Lately, I have taken a little distance from the corporate world, which has caused me to see things in a new light. When you’re running along at full pace, it is often difficult to see what is really going on, or take a longer-term perspective. Slowing down helps you do just that – and it helps you see things clearer.

As I am moving further and further away from my corporate environment, there are new insights that bubble to the surface, causing me to see things in a different light. One of those things is brand engagement.

Often times, we seem to be so busy in our organisations, but the question is: are we busy doing the right things ? Or are we just killing time, trying to look busy but not really accomplishing anything ?

I have a long-held belief that, ultimately, a company can be defined as “a collective of individuals striving towards a common goal”. What that goal is will be defined (very) differently depending on who you ask, but make no mistake about it: every single person in the organisation is looking to have their own goals met. When goals and values are aligned, there is a strong sense of commitment and energy within the organisation. When they are not, there is organisational disconnect.

In times like these, it becomes increasingly important to have a strong connection between the brand, the organisation and the people working there. Ultimately, everybody has to do their bit to deliver on the brand promise. Often, we have to confess our organisations are often not doing so well in this perspective.

In an “old world/new world”-paradigm shift article, experience matters states:

“The emergence of social media has caused a fundamental shift in the relationship between consumers and corporations.  Namely, the brand identity ‘ball’ has bounced into consumers’ court. Where the goal used to be for brands to start the conversation, the new opportunity is to join the conversation.”

Perhaps the time has come to lift the artificial boundaries that supposedly separate us into consumers, employees, partners, suppliers and clients. At one point or another, we are all of those, sometimes simultaneously. As brands become more and more part of the public domain, there is a tremendous opportunity out there for companies to involve their employees in the shaping of their brand, by asking them a few basic questions, and then listening carefully:

• What do you feel we should stand for ?
• Realistically, how far off are we ?
• What needs to change in order for us to become that brand, and deliver on the brand promise ?
• What do you feel you would get out of making a contribution ?
• What are you willing to contribute in order to make this happen ?

With societal interactions shifting from telling (top-down, one-way, instructional) to talking (top-down/bottom-up, two-way, conversational), perhaps now the time has come for marketers to do a little more listening ?