Topgrading

Having assessed/coached 6,500 executives including over 500 CEOs and presidents, I kinda know what ticks them off day in and day out – and one thing is how people communicate with them.

This short article spells out 3 of the most irritating ways people communicate with CEOs and frankly all high level managers, followed by the “bottom line” recommended approaches.

Communications Irritant #1: “It depends.”

It drives A player CEOs nuts when they ask a question and the response is, “it depends.”  Of course it depends – don’t say the obvious!  Any idiot can say “it depends” as a response to just about any question – what’s the weather going to be like, who do you think will win the ball game, what do you want to be doing in 5 years, will the strategy work?  “It depends” is a crutch, a stalling technique for someone who doesn’t know the answer or doesn’t want to tell the truth.

CEO: What do sales look like for the second quarter?
Pat: It depends. You know the economy is still dragging, two competitors have become very aggressive on pricing, a couple of our top sales people were pirated away … blah, blah, blah.
CEO: Pat, I just want to know what your best guess is for the second quarter.  TRANSLATION:  Quit covering your __ __ butt and answer the damn question!

Recommendation:  Answer the question directly and succinctly.

Say, “My best guess is $35 million for the second quarter.” If the CEO wants more of an explanation, wait to be asked!

Communications Irritant #2:  “Here’s how to build a watch.”

This is related to #1, but a bit different.  The CEO asks a question and the subordinate is fearful that a direct answer will be rejected, so the subordinate builds a case for the answer first … totally ticking off the CEO who is waiting, waiting, waiting for the answer.

CEO: What do sales look like for the second quarter?
Pat: You know the economy is still up in the air, blah, blah, blah.

As a professional interviewer I ask, metaphorically, what time it is and interviewees frequently respond by telling me how to build a watch.  So, I cut them off:  “Joe, please just give me the answer, and based on that answer I’ll possibly want a longer explanation.”

A players get the hint; C players don’t.  Then I give them one more chance:  “The hiring manager, the CEO, insists that when she asks a question, people answer directly and not build a case for the answer first.  I’ve asked you to answer me directly and sometimes you do, sometimes you don’t … but so I can judge whether you and the CEO would get along, please listen carefully to my questions and answer directly for the rest of this interview.”

Recommendation:  Answer the question directly and succinctly!

Don’t give a long-winded prelude and justification for the answer first.

Communications Irritant #3:  “I wanted to solve the problem before worrying you with it.”

It’s amazing how many managers do this, risking the wrath of the CEO:  “What, you knew our most valuable account was considering dumping us and you didn’t tell me?  You’re fired!”

Why would anyone hide crucial information from the CEO?  Simple – they know the CEO will blast them with questions:  “Why didn’t you anticipate this?  Why didn’t you do X, Y, and Z to prevent it?  Why haven’t you done A, B, and C to fix it?”

Too often CEOs punish open, complete communication, contributing to this problem, but that’s a topic for a future Topgrading Tips.

Recommendation:  “Manage” CEOs to totally trust your letting them know about problems.

Early in his career Bob Smith, Chairman of Acme (I changed names), reported to a CEO who, if he thought a division head was hiding anything, would send an army of analysts to question everyone.  Shortly after Bob was hired he said to the CEO, “I know you hate to get negative surprises, so I promise that within an hour of my learning of a problem (and taking an hour to verify it), I’ll let you know.  I’d ask a favor of you – please give me a day or so after that to investigate why it occurred and then I’ll get back to you with the answer, what should have been done to prevent it, what we’re doing to correct it, and how we’ll prevent a recurrence.’

Bob never was visited by that “army” of analysts.