For communications professionals, shepherding a new CEO through the first days and weeks on the job can either be extremely stressful, due to lack of planning, or a successful and well-planned transition that showcases your skills as a strategic communications whiz in your organization.
There’s no template for communicating the arrival of a new leader; each situation needs a different approach, and there are many variables. What are the circumstances? Merger? A succession following a retirement? An outsider coming into an established company? However, there are some basics to consider no matter what the situation.
It’s also important to understand the new leader’s own communications skills, experience and style. You’ll need a robust communications plan to pave the way.
â–¶ Before the New Boss Arrives: Of the many emotions employees feel, uncertainty is certainly one of the dominant ones. People don’t know what’s going to happen, although they expect there will be some kind of change they will have to deal with.
A big part of a communicator’s role is to help the leader reassure the troops and instill, or reinstate, as the case may be, a kind of stability.
Your communications plan needs to start as early as possible—in fact, well before the confirmation of the new CEO. If there’s a hiring committee or transition team overseeing the process, you should be in the loop to get that information. As a communications leader, mobilize your team or resources ahead of time. Your plan should include strategies for the first day, week and up to a month.
â–¶ Welcoming Your Leader: As soon as he or she is confirmed, one of your first acts as communications adviser is to arrange a meeting with the leader.
There are several reasons to do this, the main one being to help you and the leader plan strategy. From your point of view, you also want to determine the leader’s perspective on communication and reinforce its existing value in your organization. This discussion is all about educating the leader about the impact and success of communication and how your organization has achieved business objectives because of it.
You, as the communications adviser, must also think like the CEO. As the leader’s eyes and ears, it’s up to you to know the issues and relationships facing the leader so you can help set priorities.
Here are some questions to consider asking during this initial meeting:
1. What kind of person would the leader like to be viewed as by employees? Coach them on communication behavior that can help them achieve this goal.
2. What is the leader’s key messages? Drill down until these are crystal clear.
3. How does the leader like to receive and share information, both inside and outside of work? What are his or her communications preferences?
4. How can you help the leader during this transition?
Once you have this information, you can offer some insight of your own:
• Know your business and brief your leader on what type of communication is effective—or not effective—within your organization.
• Provide informed guidance on emerging communication trends, such as social media.
• Discuss the importance of listening. Experienced CEOs will be skilled in this; however, during these early days and weeks, when lots of people will be expressing opinions and ideas to the leader, it’s worth a reminder.
â–¶ Introducing the Leader: Effective communications is all about giving people the right information at the right time in the right way. So, you need to use several different strategies to introduce the leader.
1. In-Person Whenever Possible: In-person is still the preferred way to communicate change in an organization. This means organizing meet and greets, town halls, forums and the like.
Prepare a Q&A with key issues/questions the new leader will face. This will depend on your industry, but people will ask about how the leader plans on handling a specific issue, so be prepared with an answer.
2. Videoconferencing: In our 24/7 world, it’s important the new leader give people information at the same time, at least as much as possible, especially for organizations with far-flung locations and branch operations either across the country or halfway around the world.
This strategy must be coordinated in tandem with any face-to-face meetings. Plan to videotape the live presentation and arrange to broadcast it company-wide, whether that means one location in one city or multiple locations worldwide.
3. New Leader Communiqué: On day one, the leader should issue a personal message/e-mail to all employees. Setting the right communications tone will start the process of building that all-important trust. That means counseling the leader ahead of time about crafting this message.
â–¶ Beyond Day One: During the first few days and weeks, arrange for the leader to continue to get out and talk with employees, and not sit office-bound with senior managers in meetings.
Have coffee and lunch with employees. Visit departments and work areas to meet people and talk. Schedule road trips to visit company locations. These are great ways to hear about issues and concerns. As a communications adviser, take note of these.
â–¶ Measuring Success: A communications plan needs to include formal and informal evaluation tools to ensure objectives were achieved in new leader communications strategies. Here are some examples of measurement techniques:
• Conduct brief surveys following the introductory meetings to gauge the pulse of employees’ engagement in and understanding of the leader’s key messages.
• Set up an e-mail and/or phone line for employees to continue to ask questions. Be sure to monitor and follow up with answers.
• Use the company’s intranet during the new leader communication and monitor traffic to it to gauge employee interest. PRN
CONTACT:
This article was written by Susan Scott, owner/operator of Full Circle Communications. She can be reached at [email protected].
[ Editor’s Note: This article was excerpted from PR News’ recently published Employee Communications Guidebook, Volume 2. To order this and other PR News guidebooks, go to www.prnewsonline.com/store/.]
A New CEO’s Checklist for Effective Communication
During initial meetings with a new CEO, one of your key roles involves advising the new leader on showcasing his or her communications skills. Running through this checklist with the CEO will give you a clear sense of the person’s communications style.
• Listen. Even though people want to hear from the new boss, it’s essential he or she not hog the spotlight. During Q&A sessions and one-on-one meetings, the most important thing a new leader can do is be quiet and listen. Many employees will have worked at the organization for a long time, so listening carefully to their views and perspectives can be invaluable.
• Be visible. Even after the first whirlwind of on-site visits, videoconferences, staff forums, small group meetings, etc., employees will be looking to the new CEO to continue to be visible a month, six months and a year after arriving on the scene. Schedule time out of the office as much as possible, walk around, communicate daily by e-mail, eat lunch in the cafeteria, drop by different departments. Block off specific times for these activities.
• Repeat key messages. People are busy, busy, busy. Work needs to get done, noise levels are high and there are any number of distractions that will get in the way of messages getting through about necessary change. Repeat key messages several times in several different ways. By being persistent, people will realize the importance and urgency of these messages.