My personal approach is much more transparent and straightforward. I always let people I work with know where they stand. Appraisals and reviews contain no shocks or revelations. Too many times people approach these badly conducted affairs with a great deal of trepidation. Why? Because until that meeting, they really didn’t know how they’re viewed and valued. No real communication at all. “I thought I might get fired but they said nice things and gave me a pay rise.” Oh dear. What a very sad way to run a company.
If you’re the type of leader who could easily die at the thought of standing in front of your people, you need to get help. Because it’s not optional. Being senior is about many things. And in your case, communication and leadership are inseparable. I always used to say anyone can give good news, but I’ve even seen that go wrong. If you recognise help is needed, there’s plenty out there and it really is possible to make significant improvement. Find an expert to develop your skills (you have them) and build your confidence.
As a child and teenager, I was the goofy ginger-headed kid with little confidence. When it came to reading in class out loud I hated it. School plays and assembly were strictly no-go areas; I went off sick. Somehow, I managed to circumnavigate this problem until my career necessitated presenting information to others in a formal setting. The only thing I could do was write a script and read it without looking up. But what soon followed was the requirement to face an audience with charts and free-form speech. Insomnia took over for the weeks and days beforehand.
But luckily, help showed up when my boss suggested we both went on a two-day course. Our trainer was exceptional and gave me the confidence to present, ad-lib, handle questions and get my key points across. It took many years to perfect and I’m still a “work in progress”. But I’ve gone from total avoidance to seeking out opportunities to communicate. When I don’t do it, I miss it. An extraordinary turnaround. Proof that in spite of what we believe about our own capabilities, in the right hands, others can see potential that we fail to spot.
As a leader, communication isn’t optional. People need regular information and if you’re at the helm of a public company the calendar of these events is published as a matter of record. If you’re stewarding someone else’s money, then a whole set of rules are in place to ensure you do the right thing. Anything that might influence the share price needs to be announced when it’s known. Otherwise the shares are trading in what’s known as a false market. And that’s not on. As my chairman used to say, “get this wrong and you’ll end up in prison. And you won’t want to share a cell with me”. He was right!
Listed companies, almost without exception, retain the service of a specialist communication company to help manage the messages and logistics. Often these work in tandem with the chief executive’s in-house team in order to get all the ducks lined up. For me this worked pretty well. We had a good team all round and we kept it simple on announcement days. Clear messages backed up with supporting evidence and a well-rehearsed question and answer plan.
A tip I’ve used many times is to always write a concise, one-page, press release. Not because it would be released, necessarily, but to provide clarity and focus. The thinking goes that if you can’t write the rational explanation of whatever it is on a one-page release and make sense, then what you’re about to do is probably a bad idea.
My reputation, I’m told, is one of a good communicator. Clear, brief, timely, honest and prepared to be questioned. To provide balance I’m also described as blunt, heavy-handed and sometimes insensitive. In that the message is fine but the packaging could be better. I’m working on that.
I’ve worked with many impressive people, like my friend and previous boss at Capital, Richard Eyre. I often wish that I had his eloquence and turn of phrase. In presenting a critical appraisal to a colleague he’d say: “I’d like to help you avoid the mistakes I’ve made.” That type of sentence would have been unlikely to have found its way out of my mouth, sadly.
Being the type of leader who’s visible and accessible is generally a good thing, I believe. We’ve all worked with or know people who couldn’t tell you what the management look like, or what they do all day. I made a point of telling people about my week. But it can occasionally put you in a difficult position when you least expect it.
I was invited to celebrate a birthday at an after-hours office drinks party by the guys who ran one of our radio stations a couple of floors away. I enjoyed these moments so was very happy to show up, recognising a few short words might be needed. On that occasion they weren’t, but the team were very keen for me to meet a guy who unfortunately I didn’t recognise. Thinking he was a new team member, I asked him if he was a programme or a sales colleague. To which he replied in an American accent that he was neither. The small crowd around us were amused, shocked and embarrassed, all at the same time. “I’m Kanye West,” he volunteered. “Of course you are, let me find you some more champagne.”
I’m a regular speaker for a charity called Speakers for Schools. They ask you to speak at state schools, anything from assembly to a small class. I always tell that story. It never fails to grab the attention of teenagers and provides me with some reverse credibility. Yes, I mix with the stars but I’ve no idea who they are.
But don’t let the odd bad gig put you off. Communication is so important that it shouldn’t be treated casually or as something discretionary. No one expects you to be Winston Churchill or the Queen’s toastmaster. But the art and science of communication are the keys to unlocking so many doors that will otherwise remain closed.
The Monday Revolution (you can start on Monday)
1. Acknowledge leadership and communication are inseparable.
2. Never assume people know what’s going on so there’s no real need to explain. They don’t, and by saying so you’re using that as a reason for not standing up and doing the right thing.
3. Agree with your team what regular communication should look like. Draw up a plan, tell people what to expect and deliver it. It really isn’t that hard.
4. Recognise that in tough times communication needs to be stepped up – regardless of whether it’s to your people or those outside. Do not disappear when people expect to see you.
5. Enjoy the experience. Being known for good communication is a great accolade and can really set you apart from others who choose to avoid this important leadership responsibility and skill.
Chapter 3
Join us, there’s a Pret next door
Hiring
“We find it really hard to employ good people.” Well, how many times have you heard that, or probably said it yourself? Even worse, you think you’ve hired the right person only to find they don’t work out.
The Industrial Revolution is a long way behind us and the UK is now, primarily, a service-based economy. Substituting a manufacturing industry for people-based companies has made the recruitment of smart people a top priority for most organisations.
The good news is, without too much effort, there’s a lot more companies can do to make better hiring decisions. Reviewing existing processes can really pay dividends, if improvements are properly applied. And it’s not just about recruiting the right people; it’s ensuring they stay motivated and grow with the business. Thankfully, hire and fire has been consigned to history for the most part. Fairness, diversity and equality are much better watch words.
Applying your approach to employment consistently has the benefit of ensuring you, and those around you, don’t need to reinvent what should be a developed and successful process. Much has changed for the better in society and your complementary, diversified workforce should reflect this evolving state of affairs. But it’s unlikely to happen on its own; you’ll need to have the right principles in place.
So how might a company