Want better climate for performance? Improve CEO communications

Editor’s note: “The Angel Connection” is a regular feature in WRAL Local Tech Wire. LTW asked consultant Bill Warner to share advice for entrepreneurs seeking angel investors and/or venture capital investment. He is chairman of the Triangle Accredited Capital Forum, an angel investor network with over 100 members throughout the Southeast.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. - Getting your ideas across, helping your employees, and achieving your ambitions all come with effective communication.

Even though you may already be a good communicator, everyone can improve on their current abilities and approaches to communications.

Network With Other Executives

One way to improve your communications skills is to take advantage of local business organizations. Many business communities have organizations like the Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) which is housed here in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The CED is a place where entrepreneurs can gather to share ideas and gain training on business related topics. Take advantage of CEO gatherings, industry networking events, business seminars and communications coaching opportunities.

Get Out and Meet People

Other ways to improve company communications include implementing an aggressive program of “Managing By Walking Around” (MBWA). The CEOs can’t communicate if they are stuck in their offices. Get out and walk the halls and visit the cubes of ALL your employees. Ask questions about how the employees are doing, what they are doing and how they are going it. Be interested or at least act interested in your employees and the teams they work within.

Regular Employee Communications

Share information about the company freely. If the CEO does not share the information, the employees will make up their own information – the dreaded rumor mill. Share information in person in company meetings on a monthly or quarterly basis. Implement a company newsletter/newspaper/e-letter and let (demand) that every department or team contribute.

Be Consistent

Be consistent in your communications. Many CEOs complain that they have set the company vision and shared it with the employees, but “everyone is going in different directions?” What they don’t realize is that each time they share the vision they state it slightly differently and the employees hear a different vision.

Be brief and only communicate the minimum required to get the message across. To elaborate and elaborate slightly differently each time just breeds confusion and lack of focus.

Focus on Improvement

The most effective way of improving communications is to assess your situation, identify and improve on your areas of weakness, and capitalize on your strengths. Where do you start? Ask your employees.

Make communications a daily drum beat. Communications effectiveness starts in the CEOs office, continues with MBWA, and ends in the CEOs office. You can even get a coach, who can impartially discuss your communications needs and strategies.

About the author: Bill Warner is the managing partner of Paladin and Associates, a business consulting firm in the Research Triangle Park area of central North Carolina, and is the chairman of the Triangle Accredited Capital Forum, an angel investor network with over one hundred members throughout the southeast.