1. Announcinglousyresultsisneveradayatthebeach.Whetheryou’readdressingtheboardoremloyees,here‘showtodoit
right.
Withtheburdenofbadnumbersgrowingheaviereachday— Particularlyastheendof3rdquarterlooms— leadersof
organizationslargeandsmallareundoubtedlywonderingwhat“spin”toputontheirstories.Yetanother“perfectstorm”?
Yetanother“challengeagainstheadwinds”?
“But‘spin’isthelastapproachexecutivesneedatthiscriticaltime,”saysAnettD.Grant,PresidentofExecutiveSpeaking,
Inc.,aglobalspeakingcoachingcompanyfoundedin1979andheadquarteredinMinneapolis,MN.
TheappTheapproachexecutivesneedtodayisstraightforwardanddirect.Grantrecommendsgivingupthehypeandhyperbole,
andconcentratingonthethree“C’s”ofeffectivespeaking:beingCalm,beingClear,andbeingConcise.
BeingCalm,theirst“C”fordeliveringbadnumbers,iscriticalwhenthenewsisdisappointing.“Speakershavetospeak
withacalmnessthatrelectsconidenceinleadingforward,notbravadoinightingwindmills,”saysGrant.
Toachievethiscalmness,Grantrecommendsspeakingwithasteadypace,makingsureyoureyecontactisin5-second
inintervals— norapidscanningoravoidingaltogether--andmakingsureyourvoicegoesdownattheendofsentences.If
youraiseyourvoiceattheendofeachsentence,yousoundtentative,seekingapproval.“Whilewomenhavemoreofa
tendencytoendonanupsound,”saysGrant,“theissueofendingdowntoprojectauthorityisrelevantformenand
womenfromallcultures— notjustAmerican.”
BeingClear,thesecond“C”fordeliveringbadnumbers,iscrucialwhenyourbadnumbersarebigandcomplex.“Being
clearmeanspresentingyournewsintermsofkeymessagesandsupportingdetails— notdatadumps,”saysGrant.
TToachievethisclarity,GrantrecommendsansweringthesebasicquestionsbeforeclickingonthePowerPoint:Whoare
youtalkingto?Whatdoyouwanttosay?Whatdotheywanttohear?Howdoyoureconcilewhatyouwanttosaywith
whattheywanttohear?Bottomline:Whatmessagedoyouwantyouraudiencetowalkawaywith?
“Thekeytocommunicatingcomplexityisorganization,”saysGrant.Youhavetopackageyourpointsinwaysthatresonate
withyouraudience.WhileLatinAmericanandEuropeanexecutivesmaywantbackgroundandcontext,American
executiveswant“justthefacts,SergeantFriday,justthefacts.”
BeingConcise,thethiBeingConcise,thethird“C”fordeliveringbadnumbers,isessentialwhenyouwanttocommunicatethewholestory,not
justalotofrandomexplanationsandpoints.
“Beingconcisemeansgettingtothepoint— nobigpreambles,nobeatingaroundthebush,norambling,nodriftingoff
intoendlesstangentsofwhatmaybesomewhatrelevantbutnotabsolutelycritical,”saysGrant.“Ifyourboardthinksyou
arebeinganythingbutstraightforward,watchoutforthepiranhas.”
TToachieveconcisecommunication,Grantrecommendsthinkingofyourtopicsintermsofconceptquestions--perhaps
fouroriveper20-minutepresentation.Onceyouhavedeinedconceptquestions,youaremorelikelytogettothepoint
andstayfocused.
“Whenyouposetherightquestions,youaresettingthethinkingattherightlevel.Agoodruleofthumb,”saysGrant,“isto
focusonwhatquestionsforupwardcommunicationandhowquestionsfordownwardcommunication.”