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Coaching Leaders to Be Better Communicators
August 2011 | Volume 9 Issue 8
Today's CEOs are called on to communicate in many different situations and to a wide variety of audiences, ranging from shareholders to employees and the media. But many lack the communication expertise to tailor their messages to appeal to a variety of audiences and situations; and often don't understand how communication can help them achieve their business goals. In this issue of CW Bulletin, our experts reveal how communicators can educate their executives about the value of communication and offer tips for how communicators can help their leaders effectively communicate and engage with their audiences in any situation—from an executive presentation to a town hall meeting.
Natasha Nicholson
Executive Editor
Amanda Aiello Beck
Managing Editor |
Features
VALUE OF COMMUNICATION
by Angela Sinickas, ABC, IABC Fellow
Some C-suite executives know in their bones that effective communication helps them achieve their business goals. Unfortunately, executives like this are in the minority. As a communicator, how can you educate a senior executive who has not yet “seen the light” to value the communication function—and you—more highly? There are several methods that can be used to change the way executives work with us.
ENGAGING TOWN HALL MEETINGS
by Alison Davis
CEOs and other leaders know that town hall meetings are most meaningful when they’re interactive. That’s why they’re often disappointed when employees sit there silently and ask few questions during the Q&A session. As a communicator, you can advise leaders to help them encourage employee participation and ensure that their next town hall is an interactive success.
EXCEPTIONAL EXECUTIVE PRESENTATIONS
by Jeremy Henderson
Like celebrities, corporate executives are often scrutinized for everything they say, do, wear and eat. The higher they ascend, it seems, the more they are criticized. The pressure is on because the C-suite wants to see its executives deliver a message that has a significant, positive impact on the company, unifies the organization’s strategy, and captures the hearts and minds of each and every employee. But very few executives are taught to deliver exceptional presentations.
DEVELOP A LEADERSHIP BRAND
by Laura Lopez
Communication is an influencing tool. To influence others to take action, you need a personal leadership brand. Developing your personal leadership brand ensures that your communication messages connect with your audience, even if your audience is a boss or other senior leader.
Columns
Don’t Leave Home Without Them:
Essential items for a traveling photographer
by Suzanne Salvo
Foreign travel by itself is demanding enough, but when the purpose is for a photo or video assignment, the potential for a travel nightmare soars higher than a Boeing 747. Careful planning and packing are essential for successful location photography. Here are a few of the photo travel tips I have collected over the years.
Tips for Effectively Engaging Your Online Communities
by Ernest Barbaric
Editor’s note: This is the final installment in a three-part series on how to build and engage with online communities.
In the previous article in this series, we explored some of the tools available for building and participating in online communities. In this final article, we’ll look at one of the most important components of an online community—the users. A question I frequently hear from those working with online communities is: How do I draw users to our community, and how do I keep them there? Here are some tips for not only attracting users to your community, but also for keeping them interested once they’ve arrived.
Examples and Tools for Clear Communication
by Martin J. Eppler, Ph.D., and Nicole Bischof
Editor’s note: This is the final installment in a two-part series on how to acheive clarity in communication.
Clarity plays a crucial role in corporate communication, especially when it comes to complex areas such as communicating about strategy, communicating with customers or crisis communication. In this second part of our series on clear communication, we look at examples of how organizations make the complex clear, and suggest some useful tools for doing so.
- "Transforming Town Halls to Create a More Involved and Productive Workforce," Thermo Fisher Scientific and Dulye & Co.
- "Ed's B:log: Engaging Linguistics," American Express
- "The Art of Leadership," Farm Credit Canada
- "PG&E Extended Leadership Team," Pacific Gas and Electric Co.
Communication in the News
Related Resources provides additional articles and resources for understanding this month's topic of coaching leaders to be better communicators. You can also find some of these links alongside each corresponding feature article for quick reference. Links include:
- "Doing Town Hall Meetings Better," by Nancy Hatch Woodward
- "CEO Presentations—5 Vital Tips that Succeed with Your Audiences," by Susan Trivers
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This issue sponsored by:
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