5 Nov Executive Communication Coaching ~ An expanding and specialized field
Executive Communication Coaching (ECC) is a specialty within the leadership coaching field which focuses on imparting communication skill expertise to achieve individual, team and organizational success. ECC focuses on assessment and targeted goals, mindset change, skill presentation and practice; and is measured by observable results. Client self-discovery and insight are integral to the coaching process, as they greatly impact ability to integrate and apply new and effective strategies. ECC is distinguished from other Executive Coach expertise areas because of its primary focus on skills, and observable behavior change.
Why Executive Communication Coaching
Though the word “coach “is a familiar one in business today, our specialty, executive communication coaching is a relatively new area of expertise, rising in popularity since its sparse beginnings in the 1960’s…for good reason!
Research and polls consistently indicate that effective communication is linked to leader effectiveness and business results, while poor communication can sink the best business ideas.
For example, according to a 2022 Harris poll, 72% of business leaders stated that their team was challenged by miscommunication. They estimated that teams lose about one productive workday each week to poor communication.
Human communication skills remain essential, perhaps more so in the digital and AI age. In a recent LinkedIn survey, three quarters of US executives polled placed more value on human communication excellence versus AI-related skills. Professional communication skill development is linked to greater productivity, engagement, morale, and career success.
What are ECC focus areas?
Clients self-initiate or are referred for ECC group or individual programs in order to enhance effective communication mindset, strategies, and skills. Referrals are initiated by Human Resources, Learning and Development professionals, managers, and leaders/professionals themselves.
Here are the seven most frequently occurring client needs along with examples:
1 – Enhancing leaders’/teams’ presentation organization and delivery. Organizational skills include the topics of wording, themes, structure, and high impact/high interest messaging. Delivery skills include oral (speech and voice) and nonverbal (facial expression, movement, gestures) best practices. Focus on incorporating appealing slides and visuals without overshadowing the presenter is a frequent goal. Clients see presentation competence and dynamism as a key attribute for leadership.
Client example one: Ying, a director in a top pharmaceutical firm, was rolling out an organizational change which would impact other directors’ roles and resources. She sought coaching for her team to enhance message clarity, consistency, and ability to handle resistance and challenges.
Client example two: A recent client outshone his competitors in a search for Audit Director for the State Department of Transportation because he alone, among all of the auditor applicants, had completed a Leadership Communication Coaching Program. Additionally, his energetic and persuasive delivery were noted by the interviewers as essential to making an impact as a new hire.
2 – Preparing for visibility opportunities. Companies want to ensure that leaders are effective in board meetings, moderating or appearing on a panel, video communication, poster session, conference talk, media appearances, keynote and other high stakes situations.
Client example: Rowen, a marketing professor recognized as a thought leader in his field wished to develop a salable keynote speech on the trending topic of privacy in digital marketing. Though his speaking skills were above average, he knew he needed to step up his game in order to achieve keynote presenter status.
3 – Increasing meeting leadership and facilitation skills, often with emphasis on the virtual environment, and creating safe, inclusive and engaging meetings.
Client example: Haley, a biostatistician, was charged with heading a thirty – person international research team meetings on a weekly basis. She was concerned that her questions to the group were met with silence, and that one team member dominated interactions. Haley sought coaching focused on creating a more enthusiastic and professional virtual appearance, and easy to apply engagement techniques. For example, she learned ways to create PODs- Participants of the Day—team members charged with responding to questions at a designated meeting.
4 – Developing more effective interpersonal leadership communication, often referred to as “Style Coaching” A wide range of goals are included in this category including increasing contributions in meetings, and improving likability and trust building behaviors. Frequently requested topics include providing and receiving feedback, interview communication, delegating, coaching skills, and handling challenges and objections.
Client example one: Though competent, Rosa was alienating her peers and team members with her brusque style and disinterest in socializing. The accounting firm’s HR director felt she had done all she could to encourage Rosa, and sought professional coaching as a “last ditch investment” prior to letting Rosa go.
Client example two: Winn and Tomas, two super achievers in an international credit card company, were successful at every initiative–except gaining recognition and visibility with the C suite folks. When they weren’t invited to a leadership offsite at a swank Florida resort, they were fuming, and didn’t know how to handle the VP’s remark, “I didn’t think that you’d find the retreat time worthwhile.
5 – Influencing upward: Adapting to the communication style desired by company culture and senior leaders.
Client example: A large insurance and financial services firm asked our company to develop a program titled Executive Briefings. The company leaders did not appreciate the overly detailed and longwinded “summaries” presented at meetings, and wanted enterprise-wide adoption of strategies focused on conciseness and prioritizing speaking points.
6 – Reducing nervousness in communication situations (also known as communication apprehension in the communication sciences field)
Client example: Sean, a lead civil engineer, was known for showcasing his team members at client meetings yet confessed that the real reason he wasn’t “center stage” was due to his longstanding fear of speaking in front of groups. Sean was up for a promotion to partner, but dreaded having to stand up and introduce himself at high power networking events. He expressed a “now or never” desire to control his communication apprehension.
7 – Maximizing comfort for leaders who use English as a business language. Common topics here include speech clarity and intonation improvement, understanding expressions and humor, and adapting style to various listeners. Emphasis is also placed on helping listeners appreciate diversity in leadership style and speaking patterns.
Client example: Lee, a nurse manager in a community hospital, believed that others judged her accent and grammatical errors as distracting, and she held herself back from expressing opinions. Her family found it humorous that she was seen as too quiet at work, since she was known for her never ending banter at home. Lee’s advocate in the hospital training department was on the hunt for a coach who could work on refining speaking patterns and building her confidence.
Executive Communication Coach Qualifications
Executive communication coaches, as do all coaches, require a wide range of knowledge, coaching practices, and character traits of calmness, flexibility, and creativity.
There are currently no certifying bodies for executive communication coaches, though the US based National Communication Association has formed committees to study the need for more rigor in field over the past decade.
Several communication companies offer training programs which focus on two areas: 1) Learning best practices in one or more of the coaching topics mentioned above 2) Learning coaching process and methodology. Note: Coaching in vocal and speech mechanics requires a specialization in a related field such as speech/language pathology, communication sciences, or vocal performance.
Moving forward, as the field grows, and standards for training are put in place, Executive Communication Coach competencies may include: Study of research, theory and practice in leadership communication; verbal organization presentation skills; communication apprehension; interpersonal communication; speech and voice mechanics; nonverbal skills; and persuasion; knowledge and application of assessment and goal setting; coaching philosophy and methodology; and behavioral change theory and approaches.
An internship with feedback and supervision from an experienced communication coach to develop and refine coaching style and practices is a must.
The Future of Executive Communication Coaching
As the AI age advances, the need for maximally effective human communication will likely increase, as indicated in recent studies of top business priorities. The field of Executive Communication Coaching is currently adding to leaders’ and team’s presentation, meeting, speech and interpersonal effectiveness, and business results. As the demand for ECC increases, standards for training and eventually certification will likely be established.
Helping leaders communicate with competence and confidence is a continual organizational need-and the profession of Executive Communication Coaching is guiding this critical mission.
14 Oct Think Mind Over Mouth
The ability to convey ideas with a significant impact is highly associated with career and organizational success.
Yet, technology leaders and professionals face a major challenge; simplifying complex and technical information so that others “get it”, buy-in, and take action for the best results.
Here are some truths about transmitting knowledge and influencing others outside your field:
Knowing your topic does not equal speaking clearly about your topic.
Your listeners likely don’t care about your topic as much as you do-sorry!
Anytime you speak, whether one-on-one or to a crowd, in person or virtual, in a formal or informal setting, you are a “presenter”.
Preparation, not Desperation: Strategize and plan, no matter how knowledgeable you are.
Let’s look at key strategies for thinking and speaking “mind over mouth”.
- Develop communication empathy
As experts in your field, your knowledge, breadth and depth, mastery of the big picture, AND the details are valued.
Don’t be heartbroken to learn that your audience doesn’t care to hear it all…especially some of those technical specifics.
Approach your meeting with a listener-centered mental mindset, what I call communication empathy.
Let’s consider questions to develop your communication empathy:
1. What are the top three points these listeners care about?
A CTO I worked with bored his board when he went into passionate detail, complete with sixteen spreadsheets about a system upgrade.
All the board needed was the benefit of the change, and of course, the cost!
2. What can I omit to focus and streamline? (And not feel like you are giving away your firstborn!)
If you’re worried about leaving out something important, keep in mind that you can always troubleshoot questions you may be asked in advance, or follow up after the meeting if requested.
- Check in with your listeners
1. Communicate in advance.
The best communicators get comfortable with asking listeners what they’d like to cover before the meeting. Executives in a large healthcare company I’m working with shared this blunt advice: “Talk about what I want to hear. Just ask me and I’ll tell you.”
You may also want to consider consulting with a colleague who knows the listeners or conduct a needs assessment prior to a high-stakes presentation.
2. Consider listeners’ level of knowledge about the topic.
If you’re over their heads, the deal may be over as well. Jess, a biostatistician I prepped, lamented “I messed up an investor presentation. I thought they were savvy about research, but they were confused by even basic terminology
Wish I knew that in advance.”
We all know what she should have done: her research before the meeting.
Preparation not desperation, Jess!
3. Stop to include your listeners.
Make sure you’re meeting their needs during the presentation. No one hits the bullseye 100%. Make your key point at a meeting in 60 seconds or less, then volley to your listener(s). Become comfortable with questions like:
Anything you’d like to add or ask?
Are we on target?
Questions, comments?
- Master verbal organization
Excellent speakers convey their message concisely, with fluency and focus.
Show me a great presenter in your field, and I bet you they have prepared, practiced and probably have a coach. One-half of one percent of the population is gifted verbally. The rest of us benefit from learning and mastering techniques.
1. Headline for impact:
Work to convey your key points in 15-25 words, what I call a verbal headline.
(That’s actually a generous number of words, a newsletter or a slide headline is usually less than twelve words). Listeners value your ability to bring what they need or want to hear to the foreground. Devote time to figuring out what matters to your listeners
and then create your headlines. Here’s a strong, succinct headline a VP shared recently:
“We’re innovating to improve complex care.”
Note that the wording is well chosen to streamline and tighten the thought.
2. Learn the HEC Model
The HEC model is popular with clients who present an idea, or who are on the spot at meetings.
HEC stands for Headline—Example—Comment
Headline followed by an Example, and then an ending Comment (opinion, perspective, action).
Practice HEC with this question:
What do you find most rewarding about your work?
Here’s a sample reply:
Headline: I enjoy creating and designing landing pages for individuals and groups.
Example: An investment firm asked my team to design
a page for analysts preparing to present at a conference.
Comment: Not knowing what’s around the corner, and always having a fresh project at hand keeps me busy and energized.
3. Make new ideas or terminology easy to understand.
Listeners are uncomfortable when they don’t know a term, abbreviation, or concept you are sharing. It’s crucial to scan your words and be sure to explain and simplify what isn’t familiar or clear. This sequence will help:
State the term, Define the term briefly, then offer an example.
Try it out with a word or idea that listeners outside your field find challenging.
Let’s give it a try with the words “fast pacing”.
Term: Watch out for fast pacing with non-technical listeners.
Definition: Fast pacing means you are including too much material in the time you have.
Example: A speaker who is too fast-paced will lose their listeners at point one, while they are already on to point five.
Keep these tips about concise organization, defining terminology, and sensitivity to your listeners’ needs in mind for your next meeting.
You will be on your way to speaking for success!
27 Jun Is Authenticity Overrated?
“To thine own self be true” from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, is one of the most famous quotes from The Bard’s works.
The essence of these words has great staying power and meaning, especially now.
Applause for authenticity
When asked how they’d like to come across in their leadership roles, more clients than ever share that they’d like to be authentic, natural, and genuine. They want to be true to themselves – not phony, fake, put on, or overly packaged.
We coaches, of course, applaud these aspirational adjectives.
Feeling comfortable and “like yourself” can contribute to smooth, valuable, and positive interactions. Feeling inauthentic can lead to stiff delivery, gestures, and facial expressions.
Kayla, a marketing leader in biotech, was asked to speak at a town hall. She was more nervous than usual, stumbled over statistics, and was told she seemed “scripted.”
Why? Kayla was in the challenging position of not believing what she had to say to her team. Her desire to be authentic clashed with what company executives needed her to say. Quite a challenge!
The Dilemma
Communication coaches understand that solely relying on your “real self” may not always align with achieving your goals.
It’s important to stretch beyond “doing what comes naturally” in order to build your executive communication toolkit and success.
Authenticity Awareness Quiz
Answer these three questions to determine if moving beyond being authentic is a valuable goal for you.
- Does my authentic self always help me get the desired results in this situation?
- Does my authentic self always help me to build and maintain relationships?
- Is my current toolkit of skills consistently effective for professional growth and success?
Most motivated professionals answer No to one or more of the above questions. Terrific! That shows a desire to expand their comfort zone, add new strategies to their toolkit, and experiment with feeling “authentic in new ways.
Executive communication coaches reassure our clients that:
- Authenticity + Building Best Practices is an ideal professional formula.
- New behaviors will feel awkward at first. Within three to six months, they will be part of your natural self.
- You will experience success as you expand your executive communication repertoire and, at the same time, still believe “To thine own self be true”.
13 Mar Speaking Business English Clearly
Navigating Language and Being Heard
English is the international language of business. This can be especially challenging for people whose native language is not English. This complimentary lesson will introduce the most important elements of being able to speak English clearly.
14 Sep Tips for Leading Effective Meetings
Our coaching team appreciates the challenge of masterminding the right mix of talent, personalities, and action items.
Fortunately, easy tweaks often go a long way to enhance comfort, participation, and awareness of nuances in a team member’s behavior.
Recently, I worked with a senior leader in financial services who felt it was his responsibility to control the agenda and results of all meetings; in fact, he considered it part of his job. He was baffled that his group was quiet, rarely initiated topics, didn’t show passion regarding action items, and only engaged in small talk after the meeting.
He asked me how he could change the situation. Our team of communication experts developed easy-to-apply key strategies to help this and other clients develop more productive teams.
We advised:
- Begin meetings with small talk or each person sharing an observation or personal update to develop trust and increase interpersonal communication.
- Develop an agenda to which team members are expected to contribute. Research indicates that 1/3 of all meetings are viewed as a waste of time. Change that!
- Use meetings for discussion and problem-solving rather than just providing information. One of my favorite sayings is, “Go from information to inspiration and impact.”
- Try an approach like “round robin” or going around the room when possible. The goal is to keep the talkers from dominating and allow quiet people to contribute more. This is essential for equalizing talking time, a key ingredient for team success.
- Have some fun and novelty with a bit of partying, such as lunch meetings outside the office and/or appealing surprise guests. Refreshments always help. I had a client who wanted to tighten his budget by eliminating the snacks. I told him I’d give him the 25 bucks for goodies to save all the gains we’d made in coaching.
Try out these suggestions, and your team meetings will be more engaging, valuable, and productive!
16 Jan MLK – Changing the World Through Speech
Martin Luther King is known as the greatest orator in modern times– a man whose words and style created profound social change. Though few of us will transform society, we can elevate our professional world through the way we speak.
Here are three lessons: (more…)