This book debunks the notion that the Chief Executive is the primary figurehead and places line managers at the forefront. Using a mixture of unique but tried and tested bespoke management models and case studies, line managers are identified as the critical community in the war between brands.

Autorentext
Ian P. Buckingham is a leading author in the fields of Employee Engagement and Brand Development. After a formative start to his career on the customer service front line, he has subsequently held a range of senior consultancy positions within the world's largest Marcomms business Omnicom and beyond. He develops and delivers Organization Development and Change Strategies as well as Brand Development and Executive Development programs for a wide range of clients across sectors. Buckingham has a reputation as a forthright, iconoclastic critic of some of the more draconian and spin-oriented practices of the agency and corporate worlds. He is widely and frequently quoted in a range of HR and Marketing publications. He blogs for People Management magazine and is a member of the CIPR advisory board. Ian Buckingham is the founder of Bring Yourself 2 Work a consultancy of engagement specialists. He is a champion of the need for authenticity in communication and behavior between business owners, employees, colleagues and their customers, calling for greater coordination between the HR and Marketing functions for more effective brand management.

Inhalt
Prologue Brand Engagement in Context ACT 1: BRAND ENGAGEMENT, EVERYMAN AND THE HERO LEADER What does great brand engagement feel like? The CEO is dead long live the ceo! Are we at the tail end of spin? What characterises an effective chief engagement officer? ACT 2: DECONSTRUCTING BRAND ('BUT WE DON'T EVEN BRAND ANIMALS ANY MORE') Brand and authenticity Brand anthropology New ways of telling old stories Leadership engagement Brand and motivation The national perspective nation branding The ARM Holdings story ACT 3: THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS What's been happening in the communication market? Employment brand Engage people by letting them play Inside-out communication (the power of partnership) Behaviour brand creep Brandscape and the brand engagement journey Mergers and acquisitions The quest for balance What do committed employees look like? Zurich Financial Services case study ACT 4: CULTURE AS A WEAPON OF MASS CONSTRUCTION What's culture got to do with it? The culture development process A culture-first approach to change (Motability Case Study) The use of tools ACT 5: BRING YOURSELF TO WORK Everything begins with a story Mythology, the ancient arts and employee engagement The story of Good Company Authenticity and engagement John Lewis Group A Case study in engagement Becoming comfortable with the emotional dimension In conversation with an industry expert Retention Issues? The story of the Yorkshire Building Society a true mutual In conclusion