The power of composure in an unstable world

The past 48 hours have witnessed a barrage of provocative behaviour from US President, Donald Trump, to other world leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of Norway, and our own Prime Minister. 

Kier Starmer has maintained a calm and rational demeanour under profound pressure, even as the decision by the UK to hand over Diego Garcia to Mauritius was mocked overnight as an act of ‘GREAT STUPIDITY’. 

Whatever your opinions on politics, Starmer’s response to Trump’s unprecedentedly bellicose behaviour – speaking calmly, avoiding escalation, and refusing to resile on core principles – is one model of the ‘quiet diplomacy’ that the populations that we surveyed for our recent global Impact Monitor told us that they actively wanted to see from the leaders of businesses and brands they interacted with. 

Nik Gowing, author of ‘Thinking the Unthinkable – Leading Boldly in an Uncertain World’ says leaders feel vulnerable in the current climate and do not want to publicly express concerns. 

But only a minority of those we surveyed – in the UK and around the world – believed that business leaders should stay silent about the issues that matter to their operations and the broader communities they serve. On the contrary – people wanted to see business leaders advocate in a principled and authentic way. And our surveys indicated that public perceptions of business performance is improving, suggesting that many organisations are listening more closely to community concerns, responding more effectively to expectations and communicating their impact with greater clarity and credibility. 

The challenge for leaders is how to speak out on the issues that matter to them in such a polarised, inflammatory and rapidly evolving public sphere. 

Looking at how Keir Starmer is approaching this challenge, remaining calm under pressure and seeking influence rather than soundbites, offers some insights on how to begin – and our colleagues in Davos will be exploring the topic at our joint round table with the Financial Times – ‘Corporate Diplomacy in a Fractured World’ today.