CEO communication: if you want them to listen, speak their language

Communication World, Oct-Nov, 2003 by Greg Crowther

What keeps your leaders awake at night? The increasing demands of stakeholders are probably causing them many sleepless nights. Among the challenges facing CEOs and other leaders are fostering individual thinking and innovative actions, while simultaneously ensuring that mindsets and behaviours are aligned.

The role of an in-house communication executive or external consultant is crucial in helping a CEO achieve these outcomes. Leadership behaviours, including communication, are primary enablers. By applying skills in communication planning, messaging and execution, you will help the organization achieve its imperatives and cement your position as a trusted adviser.

The environment in which we operate provides its own set of tensions. For example, someone has hit the turbo-boost button on communication in the workplace. Meetings (real and virtual), voice mail, e-mail, text messages, newsletters, e-bulletins, pamphlets and proposals are bombarding many of us. Is more communication leading to effective communication?

As a leader, or communication adviser to a leader, ask yourself these questions about stakeholder communication:

* Is my face to face, electronic and print communication effective?

* Do my stakeholders perceive me as credible?

* How do I stay in the credibility zone?

If a leader drifts outside the credibility zone, the consequences can be swift and dramatic. We have all seen examples of misplaced words and incongruent action leading to a loss of support, trust and action. The challenge to our leaders is to remain in the credibility zone. As an adviser to CEOs and other organizational leaders, check that they are applying Rogen's "4Cs":

1. Context. Manage expectations up front so that your audience is tuned to what you are going to say and not left frustrated about what you didn't say. Make it a habit to begin your communication (face-to-face or otherwise) by setting the context, and give your audience a "What's In It For Me?" reason to pay attention.

2. Clarity. Make sure your messages are tuned to the audience's needs and issues. Your messages must be persuasive or compelling. Draw on the benefits, consequences and pieces of evidence that mean something to each stakeholder or stakeholder group. Indicate why your statement is relevant now. Make it specific enough to be measured.

3. Congruence. In business communication today, what you see and experience can be more important than what you read or hear. Make sure that the tone and nonverbal elements of your delivery match the intent of your messages. This is the point where you'll either bring your words to life or suffocate them. Some of the observable behaviours to pay attention to are gestures, movement, facial expressions and voice.

4. Channel. Ask yourself these questions: Am I communicating to inform, to engage or to persuade? What are the communication preferences of my audience? Information sharing can be done quickly and efficiently via e-mail and other electronic tools. When it comes to engaging a stakeholder, lead with face-to-face and reinforce with electronic and print.

If you want people to listen, you need to speak their language. This means demonstrating your interest in an audience and its issues. You can do this by setting the right context, having compelling messages, being congruent in words and actions and delivering the messages using the right mix of channels. Each of these elements needs to be applied regularly. Doing so helps keep leaders credible as communicators.

CASE STUDY #1: BEING CREDIBLE AS A NEW CEO

Imagine this situation. Your company is an international business in the fast-moving consumer goods sector. It is publicly listed and operates in extremely competitive markets. Market share and earnings have been squeezed for more than 12 months. Analysts, institutional shareholders and the media are starting to lose patience. Questions are being asked about the company's future. You joined the company as CEO just four weeks ago, and you need to announce the company's third profit warning in six months.

How would you feel? Your feet have barely hit the floor. How do you maintain your credibility (and stakeholder support) in such an environment?

This was the situation a CEO client found himself in recently.

The starting point was to understand stakeholder perceptions. Specifically, what were they expecting to hear? And what gulf had appeared between their expectations and what the company had communicated in the past?

Mindful of corporate governance commitments and stock exchange listing rules, the CEO prepared his messages about the profit warning. He carefully avoided the danger zones of "too much" or "too little." His mantra: Set a platform for the future. Ensure credibility. Slightly under promise.

The CEO led the communication effort. He got face-to-face with analysts, employees, important shareholders and customers and the media. His messages were reinforced electronically and in print.

He consciously conveyed the right messages through nonverbal skills. In particular, he got the rational and emotional balance right. He needed to reinforce the perception of a leader who acknowledged the need for lots of hard work yet was upbeat about the company's short and long-term prospects.