Improving Executive Communications

Face to face executive communications are the best way to change behavior, but, as a communications channel, can be resource intensive and expensive. When we do have executive communication opportunities, we need to make them as effective as possible and maximize the return on investment.

The Power of Small Groups

Small groups (brown bag lunches, skip level meetings, small group updates, etc.) can provide a format for more personalized leadership communication. This can be more effective and appropriate than a large town hall meeting, particularly during times of uncertainty or change.

Maximize attendance of executive briefings . It can be difficult to manage and maximize attendance of executive briefing sessions, particularly if you are offering multiple, smaller group sessions and some staff are a higher priority that others in terms of attendance. Multiple outlook appointments can be ineffective and confusing and additional resources may be required simply to manage all the leadership communication appointments and send out confirmations.

Customized meeting invites. A tool like Snap RSVP allows you to customize a meeting invite with multiple time slots and venues. This allows you to keep groups small and maximize the chances that staff can attend a leadership communication session.

Invite high priority staff first. Targeting features allow you to target high priority staff with leadership communication invites first. Then, once key people have a chance to register for an executive briefing, open up the remaining opportunities for other staff.

Ask questions beforehand. You can include explanatory text and ask staff to choose the leadership communication session they want to attend. You can also include additional questions such as catering or transport needs or to gather questions/ issues that staff would like the leadership communication to address.

Outlook integration. When staff reply, Snap RSVP automatically enters the appointment in their Outlook calendar. Simple reporting tools in Snap Content Manager let you see which staff are attending which leadership communication sessions. This helps you plan logistics (e.g. room sizes and catering) and lets you close off specific time slots as rooms fill.

Extend the Value of Leadership Communications

Collect questions and issues beforehand. Tools like Snap Poll, Snap RSVP and Snap Interactive are quick and easy formats you can use to collect questions and identify key issues prior to a leadership communication. This helps ensure that the tone and content of the meeting hit the mark and executives are prepared with the information they need to address issues and engage staff. However..

Don't have all the answers.. keep conversations going. If managers have all the answers during a town hall meeting or smaller face to face session, it can make it look contrived. It can even work in the leader's favor if they don’t have all the answers prepared and say, "I don’t know. I’ll find out and post on the supporting discussion forum within 2 days". It keeps the conversation going.

Employee blogs and staff discussion forums can be a great way support leadership communication plus they can help to make senior managers more accessible and create a feeling of openness and transparency.

Measure effectiveness. Alternatively an open Snap Poll that staff can opt into from a link, for example in the staff magazine, allows staff to provide feedback, ask further questions and to measure the effectiveness of the leadership communication session.

Related Resources

• Bringing line managers on board

Tools to enhance executive communication - FREE TRIAL