Communicating to Senior Leadership
Our last series of communication briefings dealt with the relatively philosophical topic of mindset. This briefing will be more concrete: Communicating to senior leadership.
For many of you, January is when your annual meeting or company kick-off occurs. You'll learn of new strategy rollout and may have to present your own updates. As always, you will be judged by your audience. If that audience includes senior leadership, The Speaker's Choice offers 5 recommendations for you:
- Go in prepared - specifically, with a solutions-based mindset.
Be ready to offer recommendations. Many folks approach senior leadership looking for solutions; you can set yourself apart by offering a few of your own.
- Be focused and concise - provide context and get to the point quickly.
A one or two sentence opener should be long enough to provide the context your audience needs. In this way, good speaking is like good writing: Make every word count.
- Give them only as much detail as they need to hear - include evidence if you have it.
This does not all need to be spoken. If you have data to back your ideas, print it out and hand it to your audience. The person you are addressing will track your conversation more strongly if they have evidence on paper.
- Be passionate - show them you care about your ideas.
Obviously, melodrama is a card best left in your hand, but a delivery devoid of emotion will most probably only earn a lukewarm reception.
- Be flexible - you planned on talking about X, be ready to talk about Y.
One predictor of future success is anticipation. By anticipating the directions the conversation might take, you can bolster your credibility.
In brief: Especially if your interactions with senior leadership are seldom, it is imperative that you leverage those interactions to build your credibility. Wasting a conversation can cause you to slip into a sea of average. By preparing with these 5 recommendations, you build your chances of differentiating yourself from your colleagues.
If you will be involved with your company's meetings, and want support talking through your content, conducting a dry run, or just want to have an extra set of eyes look at your materials, please call us. Together, we can create senior leadership-level quality presentations that you'll feel confident delivering. During the first 6 weeks of 2010, we are offering discounted pricing for 1:1 or group phone coaching or video-conferencing via Skype.
Methods of Influence
Are you as influential as you could be?
Influence is a complex part of any professional relationship. A variety of related factors come into play as your influence develops. A few examples include trust, judgment, past experience, regard, responsibility, authority, and an emotional attachment to an outcome.
The way we build influence is partially a matter of style. That said, you can be deliberate about how you influence others in your playing field.
You may recognize (and maybe have employed) these four popular influence-inducing methods. Which is the most effective for building long-term influence? Click on your answer.
A. Trust and Mutual Respect Method: Listen with genuine interest. Share experiences, stories of successes and lessons learned along the way. Offer explanations and evidence.
B. Wear 'Em Down Method: Nag, prod, and pester until they give into your request. If all else fails, employ guilt.
C. Parent Method: The standard line is: "Do it because I said so, that's why!" Make sure they know that they won't be happy if they don't follow your lead.
D. Pleasure/Pain Method: Rely on strong enough benefits that you are certain matter to your audience. Likewise, inform them of consequences of not taking some action you are suggesting.
The correct answer is A - but add D to it!
Whether you're a team member, team leader, consultant, or sales professional, you may find yourself using some sophisticated version of any of the four influence-building methods. However, to build long-term, genuine influence and impact, it is crucial to build trust and mutual respect. To do this, open yourself to feedback and questions, set context, and establish credibility by sharing experience.
On to the other answers:
B. Wear 'Em Down Method
Sure, wearing someone down will get the action you want - in the short term. Guilt and resentment in your "victim," though, do not build long-term influence (and if they do, it is not the kind you want).
Hint: Focus your interactions on building buy-in. Give the other party a chance to understand the value of the task you want them to perform. If you have to ask multiple times for the task to be completed, or if you are tempted to pull their guilt trigger, maybe the problem is their lack of context.
C. Parent Method
The heavy-handed exercise of demanding that others perform various tasks "because you say so" gives others the distinct impression that the authoritarian approach is your default. Although it's counterintuitive, condescending others with the Parent Method erodes your credibility. Like the Wear 'Em Down Method, the Parent Method does not build influence in the long view.
Hint: Good parents tell stories to illustrate lessons they want their children to internalize. That same method works well in professional scenarios. When you share your experiences with others whom you wish to influence, they gain a valuable perspective, both about you and your approach to the work at hand.
D. Pleasure/Pain Method
As humans, we really only take any given action if we either receive enough pleasure or avoid pain by doing so. Our actions are mostly based on emotional decisions; then, we tend to use logic or rational to justify our decisions. This method can work well for a while – even without trust and respect. However, if trust and respect do not become part of the equation at some point, it’s likely that what did matter to the audience initially may shift and the old benefits may no longer cut it.
Hint: Coupling this method with the Trust and Mutual Respect and you’ve got the winning formula.
Following Up
Remember my story from last month? I was jazzed to see one my favorite rock bands in concert, but unfortunately, Mother Nature said no. We stood there in the pavilion in our ponchos as it poured. There was no announcement about anything until 45 minutes beyond the expected start time. Someone from the production team finally got on stage and said, "Sorry folks, we need to reschedule. The storm is too dangerous for you and the band."
As it turned out, the concert's makeup date was last week. We enjoyed a great show under clear skies. Given the way the cancellation announcement was handled last time, I was interested to see if they would address the need to reschedule. To my surprise, they did, and did it really well. After the second song, the lead singer said, "Chicago, we are very sorry about last month. The weather was so nasty. Thank you so much for coming back, we really appreciate it. Thank you also for forgiving us!" I was very impressed. Any frustration I had from last time was gone.
It gets better. This band went the extra mile: At intermission, someone else associated with the band came out and told us how bad the band felt. As a result, they had customized hats made for all 8,000 of us that said "Chicago 2010 Rain Out Date" with the band name on it. At the end of the show, the lead singer once again apologized and thanked us for our patience.
In the end they made it right. How often do you have a choice to make something right, and you go the extra mile to do it, and it pays off?
Our test this month of course has to be,
Who was the band? Click on your choice:
A. Smashing Pumpkins (Billy Corgan and I went to high school together)
B. Chicago (Peter Cetera is the new Justin Timberlake)
C. Rush (2112 is my lucky number)
D. Journey (Viva la mullet)
How often do you have a choice to make something right, you go the extra mile to do it and it pays off?
The correct answer is (C) RUSH.
Earlier this summer, I had concert tickets for a show I had been looking forward to for months. When I got to the outdoor pavilion, it was pouring rain. Since the words "RAIN OR SHINE" were printed in large font right across the top of the ticket, I assumed I would be rocking!
After waiting at the theater for a long time with our ponchos on, the emcee eventually came out and announced that the concert was cancelled because of the weather.
How well did the concert organizers deal with this situation? And generally, how are situations like this best handled? Click on the answer you prefer:
a. Wait to communicate until you have all of the facts; only initiate communication when the communication will have substance. In this case, the emcee handled the situation appropriately.
b. Use a substitution. In this case, the concert organizers should have sent someone to the stage for a brief stand-up routine. This would have fulfilled a substitute purpose: The people came to be entertained, so entertain them while they wait.
c. Communicate often, even if decisions have not been made. In this case, the emcee should have given us a status every 20 minutes or so, even if it was just to say, "No decision about the show yet - be back in 20 minutes."
d. When the customer is waiting or may otherwise be disappointed, consider taking a loss by applying over-the-top customer service. In this case, the concert's organizers should have announced free or reduced-cost food and beverages at the concession stands. This would make up for the inconvenience of the delayed (or, in this case, cancelled) show.
The correct answer is C.
The key to any situation in which waiting is a factor is to communicate early and often, even if it's a "no news yet" status report. People appreciate being kept in the loop. Flying is a good example of this: We appreciate status reports from the airline pilot who practices good communication skills when dealing with flight delays.
Let's look at the incorrect answers:
Choice A stated that one should wait for all of the facts before communicating. This approach has obvious issues, namely, the frustration of the people who are waiting for those facts. Communication and frustration have an inverse relationship: The less one communicates, the more frustrating it is for the recipient or audience. Use strong, professional communication as a tool to avoid frustration.
Choice B suggested that perhaps a stand-up comedy routine would help fill the time. This idea is wrought with problems. First, unless there is a professional comedian on hand, an amateur routine would have been unappreciated (and surely heckled). Furthermore, the audience didn't want comedy; they wanted music. Also, the concert-goers paid for the concert tickets, and may have perceived the comedy routine as something of low value they they paid for against their will, knowledge, and consent. Finally, comedy will not remove from the minds of the audience members the question, "When does the music start?" The audience is thus simultaneously only marginally entertained and left in the dark regarding the music.
Choice D offers a customer service ideal, albeit an expensive one. Having a free drink or popcorn does not answer any questions about when the much-awaited music is going to start. It is obviously an exorbitant solution, as well, and the loss will not likely be made up in customer loyalty or substantial future sales. Free food also fails to address the root desire of the customer: to know what is going on. The customer is left wanting for more information. That dissatisfaction points to the failure of choice D. (The logistical problems go without saying; the word "stampede" comes to mind.)
The bottom line: Communicate early and often. Give best estimates about status, delays, and when you will have more information. The timeline that you communicate information might change, but people are generally forgiving of these minor inconveniences if they are given the courtesy of frequent updates. When you communicate regularly, there is less need to offer substitutes that are unlikely to satisfy the customer anyway.
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Jargon
We've all overheard conversations from people sitting behind us on a plane, in the next cubicle over, or in the cafeteria at work. Ever wonder what in the world they were talking about, and wonder further if their colleague knew what they were talking about?
With more tasks on your plate, less time to get things done, and the need balance it all, don't let your communication create more work for you and others.
Which of these examples most clearly delivers the meaning it is intended to convey? Click on your answer.
a. Let's skype to do a fast SWOT on the Jones RFP. Do you think PMC would want to link in for the CRM portion? I already pinged Mary about it.
b. John's dialed in his wish list for the building project, and I suspect that some of his ideas are Rube Goldberg. I hope Sue recognizes that we'll be boiling the ocean if we do it his way.
c. Did you see the report they published last week? I think we need to circle about it; there are a lot of actionable stats we need to discuss. If we don't change our tactics going forward, we'll have problems when we go live.
d. Kim, I'd like to get together later to discuss those suggestions you sent me. There were some really good ones in there that I think we can use right away. Would you be available close to the end of the day, maybe around 4?
When I prepared this quiz, I laughed at several business and personal examples of jargon that came to mind where I do this! When we choose our words, we are typically motivated by efficiency and clarity. Often, though, we get more of one at the expense of the other. For example, we get more efficiency at the expense of clarity when we make heavy use of jargon.
On its own, there is nothing wrong with jargon; it is a natural outcome when people with a common interest and goal spend time together. We instinctively create our own vocabulary in these situations to streamline spoken communication. In that context, jargon is useful.
Jargon, though, has become overused and abused. In the business world, the "MBA-Speak" lexicon is littered with phrases that are neither clear nor efficient.
We certainly all know people who use jargon as a sort of insider's code, like a secret handshake in a neighborhood kids' club. Some may think that jargon makes them sound like a knowledgeable insider, but it often has the opposite effect.
With that in mind, consider whether your spoken communication could use an injection of plain English. If you rely less on jargon, you will likely be perceived as more approachable and well-spoken.
BONUS: Translations
a. Let's skype to do a fast SWOT on the Jones RFP. Do you think PMC would want to link in for the CRM portion? I already pinged Mary about it.Translation: Let's talk, or talk with video conference via skype to do a fast SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) on the Jones request for proposal. Do you think Pete McCarthy would like to join the call for the customer relationship portion? I already emailed Mary about it. b. John's dialed in his wish list for the building project, and I suspect that some of his ideas are Rube Goldberg. I hope Sue recognizes that we'll be boiling the ocean if we do it his way.Translation: John has included his wish list for the building project, and I suspect some of his ideas are overly complicated (or, trying to accomplish simple things in a complicated way). I hope Sue recognizes how inefficient his way is. c. Did you see the report they published last week? I think we need to circle about it; there are a lot of actionable stats we need to discuss. If we don't change our tactics going forward, we'll have problems when we go live.Translation: Did you see the report they published last week? I think we need to meet to discuss this; there are a lot of things in the report that we can act on. If we don't change our plan of action, we'll have problems when we start selling the product.
Scenario: Right after your presentation you start taking questions from your audience. At some point, someone asks an emotionally charged question. It is best to:
A. Pause, think, then answer the question.
B. Tell them, "That's a good question," then pause, think, and answer.
C. Turn to the audience, or a colleague and ask if anyone has an answer.
D. Empathize with the questioner, then answer the question.
D IS CORRECT
The rationale behind answer D is as follows:
When someone asks us a challenging or hostile question, something happened to get them emotionally hooked. They likely connected dots from something you said to some bad experience they had, and now you catch the heat.
Since they are hooked, if you simply answer their question, it is unlikely they will hear your answer, as they have not yet felt heard.
If you stall and patronize them, it may cause them to become even more upset.
In some cases asking the audience for your help could work, but not likely in this case. It is a good recipe for you to lose credibility and control of the room.
You need to be sure the questioner feels heard – so empathize first, then answer the question.
The Art of Feedback
Last Tuesday during dinner, my six year old daughter looked at me, smiled in between bites of her chicken, and said, "Hey Daddy, can I tell you what I like about you and what I don't like about you?" Eager to hear what she would say, of course I said yes. She proceeded to give me feedback -- some of it remarkably insightful -- about my parenting.
As a professional communications coach, I was charmed by my daughter's excellent approach to feedback. She did 3 things perfectly:
- She asked for permission to give me feedback first;
- She gave balanced feedback; and
- Her feedback was specific.
Timely, balanced feedback with the intent of improving a relationship or process can serve as a powerful tool for rapport and team building. We must be cognizant of our approach, though, in both giving and receiving feedback. To make the feedback session as productive and pleasant as possible, you can incorporate these techniques:
Giving someone feedback without getting permission is a set up for conflict - overt or covert. Then, set aside time to allow for preparation. Find the right time and place to minimize distractions. Slipping into a conference room at a pre-arranged time, even for an informal feedback session, can enhance the impact.
2. Focus on specific behaviors and their impact.
When you give feedback, it is critical to discuss specific behaviors and the impact on the company, team, you, the client, or peers. Be sure to talk about what the other person can control. The more specific you are about his behavior, the more likely that the recipient will understand and successfully alter future behavior.
3. Balance your comments.
If you only offer praise, you send the erroneous message that there is no room for improvement. If you offer only criticism, the message is that there was nothing positive to comment on. Neither is likely to be true; therefore, it is most fair to offer a balance of observations.
4. Be as firm as necessary and empathize as appropriate.
We all appreciate receiving feedback from a person who clearly respects us. When we speak to others, it is best to speak to them with the words and tone that we would like to hear from someone else. No one should have to "grow thicker skin" to receive constructive feedback in the workplace.
5. Deliver timely feedback.
When we offer feedback as quickly as possible after an observation, it will be considered more valuable. Comments on one's presentation at the Monday Morning Meeting, for example, are far more interesting and useful to the presenter on Monday afternoon than they would be two weeks from now. The more time that passes between the observation and the feedback, the greater likelihood of vagueness, forgetfulness, and disagreement.
Feedback does not need to be uncomfortable. With practice over time, you will learn to find the right words to encourage and motivate; you'll also become more open to receiving feedback yourself.
If you need to work on giving and receiving feedback, you are not alone. Many professionals find that giving good, useful feedback is not intuitive. If you find this is the case, try using the short list of common best practices the next time you need to give someone feedback. If you need more support we are happy to help.
One Surprising Thing They Teach in Chinese High Schools
Last month, one of my colleagues had a fascinating conversation with a talented young professional who grew up in China. Apparently all of the students in her high school studied English as a Second Language. Part of their ESL curriculum included watching videos of Americans giving speeches. The goal? To learn the patterns and rhythms of "The American Um."
The videos were supposed to teach the young Chinese students to sound American by saturating them with verbally cluttered examples. The logic was that if you pepper your speech with "uh" and "um," you'll blend in.
Given our position that verbal clutter or “fillers” should be eliminated, we were shocked to hear that the Chinese students were being taught to incorporate them!
"The American Um" is learned at a young age as a way to camouflage uncertainty, and it turns into fear of what others may think if we are silent. As we mature, some overcome the fear but retain the habit. Either way, almost everyone incorporates some type of filler into their speech patterns.
We all put our own spin on linguistic filler. If you listen, you'll hear patterns. Some of us love to start sentences with, "So," or "And..". These words add nothing to our message; instead, they dilute it.
The Speaker's Choice encourages our clients to focus on eliminating verbal clutter from your spoken communication. The woman who learned English in China drives the point of this lesson home: Verbal clutter makes you blend in. It is the signature of mediocrity in spoken communication, and mediocrity is what we're trying to break away from.
When you eliminate your clutter, your listeners will retain more of what you say. The solution is to allow for silence. Don't replace the verbal filler with anything. Allow yourself to be silent as you mentally choose your words.
Because the comfort of the verbal clutter will be gone, these silences will feel abnormally long and awkward at first. Rest assured, you will become acclimated to them with practice. The result will be crisper, more powerful spoken delivery.
When you eliminate verbal clutter, you will no longer blend in. Instead, you will stand out.
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