A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of coaching a C-suite expatriate leader on improving his communication skills. As the new country manager in an international oil-servicing company, the gentleman had recently moved to Nigeria.
The executive, Mr X, had 20 years’ experience in Latin America and rose through the ranks through hard work and by securing business deals. He sought my services after executive assessors made recommendations on improving his leadership communication style.
After some discussions, we agreed on a bespoke two-day communication coaching programme that focused on interpersonal communication and presentation skills. The first full day of coaching and interacting with the accomplished professional produced some insights. Not only did I learn from the experience as a communications trainer and coach, I quickly realised a few things about how C-suite executives could increase their influence, boost their credibility, and more importantly, how they could rally support to get things done.
Below are the three non-negotiable ways to become a more influential C-suite executive using effective communication skills.
1) Cultivate a growth mindset
From our first telephone conversation, what struck me about Mr X was how open he was. He was candid about the results he had received from the leadership assessors and freely discussed the help he needed.
Although charming in speech (and later in person, which I attributed to his Latin roots), his willingness to become ‘exposed’ and open to change was what I found interesting.
In our first session, we talked about his professional background and how best my coaching could help him. He asked questions, took notes, and shared instances where he thought his presentation skills could have been better.
I also learned new angles to the topic. He caused me to consider why one of my recommendations won’t work in certain situations. For instance, we had discussed using ‘warm’ nonverbal communication cues such as smiling, and ‘open’ body language positions to build rapport. However, he mentioned something interesting: in high-stakes presentations, discussions with higher-ups could become tense. Smiling could trigger negative reactions because you’d appear to be treating the scenarios with levity.
I agreed.
We then explored ways an executive in his position could connect with audience members while seeking to persuade them to act in his favour. One method we agreed upon was displaying ‘open’ arm positions at navel length to signal trust – the region where body language expert, Mark Bowden, terms the ‘Truthplane’. Other nonverbal cues, such as making eye contact with the audience, moving strategically to signal transitions, and adjusting your tone and pitch, help add some ‘drama’ to your delivery. They also make you appear confident and in control of your presentation.
It was obvious that Mr X had developed a growth mindset that enabled him to become flexible in his thinking and to open up to new trends in communication.
On the other hand, if you’re an executive with a fixed outlook, you’re resolutely risk-averse. Therefore, you’d be unwilling to step out your comfort zone to learn new ways of connecting with others if your approaches are uncertain. As a result, you won’t be an effective leader. Without questioning the status quo, stretching your thinking, and embracing new opportunities to grow, even from unlikely sources, you’d struggle to boost collaboration or generate innovative actions.
And your uninspired team won’t support your vision, no matter how often you toot your horn.
Why shoot yourself in the foot by stifling progress?
2) Develop cultural awareness
Mr X is Venezuelan, and the Nigerian assignment was his first time leading an oil servicing company in sub-Saharan Africa.
Thus, there were cultural dimensions to consider.
First, we talked about management styles in Venezuela and Nigeria – the major difference being that for the former, people are more direct. So I provided an insider look about cultural norms in Nigeria and highlighted some areas he would need to navigate delicately.
Next, we discussed how to lead with objectivity. I explained that as an expatriate leader seeking to thrive in the Nigerian context, he needed to be perceived as fair and impartial when working with Nigerian professionals. In particular, decisions he takes should be devoid of favouritism; he shouldn’t prioritise one tribe over another or elevate one gender above the other. Being considered an unbiased leader will increase trust in his unit and generate goodwill among external stakeholders.
Mr X also shared some of his experiences about the Nigerian business culture and explained steps he was taking to be approachable and relatable. For instance, he’s insisted that at work, only English should be spoken. He wanted to espouse transparency and didn’t want some staff conversing in their local dialects to the exclusion of other groups. He pointedly stated that he always spoke English at the office, despite one of his colleagues being a fellow Spanish-speaking professional from South America. Mr X ‘walks’ the talk. By matching his words with consistent action, he’s communicating to his team that he will abide by his rules, without exception.
We then deliberated on ways he could build his cultural intelligence. Cultural intelligence – the ability to adapt to, and work effectively in different cultures, is a crucial trait that the international C-suite executive, in particular, needs to develop. Becoming aware of different management styles and welcoming diversity—while using your knowledge of cultural nuances to foster collaboration and boost results—will smoothen interpersonal relationships in foreign locations.
For example, Mr X displayed a keen interest in understanding and adapting to Nigerian business and social relationships. On a lighter note, he talked about his attempts to communicate in pidgin English, with humorous results, and noted that his informal style earned him a nickname. On the official premises, I observed firsthand how comfortably his staff communicated with him.
Finally, we exchanged ideas on promoting ethics in his business dealings. I noted with interest Mr X’s expressed commitment to enforcing his company’s zero-tolerance on fraud and unethical practices, even if it meant losing business opportunities.
As a C-suite executive, when working in a different culture, be smart: be humble, consider advice from the ‘locals’, and treat people with respect. Being approachable will be more effective than using an autocratic style that quickly alienates you from your team.
A good dose of cultural intelligence always makes sound business sense.
3) Foster interpersonal skills
We spent a considerable part of the coaching session brainstorming how Mr X could improve interpersonal skills. From presentations and speeches to the daily management of staff, we discussed the importance of using ‘open’ nonverbal cues, and of cultivating a culture of open communication at the workplace.
We watched and analysed some TEDx videos, and listened to recommendations from a US entrepreneur and author on being open to receiving feedback. Nonetheless, I stressed one point: when giving feedback, ensure it’s timely and factual.
Managing staff’s concerns was another key issue we tackled, with emphasis placed on communicating with empathy. Furthermore, I explained that organising team-building retreats, and using inexpensive ways to show appreciation to staff, such as verbal appreciation in front of peers, giving awards, etc. increase employee engagement levels. As research has revealed, highly engaged employees produce significant business results, including 51% higher productivity, 9% higher shareholder returns, and higher levels of trust in management.
As a C-suite executive, realise that good communication skills help reduce interpersonal conflicts. Moreover, your emotional intelligence—being mindful of your emotions (especially triggers), and effectively managing your emotions and those of others—will determine how well you can rally your team to work for the common good.
Ignore interpersonal skills and burn your bridges in the shortest possible time.
Conclusion
You already know that hard work and collaboration drive results.
Yet, when was the last time you assessed your communication skills and became open to developing new behaviours?
As a manager of people realise that emotion drives action. Therefore, possessing brilliant technical skills will do little to foster co-operation or boost innovation, if you’re not perceived as being a humane communicator.
So to increase your influence and ‘coax’ the desired actions from your team, display the desire to learn, the flexibility to remain open, and the humility to exude warmth.
From your speech and actions, strive to be trustworthy. To reward you, your engaged team will reciprocate the favour and work with you to achieve the results you seek.
Over to you:
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N.B: First image is courtesy of Chanpipat via freedigitalphotos.net. Second image is courtesy of Stuart Miles via freedigitalphotos.net. Last image is courtesy of Renjith Krishnan via freedigitalphotos.net.