one of the best things that you can do is share that resilience with others. You grow more resilient if you are able to strengthen your supply chain, other partners, and stakeholders. Creating a stakeholder-centric organization is a big part of maintaining relevance and driving competitive advantage.
Conspicuous action
We need to consciously choose the way we stay connected through contributions to our stakeholders. And then we need to adjust the level of visibility of the actions. You should not jump on every single issue that is in vogue at the moment, but choose appropriately for your business model.
Professor of Strategy and Innovation at IMD
Patrick Reinmoeller has led public programs on breakthrough strategic thinking and strategic leadership for senior executives, and custom programs for leading multinationals in fast moving consumer goods, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and energy on developing strategic priorities, implementing strategic initiatives, and managing change. More recently, his work has focused on helping senior executives and company leaders to build capabilities to set and drive strategic priorities.
July 16, 2025 • by Robert Vilkelis in Brain Circuits
Practicing a speech is intimidating. Not only do you have to know your stuff, but you also have to think about your structure, your gestures, and your audience. Here’s how to use...
July 15, 2025 • by Ben Bryant in Brain Circuits
Knowing how much vulnerability to show and when to maintain distance is a key leadership skill. Consult this checklist to gauge whether you’re keeping too much in, and check out the four...
July 10, 2025 • by Jean-François Manzoni in Brain Circuits
From absorbing stress to finding your authentic voice, nine leaders of global companies share the wisdom that has helped them excel in their roles. ...
July 8, 2025 in Brain Circuits
According to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety cost the global economy $1tn each year, predominantly from reduced productivity. Here are six simple habits, taken from design thinker Vishakha Singh’s SHIFT...
Explore first person business intelligence from top minds curated for a global executive audience