Should CEOs hug invisible people?
New chief executives reading the minutely-detailed reaction to the party leaders’ debates must be quaking in their boots. The analysis of every word, move and gesture from a myriad of journalists, psychologists, body language experts and even (shock horror) voters would be enough to send many into therapy if they had a forthcoming high profile public speaking engagement.
Does looking into the barrel of a camera help me speak to the audience at home, or make me look creepy and unnatural? Is my intellectual dispassionate approach perceived as statesmanlike, or aloof? Is a palm-up gesture displaying strength or weakness? Does my hand in my pocket say “I’m relaxed” or “I don’t care”? Should I hug invisible people like Tony and Nick do? Am I sweating like Nigel? Do people even care? And, oh lord, what to wear! If I don’t wear a collared jacket and stand with my feet far apart enough will I diminish my status and credibility as a leader?
Of course, business leaders don’t usually have to undergo the same level of scrutiny as political leaders in the midst of General Election mania. But make no mistake about it, their public performances matter.
A chief executive might be great at running his or her business – but if they don’t perform when giving a conference speech, delivering a results presentation or explaining their strategy to the media, their strength as a leader and the strength of the business may be lost on the audience. Unfair perhaps, but an unavoidable fact.
CEO reputation matters to the overall corporate reputation of a business, just as Miliband or Cameron’s approval rating has a knock-on effect on what voters think of their parties and consequently the number of votes they receive. The CEO is the storyteller-in-chief, and what he or she says and how he or she says it matters.
Preparation and practice are vital. Facts need to be known, effective narratives developed, awkward questions anticipated, and style and tone rehearsed. But a word of warning. David Cameron may like to engage TV audience members on a personal level when asked a question, but a reporter might find it a little odd if a chief executive repeated his name at every given opportunity and thanked him for his years of service to journalism.