The Leadership Challenge for Corporate Communications: or levels, DNA and competencies

1. The Leadership Challenge for Corporate Communications: or levels, DNA and competencies Professor Anne Gregory Centre for Public Relations Studies Leeds Metropolitan University Chair Elect Global Alliance

2. Driving factors in our world • Time compression • Complexity • Interconnectivity of issues • Interdependence in the global village • Context

3. A new management understanding …..organisations are defined by communication

4. What CEOs expect Forward intelligence Externally and internally connected Problem-solvers Coaches and advisors A narrative Technical competence

5. What is our biggest opportunity? • New technology • CEO fear/ignorance • Communication convergence • Uncertainty • Don’t know

6. Our opportunity….. the ability to seize the zeitgeist - contextual intelligence – is an essential feature of successful leaders

7. Synthesising the present Foreseeing the future

8. Implications Senior practitioners are consultants Working at all levels Understanding and solving problems Senior practitioners need Advanced research skills Knowledge and skills in organisational management and functioning Analytical abilities Appreciation of cultural influences Communication skills to solve problems

9. How equipped do you feel for this? • Not at all • Somewhat • Adequately • Well • I’m on top of the game

10. Levels, DNA and behaviour

11. Four levels of contribution Society Corporate Stakeholder/Service User Functional Steyn, 2007; Gregory and Willis 2009

12. At the societal level…. Purpose: Social orientation What is our role in society? What are our obligations? What are the implications for our organisation? Values based: stakeholder oriented Comms contribution Maintains legitimacy Assists strategy development Puts performance into perspective Builds brand identity Provides the organisational antennae

13. The NHS Constitution

14. At corporate level…. Financial orientation What is the shape of our business? How shall we deploy our resources? Internally oriented: resources and capability oriented Comms contribution Informed decision-making Coaching management on their comms responsibilities And most importantly…

15. Articulating comms as an asset • Reputation • Relationships • Cultural alignment ROI in comms terms A ‘balanced scorecard’? Financial Reputational Relational Cultural Laurati, 2008

16. Getting it wrong…? Getting it right…!

17. The danger of getting it wrong

18. At stakeholder/value chain level…. Stakeholder and financial orientation Who is or should be part of the closer stakeholder community? Who is in our value chain? Relationship orientation Comms contribution Identifying customer/consumer needs Negotiating collaborations Upholding values Monitoring performance Managing multiple-stakeholders

19. The company you keep….

20. At functional level…. Societal, organisational and stakeholder/service user focused What are the operational imperatives? How do we implement efficient and effective programmes and campaigns? Operational competence Comms Contribution Strategic programmes Using recognised business planning disciplines Reactive, proactive and interactive Evaluated

21. The Four DNA Strands

22. What are the DNA stands of your communication now? • Core messages • Core themes • What the boss says on any particular day • As organisational competence

23. The four DNA strands An excellent understanding of the brand

24. The four DNA strands At the heart of change management Management is communication Culture, subsidiarity and staff engagement Leadership support

25. The four DNA strands Communication as a core competence We are all communicators now The system speaks

26. Four DNA strands Excellence in planning, managing and evaluating communication Aim Objectives Analysis Stakeholders Content Strategy Tactics Risk Timescales Resources Evaluation Review

27. Bringing it all together Society LEADERSHIP SUPPORT CORE COMPETENCE PLANNING BRAND Corporate Stakeholder/ value chain Functional

28. Implications for roles ORIENTERsocietal CATALYST stakeholder/value chain NAVIGATOR corporate IMPLEMENTER functional

29. Competencies Behavioural repertoires or sets of behaviours that support the attainment of organisational objectives. How knowledge and skills are used in performance.

30. How do you do yours? • I’m always the same person • I have role models that I follow • I fit in with what others in my organisation are doing • I’ve not really thought about it

31. Findings – the 10 competency factors • Strategy and action • People skills • Personal communication • Personal characteristics

32. Shared competenciesStrategy and Action • Takes a strategic/long term view • plans ahead, remains focused on organisational objectives • thinks beyond immediate issues and links to business • has a vision of objectives and reviews them regularly Makes decisions and acts • willing to make tough, unpopular decisions based on information • suggests various solutions, decides on course of action quickly and implements it • makes things happen and acts with confidence

33. People skills • Understands others • open-minded when considering others, interested, empathic and sympathetic • looks for win-win and mutual benefit • shows respect, works to understand motivation of others Leads and supports • provides direction, advice and coaching • fosters openness and information sharing, acknowledges contributions • elevates insights to the board

34. Personal communication • Networks • talks easily at all levels internally and externally • builds strong, extended infrastructure across functions • builds relationships with gatekeepers and is visible Communicates • verbally and in writing, clearly, consistently and convincingly • supports arguments with facts and figures • confronts senior people with difficult issues

35. Personal characteristics • Takes responsibility for high standards • consistent with clear personal values aligned with organisation • sets high goals and standards, accepts responsibility for them • handles criticism well and learns from it Maintains a positive outlook • responds well to changes or setbacks, manages pressure well • aware of difference between setback and failure, uses humour • deals with ambiguity well, grasping the opportunity

36. Private sector • Prepares thoroughly • spends time understanding tasks and objectives, scenario plans • involves team in planning • constantly aware of arising issues • Investigates and analyses • gathers, probes, tests information, analytical, gets to heart of issue • uses a wide variety of sources, grasps key facts quickly • analyses potential outcomes of situation

37. Public sector • Persuades and influences • Guides conversations to desired endpoints • Manages conflict sensitively and diplomatically • Takes account of internal and external political environment • Influences the agendas of everyone • Consults and involves • Listens to views of others • Shows an awareness of diverse opinions • Consults and involves to gain support

38. Not the same, but lots in common

39. Summary: a top communicator • Is strategic and plans • Is well informed • Challenges others • Makes hard choices • Is a consummate communicator • Understands people and relationships and values them • And above all…understands their levels of operating, their communication DNA and the appropriate behaviours they must enact.

40. How many people want their apero NOW? • Yes • No