Winning Over the C-Suite Starts with Proving Communications Drive Business Growth
In today’s business landscape, gaining leadership support for corporate communications initiatives is critical to the success of these efforts. Communicators often face the challenge of securing approval and alignment with broader business objectives. To understand how successful professionals approach this, CommPRO gathered insights from prominent communicators who shared their most effective strategies and the ways they ensure leadership engagement.
Aligning Communications with Business Objectives
One consistent theme among communicators is the need to tightly link communication strategies to business goals. Roland Jakob, Managing Partner of BlazeKin Media, emphasized the importance of framing communications initiatives within the broader company objectives. “The most effective strategy for gaining leadership support has been aligning our communications initiatives with the company's broader business objectives,” Jakob explained. By demonstrating how communication efforts contribute to goals like brand reputation and sales growth, he noted that leadership is much more inclined to offer support. "I’ve had great success in developing comprehensive communication plans that outline key messages, target audiences, and channels. This has allowed me to show our leadership team a clear roadmap, which has been crucial in securing their buy-in."
George Stenitzer, founder of Crystal Clear Communications, took a similar approach. He emphasized the importance of creating a cohesive message that links with the company’s growth strategy. Stenitzer explained, “Designate a point person to work with the CEO and her direct reports to shape communications. Get all the decision-makers on the same page… Co-creating the Message Map triggers the Ikea effect, a cognitive bias in which people place a disproportionately high value on the things they helped create.” According to Stenitzer, this co-creation process not only streamlines the review process but also strengthens leadership engagement by involving them directly in the messaging structure.
Building Credibility Through Execution
While aligning communications with business goals is vital, communicators also need to demonstrate tangible results to solidify leadership buy-in. John Puskar, Managing Partner of Foxhound Advisors, stressed that “successful communicators need to both understand and listen to the business.” He added, “The hard part is in the execution. You need to start with the end goal in mind, ensuring that communications strategies align directly with what the business wants to achieve." Puskar believes that leadership buy-in naturally follows when communications initiatives start delivering results that advance business objectives. "If communications aren’t advancing outcomes like sales growth or helping raise awareness in new strategic markets, they aren’t doing their job. Leadership buy-in comes when you show, not tell—once you start delivering real progress, support follows naturally."
The Role of Consistency and Transparency in Leadership Engagement
Maintaining consistent messaging across all platforms was another key element highlighted by communicators. Roland Jakob noted that “consistent messaging across all communication channels is key to aligning our initiatives with broader business objectives. By ensuring our tone, visual branding, and core messages are coherent, we strengthen our brand identity and build trust with stakeholders.” This consistency not only fosters external trust but also boosts internal confidence among employees, contributing to leadership’s ongoing engagement and support.
Moreover, Jakob advocated for the importance of two-way communication. “Establishing channels for feedback and dialogue has been essential in aligning our initiatives with business objectives,” he said. By encouraging open communication and active participation across teams, companies can cultivate a culture of transparency that naturally secures leadership engagement.
Co-Creation is A Strategy for Long-Term Buy-In
George Stenitzer highlighted the power of involving leadership early and often through co-creation. His process revolves around crafting a Message Map with the C-suite and decision-makers, ensuring that the company’s objectives are clearly articulated. “Start with the CEO and C-suite by framing the corporate strategy, so that the objectives of individual business units or segments connect logically to the corporation’s overall message,” he explained. This process not only ensures alignment but also helps overcome potential resistance by embedding leadership in the creation process from the outset.
Stenitzer believes that engaging leaders in the development of core messages fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility, which streamlines approval and enhances support for communication efforts across the board.
The insights gathered from these communicators reveal that the key to securing leadership buy-in lies in aligning communications with broader business goals, demonstrating results, maintaining consistency, and involving leadership in the co-creation of messages. Whether through detailed planning, collaborative messaging, or measurable outcomes, effective communication professionals are those who can clearly show the impact of their initiatives on the overall business strategy. As John Puskar succinctly put it, "Leadership buy-in comes when you show, not tell."
