Take Me To Your Leader

by Allen Caudle

C-level executives (CEO, COO, CFO, CMO, or CIO) are a difficult lot. I know because I am one. As COO of Vollmer Public Relations I know I often don’t take direction well. Sometimes I get a little over-caffeinated and sound something like this: “I’ve worked for more than 30 years to achieve this position. I’ve seen everything and done even more, I can do my job as well as yours. I’m a significant shareholder in this company and if you followed my direction, we’d make a heck of a lot more profit.” That’s when someone needs to take the cup of coffee out of my hand and tell me to walk around the block. And I’ve empowered our employees to tell me just that.

While all of the previous statements are true (indulge me while I dismount from my high-horse), industry leadership comes from those individuals and companies that are looking forward, not the individuals who are resting on their past accomplishments. As a result, I’m never surprised when a director of communications calls to say, “We need to get training for our CEO before he makes this keynote address to an important trade association or he’s going to embarrass himself and he’ll never make another public appearance.” What do you do when your CEO is brilliant but won’t take direction? You call in an executive coach for a little one-on-one time.

When do you need help? When the whole company recognizes “the emperor has no clothes” but no one is willing to risk their career to tell him or her so, it’s time for an executive coach. It’s important to find one who will provide open, honest counsel that leverages an executive’s inherent strengths.

What makes a good executive coach?

• First, you have to be from outside the organization; most C-level executives don’t want this kind of direction from one of their subordinates.
• It doesn’t hurt to have a little gray hair; you want someone who has been around awhile and if they have run a business, you’ll often find the executive can better relate to the coach.
• It helps if the executive coach is knowledgeable of your industry, your customers and the competitive landscape.
• Your executive coach must be a strong communicator, able to assimilate information quickly and feed it back to the executive as a clear concise thought that can be remembered and repeated.
• Your coach should have confidence and self esteem; he or she is going to have to tell the emperor he has no clothes without an apology.
• A good coach needs to be able to help the executive set realistic goals for himself or herself, the company and sometimes the industry.
• An executive coach needs to be able to develop a strategy with the CEO for achieving the goals and provide recommendations for tactical applications that generate results and confidence.

Here’s the really good news: C-level executives are usually really smart and incredibly fast learners. If you can demonstrate to them a problem and offer a solution, they will grasp it and assimilate that information into all that they do.

We all want a strong confident leader. You and your company’s top executives can shine with a little preparation:

• Take some time to develop a plan (vision) and goals for you, your company, and your industry. Know (believe in) how you will achieve those goals.
• Think through who you’re talking to, what they care about, and how your desires match theirs. You’ll be surprised how people will react when they know you share a vision.
• Practice verbalizing your plan; try it on people in which you can confide. You’ll be amazed how you will choose to change the way you say things when you say it out loud instead of just thinking it.
• Share your vision with those that can make it happen.

In 2009, take me to your leader. That’s where success lies.