Why tailoring messages should be personal and genuine.
Trust in executive leadership comms has declined in the past four years.
“People who believe that leaders are intentionally misleading them is up,” said Fernaz Khadem, university communications director at Stanford University, during Ragan’s Employee Experience Conference.
“In a poll of about 250 C-suite executives and about 600 entry level employees…85% of leaders said they have an effective communications strategy compared with only 62% of junior employees,” she said, referencing a 2023 Axios poll.
In order for executives to regain trust from employees and stakeholders, communicators coaching them must abide by what she calls the “rule of three,” Khadem said.
This system will ensure that leaders are prepared, that they are sharing the most accurate information and building trust with their audience when they address change or crises.
Here are those three rules and how communicators can use them for authentic and trustworthy messaging.
- Educate your bosses: “As communicators, you assume executives know everything you do,” Khadem said. “They don’t. Your number one job is to educate your bosses.” Do they know and understand the context of what they’re communicating? What have other organizations or peers done in this situation?
- It’s about them, not you: Consider the executive as an individual. How should they communicate? What mediums make the most sense and feel natural? Maybe the executive prefers to write while the comms team edits, Khadem said. Maybe it’s the other way around. The executive is the face and voice of the company so help them prepare in a way that stays true to their personality, voice and strengths, she said. “How do they appear on camera?” Khadem said. If that’s not a strong area, keep them away from televised or video messaging. When you don’t consider these things, the message can be misinterpreted or come off as ingenuine. It’s critical that communicators remember to align messaging with the person, not just the brand.
- Know the boundaries: Speaking truth to power is a part of the job. “If you work with your leaders, you know this,” Khadem said. But you must also know when to step back. Being “right” is irrelevant if your leader doesn’t want to hear it, Khadem said. But when you develop a meaningful, professional relationship with your executive leaders, you’ll be able to persuade them, not just tell them. Use questions to make your case. “Ask them, ‘What were you trying to get at here?’ when reflecting on decisions or statements,” she said. Lean on metrics and analytics to help you make your case.
“You won’t win every battle…but it’s about finding the right fit and building the right relationship,” Khadem said.
To learn even more tips for improved executive comms, head over to view Khadem’s presentation at Ragan Training here.
Courtney Blackann is a communications reporter. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at courtneyb@ragan.com.
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