Bosses who need speech coaches

Indianapolis Star columnist Matthew Tully has an article in today’s newspaper focusing on the oratorical skills of the Indianapolis mayor.  Politicians are often the subject of critiques—on everything from policy to polish. For city bosses, and all elected officials, it’s part of the territory.  Constituents are vocal.  And their comments can be damaging.

But there is another group whose communication skills are also critiqued—bosses in the business world.  Their constituents (employees) are also vocal. Maybe not voiced in a newspaper with a circulation of 250,000, but critiqued just the same.  And these corporate constituent comments can be just as damaging.

People judge their bosses on just about everything.  And that includes the way they communicate.  Employee comments may come over coffee, during the car pool ride home, in a discussion over the back yard fence, on Face Book, or in a blog.

Business leaders–you MUST pay attention to how well you communicate.  If you want your company to succeed, you must know how to deliver your message with transparency, polish, honesty & inspiration. Just because no one has dared to tell you to your face what they think of your communication skills, it doesn’t mean you don’t need help in this arena.

Matt Tulley recommended that the mayor hire a speech coach.  I think business executives would do well to follow the same advice.