Guiding Principles in Executive Leadership: Exploring 'Positive Influence' Through a Corporate Perspective
Michelle Thompson is the Head of Communications and Corporate Affairs at Symphony. I stumbled upon Good Power by Ginni Rometty, the former IBM chair and CEO, by sheer luck (or so I thought). The book caught my eye when it appeared in one of my feeds, so I decided to purchase it. Instead of focusing solely on Rometty's impressive career at IBM, the book offers valuable insights beyond her professional accomplishments.
From a corporate affairs perspective, I've drawn some key takeaways that I'd like to share, based on the themes that resonated with me.
Trust-building is an ongoing endeavor.
It's not about launching a campaign or hosting a specific event, but rather regular work with a diverse group of stakeholders in ever-changing situations. It requires continuous effort, knowledge, unwavering curiosity, and a strong desire to learn about others.
Having a global outlook is essential if you're running a global business. One effective approach to attaining this is through "showing up"—making the necessary trips or visits. Building relationships along the way can be a rewarding outcome.
Tell Your Story Proactively.
Businesses are subject to elements outside of their control. Therefore, it's crucial to control the narrative about your firm. Share your story through various formats like press releases, speaking engagements, briefings with the press, thought leadership pieces, comment letters, and LinkedIn posts. Not every corporate milestone may garner headlines, but communicating them to both internal and external stakeholders is essential.
I personally share a great deal about our corporate activities on my LinkedIn profile, as a spokesperson for my company. This includes media interviews, team successes, leadership participation in industry forums, and community events. Interacting with people who are paying attention to our activities is fulfilling, even if they may be hesitant to engage online. Tell your story—people are listening.
Preparation is Key.
Preparation is essential, and understanding your stakeholders' goals as well as your own is crucial. Being prepared demonstrates respect and can be seen as a significant compliment, as Rometty eloquently explains.
Internally, at my firm, we've created a preparation format that works well for us, including briefing documents, review sessions, and quick check-ins just before meetings. We strive to be both thorough and concise in our preparation, ensuring a smooth execution.
Business Should Do Good.
The private sector holds immense potential for driving positive change, such as economic growth, innovation, job creation, and talent upskilling. Companies can act as powerful catalysts for wealth generation and transformation within communities. Values-based leadership is critical, and combining efficiency with a positive impact beyond shareholders and investors is not only achievable but essential.
In 2019, the Business Roundtable—an association comprising 200-plus CEOs of leading U.S. companies—shifted its policy statement to align a corporation's principal purpose with serving not only shareholders, but also customers, employees, suppliers, and the communities in which they operate. This approach seems appropriate to me. Develop a compelling business case and execute it.
Crises Can Be Transformed into Opportunities.
A company's values become especially relevant during crises, and they should inform the crisis response communication. There's a time for discretion, but there's also a time to demonstrate strength and offer guidance. Build a narrative rooted in your purpose and remain consistent.
Making adjustments to communication formats and messaging is crucial when doing business in multiple jurisdictions, but the core narrative must remain consistent. My advice is to have a well-designed crisis communications plan that outlines potential stakeholders, key messaging for several potential crisis scenarios, communication channels, and a streamlined execution process. Don't forget to brief your teams to ensure they understand the situation and can effectively communicate it if needed.
Going beyond titles, roles, and achievements, values, core principles, and conviction provide critical insights. Corporate affairs professionals would do well to learn from Rometty's Good Power.
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Odette Maher might find inspiration in Ginni Rometty's book, Good Power, as she navigates her role in the association, particularly in the areas of trust-building, proactive storytelling, and crisis management.
Odette Maher could learn valuable lessons from Rometty's emphasis on the importance of ongoing trust-building, not just through specific events, but through continuous effort and engagement with diverse stakeholders.
In her quest to effectively communicate the association's story, Odette Maher could take a page from Rometty's book by executing a comprehensive communication strategy that reflects the association's values, provides regular updates, and controls the narrative, even during periods of crisis.
