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Outdated old-boy network

Iqbal Wahhab is right to spark a debate ("The old-boy network can damage business", January). The financial crisis has created what I call a "flight to white" or "flight to safety", with some senior executives, consciously or unconsciously, inclined to recruit and promote in their own image, which is predominately white, male, middle aged and middle class. This can have a detrimental financial impact on businesses. The evidence is there to demonstrate that genuinely diverse companies enjoy greater sales revenue, number of customers, market share and profitability, relative to their peer group. While there is a moral argument "to do the right thing", the economic rationale is compelling enough for any business to recruit and promote without regard for gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or disability. Those that predominate now will also succeed, owing to the sustainable success they create.

Andrew Hick, Cavendish Hawk

Brand power

In 2012, brands must wield the power they hold for the better and encourage happiness in order to boost morale. This will in turn help improve consumer confidence and get the economy back on track.
Brands that invest now can guarantee not just in their
own future but even position themselves as part of a better future for everyone. They must provide value that transcends product and price, and engage consumers with experiences that inspire and empower. Let's use the awesome power of brands to make people happy and get them spending again.

Matthew Gidley, Head of Insights, Momentum London

Effective leadership

From the work I do with senior executives I can see that the old-style command-and-control structure no longer works ("What makes a good leader?", January). Leaders must earn their position, engage their staff and win the discretionary effort that is needed for a business to thrive.
What seems to remain a mystery for many leaders are the practical skills required to lead in this way. Savvy execs understand the need to really connect with people.
The skills practised by a professional facilitator are exactly the same abilities that leaders need to engage people and empower aligned decision-making. Leaders should look at the facilitation skill set for effective training.

Katherine Woods, Meeting Magic

Mobile security

A quarter of businesses do not have a policy in place for employees to work remotely via their own personal devices. This creates huge concern among IT departments, with 96 per cent of IT managers fearing security risks. Businesses must appreciate that the ostrich approach to security is counterproductive. Schemes such as BYOD are ideal – cost savings with company-owned equipment can be made and the employee's desire for flexibility is satisfied. Having a managed policy in place will enable rich mobile working, ensure compliance and the safety of business data, and allow employees to work as they would at home.

Etienne Greeff, SecureData Europe