Chelsea D’Amore

In today’s news cycle, turbulence is the only guarantee. As if the current environment wasn’t challenging enough, the overlay of geopolitical issues and one of the highest concentrations of global elections in history will further muddle the discourse and add emotion to the already high stakes of visibility in the news. For leaders and the companies they represent, breaking through with brand messaging is more challenging than ever, and there’s increased pressure to take part in vital societal conversations, instead of sitting comfortably outside of the greater cultural context.

Business leaders have a responsibility to their stakeholders to be the human touch for their organization in this era of world-shifting discourse. We have progressed into a culture that demands companies live up to the values they claim as corporate citizens, putting words into action. That’s a lot of pressure for executive leaders who are balancing diverse interests from stakeholders at all angles.

When the microphone is in your hand, you have one chance to get it right.

It may feel vulnerable to think of your own executive visibility with the same level of business strategy and care as your organization’s external communications. But the role you play is crucial, and how you carry yourself can have lasting effects on the public perception of the company you represent.

Taking a proactive approach to your executive eminence builds trust between you and your company’s stakeholders, better prepares you for crisis and can contribute greatly to your own career trajectory, wherever you find yourself on your leadership journey.

Following are three key areas to focus on.

Define your ‘swim lane’

Your career has led you to this moment; you have a history of resilience, experience and expertise that supports your role and responsibilities as a leader. Of course, however, you can’t be all things to all people.

When you think of the factors that drive your work, the topics that you know inside and out, make those paramount to your own visibility strategy. The content you place in front of your audiences can and should reflect your interests and experience.

Work with your fellow organizational leaders to define your individual platforms—this will generate consistency among which voices represent the organization in key conversations.

Organize the hierarchy of your messaging priorities alongside the goals of your business and determine the channels you’ll use to deliver them.

Make social media a tool, not a chore

LinkedIn is undoubtedly the top social media outlet for professional connections. Beyond its infrastructure for job hunting and networking, LinkedIn has also become a place where company leaders can share a deeper look into their day-to-day. LinkedIn claims to have more than 8 million C-Suite leaders on the platform. If many of those profiles are lying dormant, it’s a missed opportunity to connect with key audiences.

Lean in to how you use social media in your personal life and adapt similar habits for your professional profiles. Your profile needs to be authentic to you, a balance of representing the organization and representing your own individual leadership brand.

That said, there should be a strategy behind your content stream. Ask for help—while the content needs to be driven by your voice and your experiences, a partner savvy in the inner workings of social platforms can help maximize how your format your content and deliver it to your network.

Strong message delivery takes practice

Don’t be shy about going “back to basics” on presentation and media training. Everyone can benefit from a refresher.

Effective presentation and media training involves:

Setting aside time to review best practices and techniques like bridging, which is a style of connecting ideas together to ensure you hit the most important talking points.

Practicing brevity. A long-winded answer isn’t necessarily a better one. The more comfortable you are with your talking points, the easier it’ll be to hit them succinctly and clearly

Understanding the rules of engagement. A media opportunity is unique from other types of communication. Journalists have individual styles, but all should adhere to a certain level of editorial ethics. They’re focused on the newsworthiness of your organization’s story, not the sales potential

In times of crisis, these skills are especially imperative. It’s known that “no comment” doesn’t cut it anymore. Transparency is paramount. Your values will be challenged and you won’t be able to please everyone no matter what you say—so focus on nailing your message rather than creating a perfect response that doesn’t exist.

Working with communications experts to develop a messaging framework and thorough risk matrix is step one, giving yourself an organized point of reference to train against. This is your “safety net,” your “guiding light” for representing the core interests of your organization.

Understanding what topics are high risk for your organization empowers you to gather the facts that will help you adequately address these issues when asked.

Then, rehearse. Practice what you’ll say under pressure so that you never have to feel on your back foot.

Given the constantly shifting media environment, preparation is essential for ensuring a stable and empathetic voice for your company, no matter where you find yourself in the conversation. It’s clear when an executive is prepared and has taken a purposeful approach to their social platforms, media activity and other key stakeholder engagements. Getting it right is more important than ever, so make sure you take the steps to benefit from a thoughtful executive visibility strategy, even in times of such great change and turbulence.

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Chelsea D’Amore is an Account Director at G&S Business Communications.