Communications Best Practices | Advising CEOs & Boards

Presenter: Pamela Gilchrist, Chief Strategist, Gilchrist Group @PamGilchrist
Execsense.com© ExecSense, Inc.
Slide 1
Communications Best Practices
for Advising Your CEO & Board of Directors
Sales 2.0
Author | Speaker Pam Gilchrist

Slide 2
• As chief strategist at the Gilchrist Group®, Pam Gilchrist is a Fortune 100 leadership and
communications expert. She advises organizations on how to have more impact by
focusing on breakthrough business strategies, leadership, brand identity and influencer
engagement.
• She works with organizations during times of dramatic growth and change and is well-
known for her go-to-market roadmaps and high impact communications proven to
increase influencer engagement.
• Pam is a requested speaker for organizations and events across the country. She shares
insider best practices on optimizing strategic outcomes, strengthening leadership and
engaging stakeholders.
Connect With Pam At: http://www.gilchristgroup.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelagilchrist.com
http://www.twitter.com/pamgilchrist
http://www.youtube.com/pamgilchrist
Pamela Gilchrist, MA, APR, CPT
Chief Strategist, Gilchrist Group
Strategist | Speaker | Author
859-431-9090
@pamgilchrist
info@gilchristgroup.com
About Your Webinar Speaker

Slide 3
1. CEOs are under fire:
There is mounting pressure
from all sides
2. Boards aren’t what they
used to be. The changing nature
of board and CEO relationships
3. Being a trusted advisor has never been
easier – or harder. Communicators have
unique challenges
Overview
Trusted Advisor

Slide 4
5 Areas Of Focus
1. What keeps your CEO up at night?
It’s complicated
2. Who’s running the show?
How the role of boards of directors
is changing
3. Communicators: Leaders or Lemmings
4. What’s being a trusted advisor
really all about?
5. Stop asking for a seat at the table.
Stand up and lead!

Slide 5
What to Know #1
What keeps your CEO up at night?
It’s complicated
• CEO Currency: Time | Money | Trust
• Short Tenure: (18-40 months) = Different priorities
• Every Company Is Different (No CEO school or on the job
training)
• Strategy is more important than ever
• Increasing shareholder value
• Managing the board
• Adverse legislation
• Activists, business interruptions, scandals
• Dirty deals
• Staying a step ahead

Slide 6
What to Know #1
Things They Know They Should Focus On
• Fear of failure!
• Clarity of vision and values
• Talent management
• Communication
• Staying on top of the business,
not just working in the business
• Board and Leadership Team management
• Strategy and direction
When surveyed, only 5% of employees of major companies –
5%! – said they knew what the company’s overriding strategy was.

Slide 7
Why CEOs Fail
Source: Fortune Magazine
1. People Problems
2. Decision Gridlock
3. Lifer Syndrome
4. Bad Earnings News
(the most frequent problem)
5. Missing in Action
6. Off-the-Deep-End Financials
Some CEOs are just
egomaniacal, vain,
nervous, conflict-
avoiding cowards
acting as alpha dogs
to avoid being
found-out. Some are
in a popularity
contest, while others
are narcissistic or
obsessive compulsive
KEY: Understand
what and why

Slide 8
To create superior shareholder returns 60%,
industry leadership 57%, customer focus 53%,
profitability 44%, best management 33%, best
place to work 30%, best talent 25%, most
innovative 23%, most admired 19%.
What to Know #1
Things They Know They Should Focus On
His mantra: Set a platform for the future. Ensure credibility. Slightly under promise.

Slide 9
What to Know #1
What Does Your CEO DO All Day?
Decision making: 5%
Articulating: 40%
Coaching/teaching/motivating: 40%
Forecasting (guessing): 5%
Admiration building (they like me): 6%
Reputation repair (they trust me): 1%
Restating, reemphasizing,
reinterpreting:
20%
117% *

Slide 10
What to Know #2
Who’s Running the Show?
The Role of Boards is Changing
• Boards of Directors, inside and outside, are
the CEO's only regular source of access to
peers.
• 60% of all boards are CEOs
• Two of the most important responsibilities a
CEO has are to manage his/her Leadership
Team and Board of Directors.
• In both cases, CEOs should be actively
involved in vetting and selecting these key
people.

Slide 11
What to Know #2
The Impact of Dodd-Frank
on Corporate Boards of Directors
• Financial reform
• Hundreds of rules required implementation
and dominate the agenda
• Proxy access: 3%+ voting stock/3 years, to
nominate director candidates, up to 25% of
director seats.
• No brokers voting shares for director
elections
• SEC Whistleblower program

Slide 12
What to Know #2
The Impact of Dodd-Frank
(Continued)
•Disclosure Of Leadership Structure (CEO/Chairman)
•Affects CEO succession planning and strategy
•Companies must use a clear and transparent process
•Executive Compensation “Say on pay”
•Includes: say on frequency, say on golden parachutes
at least once every three years and that companies are
required to hold a “say-when-on-pay” vote at least once
every six years to allow shareholders to decide how
often they would like to be presented with the say-on-
pay vote.

Slide 13
What to Know #2
What CEOs want most from their
Boards
• Active interest, insights, oversight and advice
• Hands off the day to day running of the company
• What CEOs want most from their Leadership Teams:
• Intellectual integrity
• Healthy debate
• Commitment and loyalty to the final decision made after a
healthy debate
• Commitment to the team and company’s success

Slide 14 What to Know #3
Communicators: Leaders or
Lemmings?
Strategists like to work with other strategists.
How strategic are you?
• Assume a much more aggressive and have helpful management
perspective on the business?
• Adapt to these new, more urgent, time sensitive executive
management demands?
• Understand CEO goals and potential short tenure is key to
developing communication strategies that achieve their objectives.
• Apply skills in communication planning, messaging and execution,
you will help the organization achieve its imperatives and cement
your position as a trusted adviser.
• The environment in which we operate provides its own set of
tensions – speed, diversity, customization, access
• Effective interpersonal communication with CEOs is a crucial skill
set for today's executive communication advisor

Slide 15
What to Know #3
Tips on Advising Leaders
As a leader, or communication advisor to a leader,
ask yourself these questions about
stakeholder communication:
1. Is my face to face, electronic and print communication effective?
2. Do my stakeholders perceive me as credible?
3. How do I stay in the credibility zone?
Trusted Advisor

Slide 16
What to Know #3
Great Advisors Apply Rogen's "4Cs"
1. Context. Manage expectations up front so that your audience is tuned to
what you are going to say and not left frustrated about what you didn't say.
"What's In It For Me?" reason to pay attention.
2. Clarity. Tune messages to the audience's needs and issues. Make
messages persuasive or compelling. Draw on the benefits, consequences
and evidence that are relevant to each stakeholder. Answer: Why now?
3. Congruence. What you see and experience can be more important than
what you read or hear. Tone and nonverbal elements of delivery must
match the intent of your messages. Are you bring words to life or
suffocating them?
4. Channel: Is goal to inform, to engage or to persuade? What are the
communication preferences of my audience?

Slide 17
What to Know #4
What’s Being a Trusted Advisor
Really All About?
The role of an advisor is earned not
assigned.
• So what can you do to earn it?
1. Preparation
2. Experience
3. Exposure
4. Reputation
• Refinement of Character
Qualities Of Strategic
Advisors
Steadiness
Consistency of character
Authenticity
Ability to mask opinions
and control emotions
Patience
Steadfastness
Balance

Stop Asking for a Seat at the
Table.
Stand Up and Lead!
• Boring topic
• Leaders don’t ask permission – they lead
• Put on your big boy/girl underwear
• If you add value – you will be included
• Know what matters
• Take action and assert yourself
• Be accountable

Stop Asking for a Seat at the
Table.
Stand Up and Lead!
• Are you a 24/7 person?
(Are you available and will you help on a 24/7 basis?)
• Make sure the key plans and programs really are in the
interest and timeframe of current top management
• Help the CEO achieve his/her objectives and goals -- now
• Help the organization achieve its overall goals
• Links shorter-term goals and programs with enduring goals
and programs

Slide 20
5 Strategies That Work
1. Learn The Language Of The Tribe
2. Be A Strategic Leader
3. Add Value Always
4. Get A Personal Brand
5. Shout Your Success

Slide 21
Strategy #1
Learn the Language of the Tribe
If you want people to listen, you need to speak their language.
• Demonstrate your interest in an audience and its issues
• Know the business, the language of business and the metrics for
success
• Understand the power structure, unique
customs and agendas
• Set the right context, having compelling
messages, being congruent in words and
actions and delivering the messages using
the right mix of channels
• Understand stakeholder perceptions

Slide 22
Strategy #2
Be a Strategic Leader
• Are you perceived as leader or technical expert?
• Enhance your credibility as a leader with leadership
• Be a joy to be around
• Be above reproach
• Be a good steward
• Be able to keep a secret
• Be a rock
• Be free of negativity
• Be able to see the big picture
• Be comfortable letting others run the play
• Be passionate
• Be wise
• Be confident

Slide 23
Strategy #3
Add Value Always
• Be a listening post
• Provide valuable intelligence
• Know the numbers
• Know how to de-tune intensity
• Use common sense
• Ask yourself: “What will this conversation be one year from now?”
• Understand agendas and personal behavior drivers –
everybody’s got them
• Is it nice or necessary
• Avoid tyranny of the urgent
• Focus on the critical few not the endless many
• Ask: “How can I add value today that will matter tomorrow”

Slide 24
Strategy #4
Get a Personal Brand
• Your personal brand enhances/inhibits your credibility with
senior leaders
• What is your “Executive Presence”
• How do others perceive you?
• You are the message! Roger Ailes
• Do you manage the message or the meaning?
• Are you a forethought or afterthought?
• Constantly manage, and if necessary, change
your personal brand

Slide 25
Strategy #5
Shout It Out -- Appropriately
• Stand on the table and shout!
• Evidence of success
• Outcome based
• Results focused
• Share strategically
• Quarterly reports
• What’s next

Slide 26
Extra Insight:
• Trust is the foundation of all relationships
• Character matters with persons of influence
• Connect and build positive relationships
• Model the vision and values of your company
• Listen to understand and engage, not just hear
• Tune radar to the WII-FM CEO channel 24/7
• Know that values drive decisions and decisions drive
behavior

Slide 27
Extra Insight: Become Emotionally Intelligent
• Emotional intelligence is the hidden
factor in relationships and
communication
• Emotions influence the way you relate
and react to others — often without
your awareness
• Strong relationships are based on
emotional intelligence
• Mastering the tools of emotional
intelligence
• Nonverbal communication speaks
louder than words

Slide 28
Emotional awareness helps you:
• Understand other people
• Understand yourself, including your
deep-rooted needs
• Get motivated and take action to achieve
goals
• Communicate clearly and effectively
• Attract and influence others

Slide 29 Insight: How To Improve
Relationships
In Under A Minute
• Stop, look and listen
• Listing Posts (listen, watch, learn)
• Look at situations through the other
person’s eyes
• Ask pertinent questions (sales
cycle, support, customer pain, etc.)
• Set ego and expertise aside to
collaborate for best-practice
solutions that drive revenue and
build success

Slide 30
Case Study 1:
3 CEOs In Less Than 5 Years
1. Different personalities/agendas
2. Trust Issues
3. Politics
4. Survival of fittest for communications advisors

Slide 31
Case Study 2:
It’s All About The Money – My Money
• The problem with Golden Parachutes
• Short-tenure
• Lack of commitment
• Only lackey’s and lemmings need apply to be
communications “advisors”
• The truth just gets in the way

Slide 32
Is Your Alliance To The CEO or The Board?
• 50/50 shot of being right – or wrong
• Read the tea-leaves
• CEOs think they trump the board
• Board trumps CEO
• The wrong alliance is a “career limiting move”
Case Study 3:

Slide 33
5 Top Secrets To Success
1.Likeable
2.Believable
3.Credible
4.Expert
5.Trusted

Slide 34
FAQs
Q1: How do I get access to the
CEO?
A: Come early, stay late, add value
Q2: How do I know what’s going
on with the board?
A: Your advisors, other executives,
CEO’s assistant
Q3: How best can I add value
A: Align every communications with
business outcomes or strategy
Q4: How do I develop my
personal brand?
A: Create your own strategic plan, or
work with an executive coach
Q5: How best do I keep up with
industry and business trends?
A: Read, read, read...
Q6: How do I balance
everything?
A: Nimble, multi-tasking, prioritizing
Q7: What happens if I lose my
credibility?
A: You may, or may not be able to
recover. Always have a resume ready.
Q8: Where can I go for help?
A: You need trusted advisors as well.
Independent consultants and small firms
work best.

Slide 35
Key Take-Aways
1. Know what keeps your CEO up at night:
It’s complicated
2. Understand how the role of boards of directors
is changing
3. Be a strategic leader
4. Earn trust and respect by adding value always
5. Stand up and lead!

Slide 36
Q&A SESSION
What Questions Do You Have?

Slide 37
Communications Best Practices
for Advising Your CEO & Board of Directors
Sales 2.0
Author | Speaker Pam Gilchrist

Slide 38
• As chief strategist at the Gilchrist Group®, Pam Gilchrist is a Fortune 100 leadership and
communications expert. She advises organizations on how to have more impact by
focusing on breakthrough business strategies, leadership, brand identity and influencer
engagement.
• She works with organizations during times of dramatic growth and change and is well-
known for her go-to-market roadmaps and high impact communications proven to
increase influencer engagement.
• Pam is a requested speaker for organizations and events across the country. She shares
insider best practices on optimizing strategic outcomes, strengthening leadership and
engaging stakeholders.
Connect With Pam At: http://www.gilchristgroup.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelagilchrist.com
http://www.twitter.com/pamgilchrist
http://www.youtube.com/pamgilchrist
Pamela Gilchrist, MA, APR, CPT
Chief Strategist, Gilchrist Group
Strategist | Speaker | Author
859-431-9090
@pamgilchrist
info@gilchristgroup.com
About Your Webinar Speaker

Communications Best Practices | Advising CEOs & Boards

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