Five Top Skills For CEOs To Maintain Influence

• July 26, 2021

Top-performing CEOs know that strong communication skills are the secret to lasting influence and success. They exhibit these skills consistently each day, and in every interaction, Monday to Monday.

Successful CEOs understand that influence is required if they are to inspire people to willingly act upon what they have to say.

Highly influential CEOs deliver on these five communication skills daily:

Brevity

Successful CEOs understand the importance of clear, concise communication. They recognize that in the absence of simplicity comes confusion and chaos.

For example, on John Flannery’s first day as CEO of GE, he sent an email to his employees listing only three objectives he wished for the company to focus on: “Customers, team and execution/accountability.” Instead of providing a dozen areas of opportunity, he maintained a short list of objectives that were clear. He kept employee goals concise, guiding them to focus exclusively on the customer.

It’s as simple as that.

When CEOs focus on concise and clear communication, they make it easier for others to follow. This level of influence ensures that others remember what was said and are inspired to act accordingly.

Collaboration

CEOs are known for their sharp minds, decisiveness and business acumen. Top-performing CEOs understand that if their organization is to reach the level of Fortune 500 companies, they must get their entire organization to think the same way.

According to SHRM‘s 2016 Job Satisfaction and Engagement Survey, 48% of employees considered frequent communication between employees and senior leadership to be very important in their ability to stay engaged.

Larry Page of Alphabet, a parent company of Google, hosts frequent employee conference calls called TGIF (Thank God It’s Friday) to discuss ongoing company objectives and action items. They begin each call by sharing status updates of previous discussions, including what the executive staff is doing to secure the company’s future. Each call concludes with a 30-minute open-question forum, where all employees have the chance to ask questions and collaborate on ideas the executives discussed.

Allowing employees to collaborate and share ideas creates a sense of ownership. It permits insight into the company’s goals and encourages employees to engage in its success with ideas of their own.

Approachability

The title of CEO carries a lot of weight and can create an atmosphere of intimidation. Title alone can discourage employees from approaching leadership to converse on matters that are critical to ongoing company operations.

By creating an atmosphere of approachability, CEOs encourage employees to share ideas, concerns, and feedback vital to company success. As a result, CEOs build stronger relationships and deepen trust in leadership.

For instance, Kenneth Lin, CEO of Credit Karma, wholeheartedly believes in the power of accessibility. He maintains an open-door policy and is known for frequently visiting employees on the floor, no matter the department or position. As a result, he builds personal relationships that foster trust and candidacy that only comes with real influence.

A CEO who has influence based solely on their title may intimidate employees to begrudgingly act on direction. A leader who influences others to act willingly has established the trust and credibility necessary for lasting success.

Transparency

Few things cost an executive trust and influence like a lack of transparency. When employees believe their CEO is hiding information or failing to act openly, they begin to question decisions. Successful CEOs recognize that transparency is critical for employees to see the work behind the scenes and understand the motives behind decisions.

In the above SHRM survey, 94% of employees indicated trust between employee and senior leaders was critical while only 62% actually trusted their organizational leadership. The act of transparency deepens trust and credibility in leadership. Not every conversation can be openly disclosed, but the results and outcomes of many can.

Unfortunately, too many leaders fail to share this level of detail with their staff, leading employees to question their intention.

Bridgewater Associates CEO Ray Dalio is known for recording meetings and making them available to employees. Dalio believes that transparency is necessary for exposing truths and intentions behind decisions. He also recognizes that recording playbacks provide executives a way to identify communication weaknesses that need improvement.

Transformativeness

Successful CEOs aren’t born great — they learn through a series of mistakes and lessons and from mentors and opportunities. Influential CEOs are always learning and recognize that personal development is the key to continued professional success. Research says 68% of employees thrive on hearing their CEO’s success story and 73% desire to learn which obstacles their CEO has overcome.

Gary Ridge, CEO of WD-40, practices ongoing professional development and seeks opportunities to learn and improve. He fosters an organizational culture of learning as well by admitting to his own need for continued skills development. He openly shares his successes and failures, encouraging employees to focus on continual improvement. Ridge believes that leaders must focus on learning, teaching, and personal growth. As a result, the entire organization will benefit from improved performance and communication.

When leaders admit they aren’t perfect and are willing to improve, employees follow suit.