5 Executive Communication Tactics that Get Results
As an executive, communication is likely your number one skill. But not just any communication - masterful, polished communication that inspires action, builds trust and moves critical stakeholders. These abilities can be learned and honed.
Based on my experience as a communication coach for C-suites and leadership teams, these five core communication abilities are essential for modern executives.
1. Executive presence that captivates an audience
Executive presence is that hard-to-pinpoint quality that marks influential leaders. A strong executive presence is vital for capturing attention, building credibility, and rallying people to your vision. Key elements include:
Confident body language and voice
Your physical presence communicates leadership capability before you say a word. Adopt open, grounded postures - shoulders back, head high. Maintain steady eye contact. Speak slowly in a calm, low vocal pitch with purposeful gestures. Remember: leaders are not in a hurry to make their point. They want to make an impact.
Connecting through storytelling
Stir your audience's emotions and help ideas stick by illustrating concepts through relatable stories and examples. This narrative approach forges deeper bonds with listeners. I use a storyboard with my clients for precisely that reason.
Tuning into the situation and audience
Savvy executives read the room and adjust their messaging style and tone based on the context and who they're addressing. This social and political intelligence is essential for leaders today.
For example, the direct, authoritative tone appropriate in a tense boardroom debate would likely backfire in a low-key employee town hall aimed at uniting versus deciding.
Similarly, a lighthearted joke landing well with your sales team might seem off-key with an audience of government regulators.
Great leaders like Oprah excel at connecting with crowds by quickly picking up on energy in the room and modifying her approach to resonate in the moment.
Former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi was known for "code-switching" her communication style seamlessly between Indian heritage at home and Western boardrooms.
With gravitas, storytelling skills, and situational awareness to adapt, you hold attention and respect when taking the stage in any leadership capacity or high-stakes communication.
2. The power to persuade and influence
While executive presence establishes credibility, the actual test is mobilising people to action through persuasion and influence. This ability separates effective leaders from just good talkers.
Some keys for influential communication include:
Focus on benefits, not features
What is true in marketing is valid for executives, too: People always want to know what's in it for them. We are more interested in the goal than the journey that gets us there. Don't just describe your idea or initiative logically - make a compelling case for why it benefits explicitly the audience.
Address potential concerns head-on
Anticipate reservations, objections or pushback listeners may have and address them early on. That shows you understand their reality and earns trust. Reinforce with facts, figures and social proof
Savvy executives don't rely on passionate rhetoric alone when influencing audiences. They back up claims with hard evidence through data.
Some ways leaders substantiate arguments include:
Citing credible research reports and surveys to validate market claims.
Quoting recognisable experts that endorse your perspective or product strengths.
Sharing client success stories and testimonials from named, reputable companies.
Providing RoI projections and early traction metrics to showcase viability.
Summarising results from beta tests, pilot programs or case studies that prove performance.
When proposing a new initiative, a CEO might reference relevant McKinsey data on market trends, an analyst quote validating the approach, client adoption rates during beta tests, and expected ROI based on projections.
3. Call your audience to action
The most influential executives don't end communications without a clear call to action to mobilise listeners.
For example, after explaining a proposed policy change, a leader might conclude: "To enact this shift that better serves our customers and employees, I need your commitment today to actively advocate for it."
Similarly, a CEO pitching a new initiative to their board might close with: "I'm asking for your approval today to fund a 6-month pilot that can substantiate this approach's impact."
Other calls to action that could work:
Adopting new software within a set timeframe.
Submitting community partnership proposals by a deadline.
Reducing departmental expenses by a target amount in the next quarter.
That propels your audience from passive listeners into supporters of your project.
4. Fostering constructive dialogue
Monologues don't fly in today's participatory, feedback-driven business climate. Modern executives must foster constructive two-way dialogue by:
Asking thoughtful questions
Design open-ended questions that prompt substantive contributions from your audience versus yes/no answers.
Actively listening without interrupting
Give your full attention when others speak up rather than formulating your response. Reflect back on key ideas to show you understand their perspective.
Creating a safe space for sharing
Make it psychologically safe to disagree, challenge, and give feedback by responding with curiosity over defensiveness. More honesty emerges in safe climates.
Through inquiry, reflection and embracing dissent, executives become collaborators, amplifying the wisdom of stakeholders instead of dictating from on high.
Integrity that instills trust
Platitudes about integrity aren't enough. As an executive, you must exhibit ethical leadership through openness, transparency and keeping promises.
Talk openly about company values
Regularly remind your team how decisions connect back to core values. Values shape an ethical brand when put into action, so everyone should be familiar with them.
Be accountable when mistakes happen
If you or the company messes up, say so quickly and honestly without making excuses. Admitting fault isn't easy, but it earns respect when done right.
Keep people updated on big issues
Communicate openly and directly when problems come up. If you tend to forget that because you're too busy putting out flames, set yourself a reminder to inform your team. Staying silent makes employees worried and sceptical.
Do what you say
Follow through consistently on stated plans and promises. If they change, inform everyone immediately. Reliability builds trust over time.
By matching words and actions - even when it's tough - leaders gain lasting loyalty from their people. That helps weather external crises and internal challenges.
5. Resilience through times of challenge and change
Executives operate in a pressure cooker at all times. Communications must instil confidence that you can guide the organisation through uncertainty.
Here’s what you can do.
Acknowledge the challenge with empathy
Show you understand people's worries and anxieties before addressing how to overcome hurdles- but you need to mean it. Avoid platitudes at all costs.
Share context on factors within and beyond your control
List the driving decisions and separate external vs. internal forces at play. If there is any media coverage on the topic, refer to it and clarify if necessary.
Embrace the pivots and wins along the way
Highlight real-time lessons and successes that emerge, showing progress towards the vision. Small wins sustain morale.
Leaders who communicate with empathy, context, vision and accountability give people the knowledge and inspiration to keep moving forward during stormy seas.
You can amplify these skills through practice and working with an executive communication coach. If you're ready to take your leadership communication to the next level, click here to explore customised coaching.