Creating a durable, attractive message that can be
distributed widely internally and externally is all important for any CEO
today. Here are some ideas:
Start with a broad
internal communications strategy. Different companies communicate in very
different ways with their people. Some executives share their thinking
primarily through voicemail or by e-mailing in the style of “note from the
corner office.”
Never sugar-coat the
news. Certain rules always apply when conducting meetings with employees. Always
tell them the good, the bad, and the ugly. The “everything is great” approach should
be avoided.
Always commend and
salute your people. It’s easy when the numbers look very good, but even in
years when overall results are not good, it’s important that somebody
somewhere, is doing a great job that deserves to be highlighted and praised. It
provides a measure of uplift even when the news tends to be sobering across the
entire enterprise.
Try interactive.
Try a new exercise to connect more effectively with employees. For example, a
chat room conversation with the CEO. These interactive efforts are not only
enjoyable but extremely useful for a CEO. You find things you can take away
from each session. Employee ideas are genuinely helpful.
Make certain members
of the senior team are on the same page. High quality executive
communications isn’t just the responsibility of the CEO. Your senior leadership
team to a man and woman must fully subscribe to the corporate mission and be
able to articulate it effectively.
Keep it simple. Leonardo
da Vinci said that “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Who could
argue?
Understand this well: not every plan you write down on the
whiteboard is going to work. That’s a fact of business life, and no one is
immune to the occasional misstep. A lot of people don’t understand that basic
precept. They may believe that any sign of failure means the sun won’t be
coming out tomorrow. But the basic lessons of communicating with those who work
for you—delivering an easy-to-digest message, repeating it frequently as
possible, sticking to the facts and the truth and not sugar-coating anything
–provide an informational transparency that both illuminates the issues and
consolidates support for strategic and tactical missions.
