nus-iss are you able to communicate effectively with your senior management?
TRANSCRIPT
#ISSlearn
ARE YOU ABLE TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH YOUR SENIOR MANAGEMENT?
Tamsin Greulich-Smith15 July 2016
1(Total Slides=34) ISSLearningDay2016/TGS/V1 © 2015 National University of Singapore. All Rights Reserved
2#ISSlearn
Outline
• Creating communications that can be heard• What senior leaders are looking for• How to communicate with your leadership
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3#ISSlearn
We are bombarded by information
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4#ISSlearn
Understand your Audience
• When we communicate with anyone, if we want our message to stand out, we need to speak with resonance
• To create communications with resonance we need to build empathy
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5#ISSlearn
empathy = putting yourself in someone else’s shoes
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6#ISSlearn
“act like the chief to become the chief” Debra Benton, author of ‘How to think like a CEO?’
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Put yourself in your leader’s shoes
• My priorities:• Decision making
• I have complex decisions to make on a daily basis; I want insight on trends and implications to help inform my decisions
• Success • I want to balance good current performance with ambitious plans for future
growth
• Opportunities • I am interested in opportunities more than I am worried about risks…BUT I am
aware of threats (talent, skills, security, competition, change…)
• Respect • I want my employees to respect me and support me
• Reputation • I want people to think of me as a good leader
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8#ISSlearn
What does your senior leader want to hear from you?
• Your solutions not your problems• Your big picture thinking • Your value• Your wisdom • Your conciseness • Your ability to deliver their vision• Your professionalism • Your respect
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How to communicate with senior leaders?
• Create a good first impression
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Don’t fail at the 1st hurdle
• You have secured time in your senior leader’s diary – make it count!
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• Arrive early• Dress in a way that mirrors your
leader• Be well prepared • Be clear about what you want to
achieve
11#ISSlearn
How to communicate with senior leaders?
• Create a good first impression• Make your issue relevant
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12#ISSlearn
Resonance
• Make it relevant • Does your message tie in with what your leader
wants to hear?• Put yourself in their shoes – use empathy
• Align your message to the business goals and strategies
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BUSI N E S S
13#ISSlearn
How to communicate with senior leaders?
• Create a good first impression• Make your issue relevant• Demonstrate how your issue fits into the
big picture
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14#ISSlearn
Thinking Big
• Be strategic• Your message will have greater
impact if it clearly fits into their strategic thinking and forward looking plans
• Don’t moan / be petty• Moaning about a colleague is of little
interest to someone running a business, unless indicative of a bigger organisational problem
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15#ISSlearn
How to communicate with senior leaders?
• Create a good first impression• Make your issue relevant• Demonstrate how your issue fits into the big
picture• Present your proposal not your problem
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16#ISSlearn
Make it Positive
• Leaders like problem solvers • They have enough problems to deal with, but
not enough problem solvers
• When we are criticised we naturally become defensive
• Focus on the positive• Try to offer constructive suggestions
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17#ISSlearn
How to communicate with senior leaders?
• Create a good first impression• Make your issue relevant• Demonstrate how your issue fits into the big
picture• Present your proposal not your problem• Keep it simple
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#ISSlearn
“If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough" Albert Einstein
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Simplify your Concept
• A simple structure• Distil your concept into a simple message• Treat it like a press release
• Language• Don’t try to impress with technical jargon
and expert knowledge
• Simplifying your concept can also help avoid misunderstanding
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20#ISSlearn
How to communicate with senior leaders?
• Create a good first impression• Make your issue relevant• Demonstrate how your issue fits into the big
picture• Present your proposal not your problem• Keep it simple• Connect on a ‘human’ level
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21#ISSlearn
Leaders are people too!
• Emotional Beings• Human beings tend to think emotionally, and seek facts to
confirm their biases
• Context• Setting your issue in a human context can help your leader
envision it
• Stories• Leaders understand the importance of good
communications – stories help bring facts to life
(Total Slides=34) ISSLearningDay2016/TGS/V1 © 2015 National University of Singapore. All Rights Reserved
22#ISSlearn
How to communicate with senior leaders?
• Create a good first impression• Make your issue relevant• Demonstrate how your issue fits into the big
picture• Present your proposal not your problem• Keep it simple• Connect on a ‘human’ level • Demonstrate confidence
(Total Slides=34) ISSLearningDay2016/TGS/V1 © 2015 National University of Singapore. All Rights Reserved
23#ISSlearn
Believe in Yourself
• Be In Control• Acting in an insecure, unconfident,
timid manner will not instil confidence in your proposal
• Inspire Confidence• Demonstrate that you know what you
are talking about, that you have credibility, and that you can be trusted to deliver
(Total Slides=34) ISSLearningDay2016/TGS/V1 © 2015 National University of Singapore. All Rights Reserved
24#ISSlearn
How to communicate with senior leaders?
• Create a good first impression• Make your issue relevant• Demonstrate how your issue fits into the big
picture• Present your proposal not your problem• Keep it simple• Connect on a ‘human’ level • Demonstrate confidence• Reveal your unique selling point
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25#ISSlearn
What is your added value?• ‘Sell’ your value to the business
• Your senior leader may not know your background or complete skill set
• Do you have skills or knowledge that are not currently being drawn upon?
• If your unique skills can help address an organisational challenge or opportunity, volunteer your skills
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26#ISSlearn
How to communicate with senior leaders?
• Create a good first impression• Make your issue relevant• Demonstrate how your issue fits into the big
picture• Present your proposal not your problem• Keep it simple• Connect on a ‘human’ level • Demonstrate confidence• Reveal your unique selling point• Tell them something they don’t know
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27#ISSlearn
Many leaders may believe the world smells of fresh paint…
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Image courtesy TT2 Ltd
28#ISSlearn
Provide a new perspective
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• We may be blind to others’ experiences
• Can you pitch your message with insights gained from perspectives your senior leaders may not have experienced?
• Remember – you also have a skewed perspective of the organisation!
29#ISSlearn
How to communicate with senior leaders?
• Create a good first impression• Make your issue relevant• Demonstrate how your issue fits into the big
picture• Present your proposal not your problem• Keep it simple• Connect on a ‘human’ level • Demonstrate confidence• Reveal your unique selling point• Tell them something they don’t know • Make your leader feel good
(Total Slides=34) ISSLearningDay2016/TGS/V1 © 2015 National University of Singapore. All Rights Reserved
30#ISSlearn
Support your Leader
• Remember your role • We are there to help our leaders achieve the
organisation’s mission• Do your ideas can make them look good?
• Positive feedback• What are they getting right?
(Total Slides=34) ISSLearningDay2016/TGS/V1 © 2015 National University of Singapore. All Rights Reserved
31#ISSlearn
How to communicate with senior leaders?
• Create a good first impression• Make your issue relevant• Demonstrate how your issue fits into the big picture• Present your proposal not your problem• Keep it simple• Connect on a ‘human’ level • Demonstrate confidence• Reveal your unique selling point• Tell them something they don’t know • Make your leader feel good• Conclude with respect
(Total Slides=34) ISSLearningDay2016/TGS/V1 © 2015 National University of Singapore. All Rights Reserved
32#ISSlearn
Create a good ‘last’ impression
• Make them want you back!• Depart on time, and express your gratitude
• Respect their role • Accept their suggestions and feedback
professionally• Take Action
• Be quick to follow up on any actions arising from your discussions – this should be a priority
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33#ISSlearn
“The art of communication is the language of leadership”James C. Humes, Presidential Speechwriter
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#ISSlearn
THANK YOU [email protected]
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