Opportunities for Partnership
New Executive Introduction and Beyond: Prepared and Honest Leadership Communications
Showing Up Begins Long Before Day 1
The arrival of a new executive can be one of the most exciting and anxious times for organizations and teams. Success is defined not only by you but by your new boss. When you want to show up authentically and you want to leave old bags at the last stop, preparation and practice are indispensable. Your work begins well before Day 1. And learning the new operations, culture and team informs how quickly you build relationships and trust. With a solid and well-planned communications approach, you’ll jumpstart your executive brand identity and organizational confidence as you share your vision and strategies. Whether working one on one or collaboratively with an established internal communications team, having the right support partner shares the load and coaches you with truth even when it might not be easy to hear.
Consider this partnership opportunity for the new C-Suite executive or a senior team wanting A-game communications. Even the seasoned leader may be ready to freshen up his or her comms approach for impact and engagement. Any day can be a communications Day 1.
An organization’s reputation management and brand efforts are frequently intertwined with executive communications. Understanding strategic goals, competitive realities, and distinctive branding must thread through relationship building, influence and storytelling. Expressing personal authenticity that matches organizational values creates important momentum and impact for all audiences. Be recognized and respected as a thought leader who earns trust on behalf of his or her organization and team. Personal and professional reputation continually accrues—be relevant, intentional, and compelling.
Executive Writing and Presentation
Swimming in the Executive Fishbowl of Perfection
One hospital CEO told me, “If a surgeon has an issue in the OR, no one knows. If I spell Cat K-A-T the whole world knows.” Pressure for perfection is the fishbowl of executive communications. Today’s leader quite often leans on the talents of his or her team for crafting every written or presentation message. Whether reviewing drafts or beginning with a blank page, the honest communication partner shares responsibility for the right words to all audiences. Impactful message development and delivery require discernment and intention. Are you consistent? Are you authentic? Are you clear? Long or short-form and regardless of medium, executive messages are critical tools for engagement, thought leadership, motivation, and inspiration. Spending time to deeply understand intent, style, tone, and vocabulary assures your executive messages will deliver well. Synergy between executive, writer, and audience is always the goal.
Change Management Communications and Counsel
Organizations in Motion, Stay in Motion
New leadership teams, evolving care delivery structures, merger or acquisition, enterprise software changes, service closures, expense retooling and more are operational realities for the sustainable organization. Well-planned and honest communications are foundational to successfully navigate all organizational changes. Audiences are discrete and distinct, necessitating solid message development and nuanced specifics. Understanding each audience point of view while managing consistency overall informs effective communications that engender confidence and trust. In addition, the integrated communication layers must work together across earned, owned, and paid media anticipating both proactive and reactive opportunities that preserve reputation, market share and loyalty. Serving as a trusted partner to executive leadership, legal counsel, and governance as well as an internal comms teams, the experienced communications leader offers confidentiality, industry knowledge, planning expertise and support. If ever there’s a time to “see around the corner,” organizational changes require agility and pragmatism from today’s effective communications professional.
Interim Marketing and Communications Leadership
Fresh Eyes or Fresh Ideas, Designing Resources to Fit Your Organization’s Needs
For the organization needing either guidance for its marcomm team during a formal leader search or to bridge an unanticipated leadership change, an experienced marcomm executive provides stability and program continuity. In-depth knowledge of progressive marcomm practices and programs as well as optimized team structures offers both support and tested insights. Experiences with integrated teams include brand, customer acquisition and retention, direct, digital, content management, internal communications, and public relations. Maintaining effective plans while also working closely with established operational executives assures performance goals remain on track and positive organizational reputation intact. Interim leadership can be structured for unique needs in either a full-time onsite role or hybrid onsite/remote.
Depending on needs, a fractional coaching or support role could be appropriate for guiding a team through planning, restructuring, or to help evaluate strategic marketing opportunities created by new competition or company change.
Additional Engagements
Brand Strategy
Leadership Engagement Strategies for Results
Copywriting