CEOs and your other big cheese executives rarely have time to write their own articles or other content to employees. But that doesn't mean someone else has to write in their voice.
It very rarely sounds like them. Capturing an executive's cadence, favorite transitions and tone of voice takes a lot of time with that person, plus a great ear and memory. Employees can smell ghostwriting a mile away, and that undermines the authenticity of all your internal communications.
Here are five alternatives that let top leaders speak in their own words, often in less time than a ghostwritten draft takes to approve. They also show the human side of each leader, which can help employees build an emotional connection with them and raise trust.
The human voice conveys so much and can create a powerful connection with listeners. FDR harnessed that power in his Fireside Chats. CEOs and other executive leaders can use podcasts the same way. A leadership podcast can stand alone on the company values or a significant change, or it can become a weekly or monthly update. And one 30-minute interview can be edited into several pieces of content.
Video doesn't need a studio, a script or a production crew. A two-minute clip recorded on an easy-to-edit app like Riverside often feels more genuine than a polished production, and it takes a fraction of the time. Give the executive a few talking points instead of a script and record several short videos in one sitting to release over the following weeks. Adding captions is important, since many employees – especially those on the front lines – will watch with the sound off.
A Q&A is one of the easiest formats to get from a busy executive. Send five or six questions on a single theme by email, or ask the questions in a 15-minute call. Edit the answers for length and clarity, but leave the word choices words in there to preserve the leader's voice. The result reads like the executive because it is the executive.
Nothing beats a handful of personal questions for building a human connection with top leadership. These quizzes may seem like fluff, but they bring leaders to life for employees in ways that more serious topics can't. If you're worried about being invasive, let executives choose five questions from a list of 10 or 12. And you can always slip a strategy question or two into the mix.
Not every leader is comfortable in every format. Some love being on camera while others freeze the moment it turns on. Don’t force your executives into a format that makes them uncomfortable. Find the one that lets them sound like themselves.
