The Importance of Executive Communications
The role of an executive is constantly changing. As organizations face increasing public scrutiny and their workforces become more diverse and globally dispersed, executive leaders have taken on greater roles in keeping their companies on track and shareholders happy.
Today, excelling as an executive demands more than subject matter expertise and traditional management experience. The most sought-after skill for C-suite roles, according to a recent study by the Harvard Business Review, might surprise you.
After analyzing nearly 5,000 job descriptions for C-suite positions, HBR discovered that executive recruiters have rank soft skills—including communication and social grace—as the most sought-after traits in potential leaders. In the modern executive landscape, success increasingly hinges on communicating effectively.
Having worked with hundreds of business, nonprofit, academic, and government leaders for more than a decade, one thing is abundantly clear: executive communications is complex. Executives face constant pressure to deliver positive outcomes to various stakeholders, competing for their time and attention. It can be tempting to delegate communication tasks to your communications team, but this approach falls short of today’s expectations.
When an adverse situation arises, stakeholders now expect to hear directly from executives, not from a third-party communications firm. This shift in expectations means that executives must learn communicate directly and add value and clarity to their messaging.
Communication has become an indispensable skill for executives—just like accounting, negotiating, or managing.
While the public prefers to hear directly from CEOs amid challenging situations, organizations of all sizes can take the first step to protect their reputations and prepare their C-Suites by working with an external public relations firm. Here’s how you can get the most out of your executive communications work with such a firm.
What is Executive Communications?
Executive communications encompass any form of communication between members of a company’s executive team and their stakeholders, which can include employees, customers, shareholders, suppliers, government agencies, community organizations, and any other entity with an interest in the company’s performance and longevity.
This communication can take many forms, from all-staff addresses and product launch presentations to strategic social media posts and email updates.
The Impact of Executive Communications Training
While the concept of executive communications may seem straightforward, executing it effectively is anything but simple. Many companies suffer significant losses due to poorcommunication practices:
- A survey of 400 companies with 100,000 employees found that each company lost an average of $62.4 million annually due to inadequate communication.1
- Another study by Grammarly found that U.S. businesses lose $1.2 trillion yearly because of poor communication practices.2
As the saying goes, “attitude reflects leadership.” If leadership does not exemplify effective communication, the entire organization may experience a trickle-down effect, leading to decreased productivity, morale, and profitability.
Fortunately, our decade-plus experience in executive communications training has prepared us to address these challenges long before social skills became a “must-have” for executives. Here are essential tips for top-tier executive communications:
Prioritize Your Audience
To strike the right note, you need to know your audience: what are they looking for? What messages will motivate and inspire them? Meet them where they at; shape the direction, tenor, and structure of your communication to their needs. For instance, you wouldn’t use the same talking points during a board meeting as in an all-staff meeting.
The board might be focused on detailed financial updates and long-term growth projections, while employees might be more interested in how these numbers will impact their bonuses and day-to-day tasks. Executives must approach every engagement with an audience-first mindset.
Listen Actively
Communication is a two-way street, and effective communication requires listening as much as speaking. You must actively listen to your stakeholders to understand what they need to hear.
This can involve distributing surveys, conducting focus groups, or engaging in one-on-one conversations. However, listening is only the first step; you must incorporate this feedback into your communications.
Incorporate Storytelling
While data informs nearly every executive decision, simply presenting facts and figures—the dreaded “data dump”—is unlikely to engage your audience. Stories, on the other hand, are scientifically proven to capture and hold attention. Executives can maximize their message’s impact and motivate their audience by learning to weave data into compelling narratives.
Simplify Strategically
No one wants to leave a meeting with more questions than answers. It’s crucial to craft a simple and to-the-point message. Avoid jargon and technical terms that your audience may not understand. Focus on what your audience needs to hear, and leave out irrelevant, overly technical details.
Be Human
Executives are often placed on a pedestal as if they operate on a different plane. But at the end of the day, executives are humans too—they have homes, hobbies, hopes, and anxieties. Authenticity and transparency are in high demand among both employees and customers.
Organizations with authentic leaders are more likely to retain both customers and employees. So, don’t be afraid to show your personality, share your stories, and acknowledge your failures when communicating publicly.
The Organizational Benefits of Good Executive
Communication
Getting executive communication right doesn’t just keep your stakeholders happy. It also has a direct and measurable impact on your company’s bottom line. Good communication creates too much value to overlook.
Enhances Brand Reputation
A solid executive voice is one of the most impactful ways to represent a brand. Executives have the platform to:
- Spearhead change
- Demonstrate company values
- Highlight organizational culture
When executives communicate clearly and charismatically, they instill confidence in their organization’s potential and attract support from investors and customers.
Builds Trust
Executives who communicate consistently and transparently build trust with their staff. Employees feel valued, respected, and secure when leaders keep employees informed about important decisions and changes. Building trust is essential when employees feel isolated due to remote work and economic uncertainty.
Fosters Clarity and Purpose
When leaders clearly and authentically communicate their vision, priorities, and progress, employees understand what is expected of them and how their work contributes to the company’s success. This clarity promotes a sense of purpose, making employees feel part of something larger.
Boosts Engagement and Retention
Executives can foster a more engaged and loyal workplace culture when they communicate in a way that builds trust, promotes purpose, and enhances clarity. Strong executive communications can have a positive domino effect: a study found that 84% of employees with high role clarity intend to stay with their organization 3 , and another study shows that “trust in leaders” is the top indicator of employee engagement. 4
Do You Need an Executive Communications Strategy?
The short answer is absolutely. An executive communications strategy is as essential as a brand or marketing strategy and should be approached with the same level of care.
An executive communications strategy connects your business priorities with communication opportunities. Whether you’re aiming to cut costs, diversify your workforce, or launch a rebrand, each of these initiatives requires audience-specific communication. Once you’ve outlined your key priorities, identify everyone who needs to be informed or involved in achieving those goals.
Different audiences will require different messages and channels. This is where an executive communications plan comes into play.
Do You Need an Executive Communications Plan?
While an executive communications strategy outlines the “what,” an executive communications plan details the “how.” The strategy is high-level, while the plan is tactical. Think of it as a content calendar, organizing messages so that they reach:
- The right people
- In the right way
- At the right time
- Through the right channel
How an Executive Communications Plan Works
Consider an example of a new executive who wants to prioritize hiring new talent. First, they must communicate this goal to HR by highlighting the current state of the team, current strengths and weaknesses, and new recruitment goals and tactics.
However, their message would differ significantly if they addressed a job-seeking audience at a major industry event. The executive would focus on company values, career opportunities, and the organization’s commitment to its work.
While both engagements support the same strategic goal, the message is tailored to the audience. An executive communications plan is essential: it ensures that specific messages regarding specific priorities are crafted for specific audiences.
The Executive’s Role in Communication Planning
Although a communications associate may refine the details and craft the messages, executives must remain involved in strategy development to ensure authentic communication. After all, it’s the executive who will be speaking or writing.
Every executive has their preferred communication style, and it’s up to them to collaborate with their communications team to ensure their unique voice shines through. This collaboration limits surprises and ensures alignment when developing an executive communications strategy.
The Value of Executive Communication Training
A hallmark of successful leadership is a willingness to learn and grow. Whether new to the C- suite or a seasoned CEO, executive communication training can be a game-changer for your career and your organization. Executive communication training can help you:
- Articulate a vision
- Refine your executive presence
- Inspire diverse audiences
2.https://www.grammarly.com/business/Grammarly_The_State_Of_Business_Communication.pdf
3.https://www.effectory.com/knowledge/hr-analytics-role-clarity-impacts-performance/
4.https://www.qualtrics.com/experience-management/employee/employee-engagement/