With all the headlines and contention generated by global elections in the past year, it is not surprising that an overwhelming majority of people surveyed around the world for the 2018 Best Countries rankings — 82 percent, in fact — believe that “there is a leadership crisis in the world today.” Less than half of respondents believe that their government represents them well (46 percent), and that it’s doing all it can to help them prosper (49 percent).
As growing nationalism continues to make headlines and drive significant fragmentation, political leaders are struggling to create unity. People believe that “leaders need to think beyond borders and their own self-interests” (a whopping 88 percent of the world thinks this) but today, they are not delivering.
But are there leaders out there who have, in fact, managed to do just that? Angela Merkel and Justin Trudeau boast some of the highest global approval ratings and are known for their progressive policies welcoming refugees and embracing globalization. Their countries also top the 2018 Best Countries rankings. But even in their own countries, they generate more division: Both leaders demonstrate stronger disapproval ratings in their own countries than globally.
When looking to leaders who are truly uniting forces, one arena has demonstrated success: brands. Amazon and Google, for example, are seen as some of the most powerful brands in the United States, and are equally loved by Republicans and Democrats. And that love — which translates to brand power — is consistent all around the world ( BAV Group runs the world’s largest database of consumer brand perceptions, measuring brand equity in 51 different countries).
Overcoming social, cultural and political divides, powerful brands have managed to ignite the kind of passion that politicians only dream of. They’ve done so in a way that translates globally, too, and not just in their own countries.
What does this mean for the shifting meaning of leadership? Are brands the new leaders? It certainly seems like something that the public is open to. Sixty-one percent of the world says they “trust private companies more than the government to take care of [their] needs.” In the United States, both Amazon and Google (not to mention brands like UPS, Colgate, and PayPal) are more trusted than “Brand USA,” according to BAV. Even in Japan, Amazon and Google are seen more as “leaders” than Brand Japan (as are Toyota and even Mickey Mouse). The same holds true for the United Kingdom, where Amazon and Google are also seen as more caring and helpful than Brand UK.
MORE: [People Around the World Approve of Company CEOs More Than World Leaders]
While many brands are powerful in their own right — bigger than any individual — the global CEOs at the helm of successful, passion-inducing global brands are being asked to step up. Eighty-five percent of those in our study say that “CEOs and business leaders should be vocal and active on social issues.” And, unlike many heads of state, these CEOs are more likely to have a mandate from positive approval ratings.
The same way we measured approval ratings of global leaders in Best Countries 2018, we also measured approval ratings of select business leaders.
Out of a total 24 leaders we measured (12 business leaders, 12 government leaders) — the top five leaders with the highest level of positive passion were almost all business leaders (Eric Schmidt of Google, Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Elon Musk of Tesla, and Tim Cook of Apple). The government leader boasting the highest positive passion, at No. 3 overall — was Canada’s Justin Trudeau.
At a time when SpaceX is seen as more innovative than NASA, and UPS has higher brand equity than USPS, the definitions of corporate vs. government leadership are blurring just like borders are blurring. Traditional governments and traditional government leaders need to learn from brands and brand leaders if they are to remain relevant.
The 2018 Best Countries rankings, formed in partnership with global marketing communications company Y&R’s brand strategy firm, BAV Group, and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, are based on a study that surveyed more than 21,000 global citizens from four regions to assess perceptions of 80 countries on 75 different metrics.
More from U.S. News
U.S. Slipping in Leadership, Relevance, According to Best Countries Survey
The World’s Perceptions of the U.S. Is Going in the Wrong Direction
Competition for International Students Increases Among Countries
Blurring the Lines: Redefining Leadership In a Time of Fragmentation originally appeared on usnews.com
