By Sarah Woods
Suddenly, everything is different at your company. Bill in marketing is gone, and you’re not sure who’s going to help your staff put the data together for the meeting next week. When you email Corporate Compliance for approval on your team’s proposal, you get a call from a new contact who tells you they’re re-evaluating the approval process because of new leadership, and they’ll have to get back to you. Your boss isn’t much help – they’re under pressure to manage an additional two business areas and integrate the team. And yet, the clock isn’t stopping…you still need to deliver.
Whether your company is downsizing due to a drop in revenues, or using the recession as an opportunity to reorganize to come back strong when economy bounces back, we all know that change will be a constant for the foreseeable future.
If you’ve survived the “re-org”, you’re likely to have more on your plate than you did before; inheriting new responsibilities while managing staff that look more like the walking wounded than the strong team you need. You may find you have no time to catch your breath and think strategically about how to integrate and incorporate. At the same time, you can bet you’ll be judged by how well you pick up the slack, move quickly toward productivity, and retain your talent.
It’s a lot to ask…and yet, THIS is the new normal. To demonstrate leadership and deliver strong performance, you’ll need to forge new relationships, build a cohesive team, influence across the organization and manage conflict as roles and responsibilities continue to get sorted out.
Communication is the biggest challenge you’ll face. As leaders scramble to assimilate departments, reduce redundancies, reduce costs and drive new initiatives, the casualty of the results-driven organization is communication. Here are the 5 key steps you can take to ensure you maintain performance after the re-org:
- Don’t go it alone – Tap into the collective wisdom of those who have been in your role before you. If you have access to previous management, call them and talk about what succeeded, and what failed. If you don’t have a line to predecessors, find a mentor who will give you background and prevent you from reinventing the wheel.
- Put on your sales hat – Make it your business to develop a strong pitch about your department and the value they bring to the organization. Make sure you align that value to the overall strategy of the company.
- Be visible – Set up calls or meetings with key colleagues who will help you get your job done, and build a collaborative relationship. Approach these conversations with “here’s how we can help you.”
- Get outside support – Communicating successfully to your demoralized team, key influencers in your company, senior leadership and even clients is paramount to your success. Don’t wing it, and don’t marginalize it. Bring in an executive coach who can help you develop the skills you need to succeed.
- Talk to your team – Be honest, be direct, be accessible, and be visionary. They are counting on you to give them clear direction, the resources they need to succeed, and to inspire them to embrace the future and win. You won’t do that by appearing overwhelmed and frustrated.
Sarah Woods can be contacted at swoods@bates-communications.com. Check out Sarah’s workbook and CD on how to “Jumpstart Sales Through Powerful Presentations” here: http://www.bates-communications.com/books-and-products/books-and-products/#Jumpstart-Sales-with-Powerful-Presentations
By Paula Lyons
For the past year, it seems that all the news has been bad! Financial institutions were in turmoil or failing outright! Government was scrambling to prop them up or bring them down gracefully. Layoffs and re-organizations dominate news cycles. No company, even those among our largest and most well-known, seems immune. Home foreclosures and falling home sales show up in even our wealthiest communities.
So what if you and your organization actually have good news to impart? How do you break through the negative noise and get your message out there?
First, take stock of your own attitude.
I have a good friend from college days who has worked in financial services for over 20 years. In the worst part of the economic crisis, sometime last September, I called Kathy to see how she was doing. "I’m fine," she said. "My clients are concerned, naturally, but they’re in pretty good shape. I’m spending most of my time looking for the opportunity in all of this. Crisis always creates opportunity."
The most successful people I know are like my friend, Kathy. They remain positive in crisis, and look for the opportunities to grow and promote their businesses. The best of them do not shy away from seeking press coverage. They know how important it is to stand out for all the right reasons.
They also understand. It is never EASY to get good press. Chasing the media is a lot like trying to sell a new idea inside a complex organization. First, your idea has to resonate with the "powers that be" and be something that will help them achieve one of their goals. You’ve got to come up with a communications plan, talk your idea up in a variety of ways, to as many influential people as you can, until you find those allies who will help you champion it through.
The media “game” operates under similar rules. You have to understand your audience; then give reporters what they want and need in a way that makes it easy for them to say yes. Often, you have to seek coverage from many sources and adapt your approach to whether they are print, online, or broadcast journalists. As with selling your brilliant idea, it is a numbers game. Approach as many outlets and reporters as you can. Not everyone will say yes, but if your idea is good enough, and truly meets the need of their viewers or readers, someone is bound to say yes.
You may never end up in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, or as the big story on Bloomberg news. But there are hundreds of news outlets out there. If you do your part, a hungry reporter will pick up some of your stories. You just have to stay at it, get creative, be willing to try new approaches and remember…this is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.
I was a reporter for 25 years on both local and national television. I know there are opportunities out there because I was always hungry for stories. But not just any story.
- Reporters are really not interested in you, your company, your products, your services, or whatever it is you’re selling and should be paying to advertise.
- They’re interested in stories that are timely, unusual, emotional…stories about firsts, bests, onlys; stories about issues, trends, hot topics and unusual ideas.
- The most important measure of all? Whatever story you pitch has to be relevant and interesting to their readers or listeners. It has to make their business or personal lives better, easier or simpler. In other words, it can’t be just about you and how fabulous you are.
Reporters need:
- Help with their stories
- Good background information
- Outstanding interviews
- Easy access
- Respect for their deadlines
So, if you can afford it, invest in media training for your spokesperson(s)so that they have the skill and confidence to respond quickly when the media calls and deliver sound bites that are clear, concise, interesting and will represent your company in the best possible light.
Final thoughts
Do stories about your “good works” work in these days of negativity? They absolutely can, and do, when you make them easy for reporters to:
- Interview some recipients of your good works (pre-screen and pre-arrange their availability)
- Visit the location where they can see your good works in action, and take photos or video to illustrate their stories
- Understand the scope of your program and get the statistics and facts that support how well it works.
One thing to keep in mind: it isn’t because reporters are lazy that it makes sense to cater to them to ensure good coverage. It’s because they’re busy, and they’re bombarded with story ideas and assignments constantly. The company that keeps reporters’ needs in mind, and adopts a creative and flexible approach that makes it hard for them to say no, will stand out and win at the media game.
Paula Lyons can be contacted at plyons@bates-communications.com For information about media training, how to give great interviews, and how to get positive press, click here: http://www.bates-communications.com/workshops-and-training-programs/media-training/
It’s that time of the year again – stacks of invitations are coming in for holiday parties and events. You look at the pile on your desk, and wonder how you’ll find the time.
After all, you also need to schedule a few hours to stand in absurdly long lines at the mall and to spend “quality time” with family and friends. Your first reaction may be to say “No,” to invitations. Can it possibly be worth it to rally at the end of a long day to attend a holiday business party?
Well I know most friends and many magazine articles advise you to simplify your life, say no, and reduce stress. I hate stress too. And you can only do so many things in one month. Yet, if you think about it; set aside your frenzied feelings for just a minute, you’ll recall that each year at this time you’ve probably gone to an event where you have truly connected with people and had fun.
During the holidays people are feeling upbeat, the atmosphere is festive. The business year is coming to a close, and people are looking forward to having time to relax. If your schedule is typical of most people’s today, you’re so busy that you’ve put people off for lunch or coffee for months. Keep it up and you don’t see some people for years at a time.
So, while it’s tempting to check no on those RSVPs, it is possible to be strategic, pick a few events and make the most of them. While you’re filling up your cup of eggnog at a holiday gathering, take a look around the room. Who’s there that you don’t normally see? Walk over and start up a conversation – you could in that moment start a lasting relationship that leads to opportunities you never imagined.
If you’re attending a party where you don’t know many people, consider it an advantage. Since the mood is festive, people are more receptive if you walk up and say hello. They are more likely to bring you into their circle of friends or introduce you to others. Conversation tends to be about fun stuff, and the things we really care about. That makes it more memorable.
A lot of people hate small talk. You don’t have to make it small. Ask a few questions until you hit on common ground and make it interesting. Take that conversation for a ride. Why is it important to do this? Because – small talk leads to big talk. Those conversations about nothing can lead to something wonderful.
Here are some tips on how to get the conversation going. (Excerpts from The Executive Guide to Networking and Building Relationships – due out in early 2006):
• Initiate the conversation. Make it easy by jumping in with the first question or
comment – people appreciate it. There is nothing more awkward than the first few
moments of a conversation. Someone who can take charge and move it forward
is regarded as a great conversationalist.
• Perfect the art of asking questions. Eventually you will hit on some common
ground – travel, restaurants, weekend activities, sporting events, schools attended,
children and family, schools, elderly parents. All of these are topics that lead
naturally to business conversation – the age of children leads to conversation
about private school, college, and grandchildren. Travel leads to free time, work
schedule, retirement, and goals for retirement, vacation homes and future plans.
• Watch people and really listen, with your eyes as well as your ears. Read
between the lines to truly “hear” what a person is saying. Imagine you are the
only two people in the room while they are talking and make it a mission to really
“get” who they are.
• Be genuinely curious. When you are genuinely interested, you can learn all kinds
of interesting things about clients and prospects that will help you make stronger
connections. Don’t be afraid to ask if they are retired or just thinking about it – what
they would do if they did retire, and how they have arrived at this point in their lives.
Everyone has a story to tell, and if you seem interested, it takes little prompting
to get him or her to talk.
• Make conversation two-way. Don’t make it an inquisition. Bring your own relevant
life experiences in, or – if it’s a stretch – the experiences of other people you know
who have something in common.
• If the conversation stops: Return to them, and ask them another question.
You never know where you’re going to find new opportunities. In fact, a colleague recently told a story about a family party she attended. She arrived thinking it would be like any other family party – updating aunts and uncles on the kids’ achievements, catching up with cousins she only saw once a year.
She ended up chatting with the new spouse of a cousin she hadn’t seen in a few years – turns out he had recently moved to a management position at a large company. When she told him what her business was – he said his colleague in another department had been thinking about calling someone to do exactly that kind of work. He passed along her name, and a month later, they signed a contract.
Just because the year is coming to an end doesn’t mean you have to wait until January to make new business relationships. As the song goes – it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Finding new prospective clients and making promising business relationships is a surefire way to make the end of the year even more wonderful!
By Craig Bentley
When we speak, we hope and expect that others will listen. But do we return the favor? Do we really listen to those around us, or are we too eager to make our point, to show our mastery of a problem or situation, so eager to voice our opinions that we pay only cursory attention to what others are saying?
If we don’t practice active listening, we might miss the whole point of a conversation or dialogue. Good communicators “go deep” with their listening, and you can too!
Most of us realize that good oral communication is based on two very important but distinct actions on our part. The first step is how clearly we express our thoughts and ideas, and articulate what is on our minds. How we use and project our voice, our body language, and the structure and content of what we say is critical to our audience’s understanding and appreciation of our spoken word.
The second and equally important aspect of oral communication is listening. No surprise, right? You know that it’s important to listen to others. But just what type of a listener are you? And what do you try to accomplish when you listen to others speak? Is it to see if there is agreement with your opinions? Do you listen to prepare your next comments to keep the conversation rolling along or to provide a solution? Or are you listening merely because it’s “the polite thing to do”?
Why it’s so important to listen at a deeper level
While preparing for a coaching session with one of my senior executive clients, it occurred to me that the process of becoming a good “exploratory listener” is a lot like other types of commercial exploration. So let’s take a look at one such commercial activity – mining.
When seeking new mineral deposits for exploitation, geologist and miners often take the following steps:
Step 1. Examine the ground surface
They look for promising signs on the surface that indicate the possibility of deposits below ground.
Step 2. Preliminary excavation
The search begins – the fist core sample is drilled or shallow excavation starts. Traces of the desired material are detected and it becomes clearer that this may be an attractive site for further exploration
Step 3. Investigation begins in earnest.
As more and more positive signs are identified (for example, larger deposits of the type of materials that normally contain the desired substance) multiple core samples may be taken or more aggressive and thorough excavation commences.
Step 4. Success!
After reading all of the signs and testing samples, a major deposit, the real value of the exercise, is confirmed.
Step 5. Continuing exploration
Once a major deposit has been located, testing continues to determine the extent of the find, to discover the rich veins of deposit that may branch off in many directions and at varied depths.
How does this apply to business conversations?
In dialogue with others, we can do our own exploration by asking questions, digging deeper to be sure we have unearthed the real issue, the real question or concern being raised. The first comment or question may only hint at what’s on someone’s mind---if we don’t ask questions and become engaged listeners, we might fail to ever get to the “mother lode”, the real burning issue or critical fact that is at the heart of the problem we are confronting.
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Mining
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Active, Exploratory Listening
|
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Surface material – hints of minerals
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Opening Point or Question
|
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Trace materials found
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Questions: Suggests more there than first suggested
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Dense material that holds valuable minerals
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More questions: Getting down to the real issues
|
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Mother lode
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Revelation: AHA! The real problem is uncovered
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Vein(s) of Wealth
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Enlightenment – the extent of the issue is revealed
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As the table above suggests, it can require a continuing effort to really uncover the value, to find the most important issue behind an opening comment or opinion. If your conversational practice is to quickly respond to another’s comment or question by offering a solution, you might find that you are solving all of the wrong problems!
And even if you normally ask a single follow-up question, you still might only be scratching the surface and missing the deeper, underlying concern or issue.
So if you really want to have meaningful conversations and dialogues with others, be an exploratory listener and “dig deep”.
Craig Bentley can be reached at cbentley@bates-communications.com. For more information on our Executive Coaching Program in Communications, click here: http://www.bates-communications.com/executive-coaching-and-consulting/
At some point in your career, speaking well could be the single factor that determines your success. You may have all the potential in the world but if your career feels stalled, the reason may be the way you are communicating with your important audiences. You may have enormous value to add to your business or organization.
But at a certain point, you won’t be able to bust through to the big jobs unless you can articulate your ideas fluidly and confidently.
What does this mean? It means mastering both the formal and informal presentation. It also means leading good meetings, conversation skills and writing, too. If you’re terrified at the prospect of speaking in high stakes situation, you may have bought into common myths about speaking. See if you recognize any of these false beliefs and then look at the realities of speaking your way to the top.
Myth #1: Only a few people are really good at speaking.
The truth is, even the greatest orators were not born with innate speaking skills. Everyone must learn to speak well. And despite what you might think, extroverts have no advantage over introverts. Each personality type brings some natural skills to speaking. Extroverts may love to get up in front of people, but they tend to under-prepare and therefore deliver weak, rambling messages. Introverts, on the other hand, spend all their time preparing, but they hate having an audience’s attention focused on them.
Like learning how to tie your shoes or to solve algebra problems, speaking requires a skill set you must learn.
Myth #2: If I just work really hard, someone is bound to notice.
Unless your boss is Ebeneezer Scrooge, chaining yourself to your desk and keeping your head down is not a good strategy for advancing your career. When you do that, you’re simply not visible: to your boss, to others you report to, to your colleagues, or to the people who report to you. So no one perceives you as effective. Of course you want and need to be productive, but you also want others to view you as a contributor, and that means speaking, formally and informally. Your regular, well-prepared communication with everyone you work with will make you highly visible, and before long everyone will see you as a real asset and potential star within the organization.
Myth #3: My silence is respectful.
In business, people perceive polite silence as being too quiet, as if you have nothing to say. If no one on the team knows anything about you or your ideas, or what value you bring to the team, even if you’re very smart and talented, you won’t be promoted. Start thinking through your strategic view and write it down. Then practice it so that you’re prepared to present and discuss your views in meetings with your boss and other colleagues.
When two people of equal value are in competition for a promotion, the one who can articulate the strategy and value will always get it.
Myth #4: There are no opportunities for me to speak.
You might feel as if you would put a lot of thought and work into a big presentation if one came your way, but you need to seek out those opportunities, big and small, and even create them if necessary. Remember that those senior to you judge you every day, assessing whether you have the right stuff to be a leader in the organization. When you begin speaking, you are, as James Hume says, “auditioning for leadership,” and with experience you’ll get better every time. So start with low-key, friendly audiences, like Toastmasters clubs, or offer to make a small brown bag presentation within your company or to your department. Volunteer to lead meetings. Whatever you decide to try, get started!
Myth #5: I don’t have time to prepare; I’ll just wing it.
Speaking with confidence and in a way that adds value is essential to your career success. Your presentation must have both content and style, so your delivery must be relaxed and confident. The only way to achieve that is to spend a lot of time preparing for any formal or informal presentation. As that wise person Anonymous said, “The best way to look like you know what you’re talking about is to know what you’re talking about.” So clear your calendar as much as you can and put in the time to prepare.
Myth #6: If my PowerPoint is great, my presentation will amaze them.
Preperation means more than untold hours putting together a killer slide show. Forget about the slides; if you outline some great, powerful ideas to speak about, place yourself in a room alone, and practice out loud, on your feet, you’re going to do well. Practicing like this is the single most important thing you can do to become a better speaker. No one cares about your slides anyway, and they definitely don’t want to listen to you reading aloud from the slides.
Myth #7: My utter terror is a sign I shouldn’t be speaking.
Don't mistake anxiety about speaking for an inability to speak. Although your apprehension may feel overwhelming, it is directly related to under-preparation. Like 98% of people, your nerves are your body’s way of telling you that you’re not ready to speak yet; you haven’t put in enough time writing, preparing, or practicing. Rather than letting it debilitate you, use your anxiety to mobilize you to take action, to drive you to get on your feet and practice. If you do, when you are in front of the audience, the hard work will be over, and you’ll experience how much fun you can have delivering the speech.
You’re As Good As You Decide To Be!
Though certainly prevalent, none of these common myths about speaking are true. Anyone, including you, can become a great speaker if you’re motivated to advance your career and willing to put in the time.
When you make a presentation, you will see immediate results. You may not receive a huge promotion after you speak just once, but speaking never fails to have a significant impact on careers. Every time you speak, you will create “buzz” about you, as people discuss what a great contributor you are and how much value you add to the organization. Senior management will recognize you for your confidence, initiative, and good ideas, and they will find ways to reward those qualities appropriately.
By Suzanne Bates
As CEOs lead their companies out of recession they have a myriad of issues on their plates, but none is more important than that of rebuilding trust. While the executive team and board may be focused on strengthening the balance sheet, a lurking issue that will make or break many companies is the integrity of the company and the level of trust between the company and its customers, clients and employees.
In Bates Communications latest survey of 148 business professionals, the No. 1 issue in emerging from the downturn is executives’ ability to rebuild trust with employees, clients, and customers. Data shows that the recession has caused significant damage to business relationships, which must be repaired in order for companies to move forward and take advantage of the opportunities of a new economy.
SYNOPSIS
Employee Trust:
Perhaps not surprisingly, employees remain apprehensive about their jobs and anxious about the future, in spite of signs of a recovery. This means it will be more challenging for some companies to attract and retain top talent.
Customer Trust:
In addition, client and customers are still apprehensive about buying decisions; taking a hard look at how the companies with whom they have done business in the past are treating them today. They are concerned not only about quality, delivery, customer service and cost, but also the integrity of the organizations with whom they do business.
Survey Details:
PIt can’t be emphasized enough that trust surpassed every other issue facing companies and executives right now. 76% of respondents rank building trust among employees and customers as the highest priority for future growth and success. Furthermore, trustworthiness ranks second as the quality executives will need most to guide their companies post-recession, selected by 60% of survey respondents – behind only being visionary, which was chosen by 64%.
This means that the CEO and senior team have a major task right now; that is, getting to a deeper level in their relationships, understanding where there are gaps, and communicating to rebuild trust from the bottom up.
In reviewing the data it is clear that:
- Decision makers in every organization need to be more effective in communicating with employees; beyond reassurance about job status or the company’s financial situation, leaders need to be very effective in communicating strategy. They need to involve and empower employees to take action that creates momentum.
- Top executives and their teams also need to recognize the essential role they play in rebuilding trust with clients and customers. They need to “own” the trust issue and acknowledge that whether or not they have contracts with customers, that these customers will take a second look at everything. While some customer relationships may remain strong, others are up for grabs, either as a direct result of a negative interaction with the company, or because of a loss of faith or trust in the industry.
Trust as a Factor in Emerging from the Recession:
Rebuilding trust isn’t just a defensive position; our survey made it clear that CEOs can actually create momentum and gain competitive advantage by addressing the issue of trust. At the same time, companies that ignore this issue and believe business will simply “go back to normal” will miss an opportunity to create the company they want to design for the future.
Trust as a Factor in Attracting and Retaining Top Talent:
Trust will be a major factor among top talent – as they decide where they want to build their careers. Studies show that top talent are already moving around and getting better jobs even as hiring lags. Many high potential employees see this downturn as an opportunity to cast their fortunes with the best, most reputable companies in the marketplace. Reorganization is making it possible for them to advance to bigger roles in new organizations. They see the integrity of the company, the “trust factor” as having equal weight to many conditions, including pay and bonuses.
Prior to the recession, our research already showed that employees need and want to hear more from their CEO. Often, we would hear that leaders aren’t available, accessible, or articulate in describing a powerful vision and strategy for the organization. It’s obvious that now more than ever, CEOs need to engage their teams and win their trust. This means developing communication skills and taking part in activities that help connect the leader to every important audience.
Trust as an Integral Part of Talent Development:
In executive development, trust has always been identified as important in leadership effectiveness, and been a factor in promotions and successful transitions to top jobs. However, as a result of the downturn, trust has been eroded to the point that Human Resources teams need to acknowledge and build it into training and development. It is clear that trust as a leadership skill is an issue that cannot be ignored. It needs to become a focus of executive development, coaching and mentoring.
In addition, top executives must take charge of the trust issue, and not rely solely on the human resources, sales or marketing to address it. The 2008-2009 recession has made it abundantly clear that accountability for the company’s reputation cannot be delegated. CEOs, C-level executives and their direct reports must own the trust issue - delegating this “task” to the next level down simply is not an option.
Additional Resources:
Other surveys have corroborated our findings. For example, according to the 2009 Midyear Edelman Trust Barometer, trust in business has stabilized, compared to their January 2009 report which revealed a devastating loss in trust in the private sector. In Edelman’s survey, when asked what companies could do to rebuild trust in the long run, survey respondents listed “treating employees well” number one with 94% of respondents. Not far behind was “communicating frequently and honestly” at 91%. (Click here to see Edelman’s full report: http://www.edelman.com/trust/midyear/docs/Trust_Midyear_Release_FINAL.pdf)
There is good news; trust is no longer still eroding—it has stabilized. But stabilizing does not put a company into recovery mode. A disturbing trend now is that many CEOs and senior executives have been so busy reorganizing the company and keeping it on a solid financial footing that they are communicating less, not more. Responses show they desperately need to communicate more effectively about the plan and provide guidance to employees, as well as customers, about what’s happening. CEOs who don’t jump in and guide the emotional state of their companies and build strong relationships will fail to keep and attract top talent and their best customers.
What can top executives do to begin the process of rebuilding trust among employees, customers, and other stakeholders?
- Make trust a central focus of your values, not only in branding and marketing but also in your communication with the organization; identify trust and integrity as one of the key values and walk the talk every day;
- Assess the trust gap with clients and customers, get out and talk with them one on one, conduct surveys, analyze issues related to your organization, as well as the industry as a whole;
- Sit down with key employees and talk with them about their views about where the company is headed; conduct an employee survey to assess engagement and also identify areas where you can build trust;
- Significantly increase communications in general through traditional and non traditional means so that you reach all employees, clients and customers;
- Develop excellent programs and make sure that executives are well prepared to speak effectively at town hall meetings, brown bag lunches, employee events, customer meetings, conferences speeches and media, as well as through innovative electronic communication such as email, blogs, video, media and social networking;
- Assess gaps in trust between individual leaders in your organization and their teams and make it a point to get issues on the table and address them in a timely way;
- Discuss trust as part of professional development, provide assessments, coaching and training for leaders and emerging leaders to help them improve communication and address trust issues.
Suzanne Bates can be reached at info@bates-communications.com. The full Bates Communications’ survey on the qualities CEOs and executives need during and after economic recovery will be available shortly. Register for The Power Speaker Blog (www.thepowerspeakerblog.com) or follow Suzanne Bates on Twitter (http://twitter.com/ceocoachbates) for more information when the full survey is released!