Friday, February 1, 2013

Filmmaking as a critical leadership skill


The likes of Richard Branson, Guy Kawasaki and Arianna Huffington - all leaders in their own right - are not only active on social media, but also show a savvy for engaging others while promoting their business.  Branson and Huffington, for example, keep their posts short and sweet, also topical and sometimes personal.  I follow them on Google+, and I've linked their profiles above, so you can follow them as well, if you like.

In this regard, a recent article from McKinsey is a must-read:  Six social-media skills that every leader needs.  What I want to highlight, in particular, is the first skill:  The leader as producer, creating compelling content.
More than a few executives have started to incorporate video streams into their blogs. As video communication rises in importance, effective leadership will increasingly require the kind of creative skills we know from the world of “auteur” filmmaking—an authentic voice, imagination, and the ability to craft compelling stories and to turn them into media products that make people take note and “lean forward” [emphasis added].  
(image credit)
As a management consultant, I haven't seen anything in the vast literature and media on leadership, which mentions auteur filmmaking as a critical skill.  It's comforting to know that I'm on the right track with my own business projects, that is, in gaining the skills to create a wide range of content, including videos!

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