Published in the June 2007 issue of CW Bulletin

(the monthly e-newsletter of the International Association of Business Communicators)

What Do CEOs Want–and Need–from their Communications Executives

By Barry Shulman

With corporate raiders, financial analysts and institutional investors all demanding "performance, performance, performance," there is little doubt that CEOs are looking for creative communications executives who can help position the company's leadership team and portray the direction they are taking the enterprise as proof positive of increasing shareholder value.

In other words, CEOs want every constituent group to understand the company’s vision, its plans for the future and how corporate decisions are getting them there. They want their constituents to “get to know” the leadership team – from understanding their backgrounds to seeing them more frequently in the community. They want consistency of messages to build the company’s brand and bottom line with every press release, event, public appearance and advertising/marketing plan.

Those of us in the executive recruiting business see this renewed emphasis on performance every day. Chief executives, as well as their trusted advisors including heads of communications, are being held accountable for boosting shareholder value. As a result, those who have good track records in this category are in greater demand today than ever before.

So what qualities do CEOs look for from their communications executives to help them increase their company's performance? What experience and background should communications executives have in order to fill these roles? And, how do companies—and communicators—find a good match?

The answers to these questions are influenced by three primary factors.

1. The CEO's own communications style.
2. The overall culture of the corporation and its specific industry, as well as the markets it serves.
3. The strategic objectives the organization is looking to achieve.

Despite these variables, during recent searches for corporate clients we have seen several common elements and trends emerging in both the overall responsibilities outlined in communications positions and the required experience that CEOs want.

Top five new trends in overall responsibilities

1. The communications executive's role today is much more comprehensive and complex than even five years ago.

For example, communications pros are now the point persons in helping build corporate images and brands. This is in addition to being responsible for communications to shareholders, employees, government officials, media and other constituents. The corporate communications executive is now more appropriately seen as the "integrated communications executive."

2. The communications executive is far more visible today than in the past.

In addition to being responsible for supporting the CEO and other top executives, the communications executive now must also be a visible spokesperson who uses his or her own persuasive skills to drive constituents to action.

3. The communications executive is increasingly responsible for global programs.

As the world becomes smaller, communicators are becoming more involved in coordinating global programs and helping organizations achieve better levels of understanding and addressing cultural and business diversities.

4. The communications executive is more and more responsible for understanding and influencing strategic initiatives as related to business and industry-wide issues and trends.

It's no longer just about "the" company; it's about understanding the company within the context of one's industry and the business community at large–and being influential in these larger forums. More and more, we see communications executives being expected to testify in Washington about public policy issues and to speak at industry conferences about industry trends.

5. The communications executive today is a super-manager par excellence.

Roles and responsibilities now include oversight of communications programs wherever they exist in the organization in terms of budgets, staffing, structure, and integration with other functions, including marketing. This is another area where we see increasing responsibility for communicators to impact the bottom line; for example, communications programs are required to be measurable and move the meter substantially regarding public opinion and profitability.

Traditional and new trends in required experience

Not surprisingly, excellent communications skills are still highly valued by CEOs, including the ability to present, speak and write clearly and concisely; influence and persuade people to take specific action; manage staff and budgets; work as a team player; and handle internal branding, HR communications, crisis communications, financial communications, executive communications programs and others.

In addition, here are five of the newest trends in required experience:

1. Experience in change management.

Companies are changing corporate strategies more frequently than five years ago in their quest to increase shareholder value—including redefining missions, reinventing corporate culture, introducing new products and services and entering new markets. Therefore, CEOs are looking for communicators who have experience with business transformations, downsizings, mergers and acquisitions, and takeover battles, as well as new product and new market launches.

2. Expertise with new media.

Communicators now need to be adept at assessing, monitoring, using and evaluating Websites, Blogs, Podcasts, RSS (Really Simple Syndication), and wireless or mobile marketing.

3. Global and multilingual capabilities.

Communicators who are bilingual or multilingual are being viewed as an asset. Minimally, practitioners are expected to have experience with and appreciation of cross-cultural and inter-generational communications as companies are more and more comprised of diverse groups of individuals who receive and accept information differently.

4. Marketing communications experience.

Corporate communications executives are becoming increasingly responsible for overseeing customer and marketing communications so there is renewed interest in individuals who have had experience in integrated marketing communications. It's about the ability to tie-in all the communications functions.

5. Renewed emphasis on internal communications.

We've been seeing companies caring more and more about internal communications programs for their employees. This reflects what Ernst & Young recently reported: a company's ability to attract and retain employees is a very important reason portfolio managers choose to invest in a company. Here are some of the programs that communicators need to have experience with: town-hall meetings, grassroots and advocacy, videotaped sessions, close-circuit TV, Intranets, magazines, newspapers, newsletters and call-in lines and alternatives to "pointcast channels" -- proprietary channels formerly used by high-tech companies and others to push information over the Internet to their employee’s desktops.

Finding a good match

The importance of finding a good fit between a corporation, CEO and his or her communications executive remains as critical as ever. The "fit" is critical to the success of the CEO and the company's positioning and well being.

Unfortunately, there is rarely a perfect fit between résumés and open positions. Sometimes the perfect résumé can be a nightmare if the "fit" isn't there. Résumés don't take into consideration the personality traits and styles of the individual, which also must mesh with those of the CEO's and the corporation's.

Because there are so many variables that need to be considered, most CEOs rely on specialized executive search firms to help create the position description, uncover the best candidates in the marketplace, assist in the final recruitment process and help in the negotiations.

The bottom line? There is a renewed and more intense emphasis these days on performance and building shareholder value -- as opposed to other corporate priorities such as corporate stewardship and brand preservation. Communications positions, therefore, are being crafted to reflect this renewed emphasis. Communications executives who are interested in filling these positions are redrafting their resumes to highlight experience that can relate to building shareholder value. The executive recruiters, who work to match the two, are assisting corporations in creating realistic position descriptions and then finding and attracting the best talent available to fill them.

Barry Shulman founded Shulman Associates Executive Search firm in San Francisco in 1990 after four years as a VP of an internationally recognized search firm. Throughout his career, Shulman has assisted hundreds of corporations and PR agencies in structuring strategic communications functions and recruiting highly qualified executives to manage them. He frequently speaks and writes articles on trends in corporate communications and marketing and employment practices, including executive search. He can be reached at barry@shulmanassoc.com or www.shulmanassoc.com.

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