Press Room

Interview with Suzanne Bates, author "Speak like a CEO"

Q. What does it really mean to “Speak like a CEO?”

A. To speak like a CEO, you must deliver clear powerful messages in an authentic way. People are smart. They have radar. They trust and are willing to follow leaders who are real, open and honest. A CEO or leader who wants to succeed must develop a high level of communication skill and an open, authentic style.

Our research shows the qualities people value in leaders are honesty, integrity, vision, knowledge, emotional intelligence, humor and humility. As a leader, you have opportunities all day every day to communicate these qualities. Not all CEOs speak well. Some are downright awful. However, any CEO, or leader, who doesn’t communicate effectively won’t keep the job long.

Q. What are the biggest mistakes that CEOs and business leaders make when trying to communicate an important message?

A. Some of the most frequent mistakes leaders make are:

  • Underestimating the importance of public speaking to their careers

  • Winging important presentations instead of preparing and practicing

  • Reading what a speechwriter wrote, verbatim, when people want to hear from them

  • Not meeting tough questions head on – or avoiding situations where questions will be asked

  • Forgetting who is in the audience and speaking in generalities

  • Forgetting to use humor throughout a presentation, not just in the opening line

  • Not knowing when to sit down, or let others speak

Q. As women navigate through their careers they may find themselves in situations where they need to network and communicate to get the next job, promotion or deal. Any advice on how to set yourself apart in conversations?

A. Small talk leads to big talk – you must become confident and self-assured in social and business social situations, to succeed. We spend so much time preparing for big presentations and fail to realize people are always watching. So learn how to start and carry on conversations. They start with good questions. And, you show great presence when you’re the first to put out your hand, say hello, ask a question, and get the conversation rolling. It doesn’t really matter where you start the conversation, as long as you start. Then, look for common ground. Listen with genuine interest, find something interesting to chat about, and you’ll be off and running.

Q. Are there any current women leaders that we can learn from when it comes to communicating?

A. Women generally have excellent ability to communicate and connect with other people. But many women need to be more concise and direct. You can be forthright and maintain a respectful tone; you can tell it like it is, and still empathize. Women take the blame inappropriately, and apologize too often. Taking responsibility for what you own is a good thing; apologizing for disagreeing with someone is not.