According to Knoll Workplace Research, substantial organizational changes occur every three years. How much has changed in your business the last three months, let alone the last three years?
Changes in leadership
Changes in product or service offerings
Changes in your selling organization
Changes in your employee population
Changes in your vision and mission
Changes in your operating model and business strategy
As a CEO or C-suite executive, you are experiencing changes across your business like no generation of business leaders has before. And this rapid pace of change is redefining the role of a CEO. Specifically, in the area of strategic communication.
In the past, communication was important … but maybe not at the top of every CEO’s priority list. Today, leading executives understand the correlation between the desired outcome of change and the clarity of strategic communication around that change.
That’s why more and more CEOs are taking ownership in formulating and managing the story around strategic changes in their business. They are making this a high priority because they know what happens when they don’t. Priorities get mixed up. Leadership decisions are not aligned. Employees get confused. Productivity drops off. And ultimately, customers get frustrated and leave.
The questions you must ask yourself are … where does strategic and intentional communication land on your priority list? What are you doing to formulate a clear, compelling and consistent message around changes in your business and how those changes will impact leaders, front-line employees and customers? What story and intentional communication strategy will ensure change and innovation works for the business – not against it?
As the CEO, if you are not thinking about and leading the conversation in these areas – you should be. Why? Because you ultimately own the impact these changes have on your business and you will not achieve your desired results without an intentional, CEO-driven communication strategy.
