How to Speak Like a CEO

Book reference: Speak Like a CEO: Secrets for Commanding Attention and Getting Results by Suzanne Bates. Please click here to learn more.

Communication is the number one leadership improvement opportunity for CEOs (based on a survey of 100 Top Executives in Canada).

Premise: All leaders must communicate effectively to deliver results.

Here are ten key strategies to enhance your ability to communicate effectively to your key stakeholders:

1. Understand your audience.
2. Start with the ideal outcomes.
3. Identify your one-sentence point of view.
4. Structure your presentation.
   • Strong opening
   • State point of view
   • Share your roadmap
   • Identify “Key Points” that support your “Point of View. (use stories, statistics, examples, and case studies to support each “key point”)
   • Review your content
   • Take questions
   • Strong Close that is linked to the opening
5. Create an emotional connection. Emotions make people act. Logic makes people think.
   • Eye contact
   • High You/I ratio (focus your language on what’s in it for you)
   • Tell relevant stories (not jokes)
6. Pause to let the audience ponder.
7. Eliminate filler words through self-awareness.
8. Use punch-words.
9. Always have a strong opening and closing that are tied together.
10. Focus on the audience NOT the technology to create an emotional connection.