connect strategic-advisor-survey-results-20110809

Being a Strategic AdvisorBe more, do less

Summary of Survey Results Liz Guthridge

August 11, 2011

2 © Connect Consulting Group LLC. All Rights Reserved.

What we’re coveringWhat?– Being a Strategic Advisor survey

• The purpose• The results

So what?– Implications and insights Now what? – Fall 2011 Strategic Action Group

For more info: [email protected]


Purpose of surveyUnderstand and start to close the gap

The support we get isn’t

that effective.. Strategic

Communication AdvisorsLeaders

Meet goalsBecome more valuedBuild a legacy

Provide valueBuild credibility and trustBecome indispensible

?


Gap: what leaders want vs. get

“The Authentic Enterprise” from Arthur W. Page Society, 2007

“You want your communications staff to be stronger than you’ve been willing to deal with in the past: more experienced, higher quality thinking process, being able to see around the corners, broader experience base. All those things.”



22%

95%

Effective delivery of internalcommunication

Importance of effective internalcommunication

Internal Communication

Deloitte & Touche Human Capital Survey of CEOs – which HR issues are important to the success of the business



“The Authentic Enterprise” from Arthur W. Page Society, 2007

“Obviously, if you have someone who is relatively inexperienced in business and is simply a communications / PR expert, that doesn’t work.”


About the surveyWhat do strategic communication advisors say about themselves?

• Online survey conducted by Connect Consulting

• Survey administered July 8 – Aug. 4, 2011

• 113 respondents &39 partial responses with 929 visits

Questions: • 7 quantitative • 7 qualitative • 8 demographic

736 write-in comments


What strategic communication advisors sayAbout leaders:

• Don't know what they want or aren’t clear on what they want.• Don’t make the time.• Have competing priorities.• Fail to communicate their needs.• Unwilling to recognize their need for strategic communication advisors.• Think they can do it on their own.• Believe that communications is magic!• (Senior leaders) are very status conscious and don't welcome challenge and

advice from more junior communicators.• Leaders egos/refusal to really listen to strategic counsel and survey results.• Resist change, along with the organization.• Don’t understand the ROI.


What strategic communication advisors sayAbout communication advisors:

• Fail to understand company goals.• Not familiar with the business.• Have poor consulting skills, business acumen and inadequate political skills.• Don’t have strong dedicated communications leadership. • Not willing to push back or offer alternative solutions.• Have rigid, boilerplate thinking.• Lack a systematic approach to advising.• Don’t always understand what makes communication strategic versus tactical,

so they're not equipped to give senior leaders what they want.• (Inexperienced team members) focus on low hanging fruit and don’t challenge

for improvement.• Lack of time.


About the respondents

22%

32%19%

20%7%

Number of years20+ years 10-20 years5 -10 years 2-5 years< 2 years

2%6% 10%

7%

12%

21%

29%

14%

Percentage of time100% 75%-99%About 75% 51% - 74%About 50% 25% - 40%11% - 24% Up to 10%

Advising leaders



12%

22%

28%

25%

8% 6%

Number of leaders supported

>10 6 to 10 4 to 5 2 to 3 1 Other

Organization• 46% publicly-held

companies• 15% privately-held• <10% all other typesDepartment/area• 35% corporate

communications• 25% internal

communications• < 10% all other



48%

31%

20%

2%

Feelings about roleLove it Like it Neutral Dislike it 67%

25% 29% 28%15%

How got into role


About the respondents: Profiles

48%

“I love my role!” 50%+ time in role career choice

28%33%

Absolute advisors

?%Accidental advisors


What respondents do

49%

68%

58%

54%

30%

27%

29%

33%

11%

2%

13%

10%

10%

3%

3%

All

50% or more time

Career choice

"Love my role!"

Active Supporting Marginal Don't Support

Advising top leaders


What respondents do

64%

73%

74%

69%

29%

19%

19%

23%

4%

1%

3%

6%

2%

3%

2%

All

50% or more time

Career choice

"Love my role!"

Active Supporting Marginal Don't SupportAdvising business unit heads/functional leaders


What respondents do

44%

49%

61%

46%

41%

41%

23%

44%

13%

10%

3%

6%

2%

6%

4%

All

50% or more time

Career choice

"Love my role!"

Active Supporting Marginal Don't SupportAdvising all other people leaders


What respondents do

63%

65%

71%

81%

86%

Serving as change agent

Educating

Coaching

Serving as strategist

Providing support

Top 5 types of communication support No notable differences by advisor profile


What respondents do

70%

72%

74%

75%

84%

Helping buildrelationships

Serving assounding board

Enabling 2-way

Identifying issues

Developingmessages

Top 5 tasks Absolute advisors do more:1. Help build credibility and

trust2. Anticipate needs3. Measure leadership

communication effectiveness

4. Facilitate meetings5. Help find authentic voice


What respondents do

8%

5%

16%

40%

47%

50%

59%

Don't measure

Other

360 degree

Performance goals

Measurement ofparticular projects

Performance results

Surveys

Informal feedback

Measurement techniques

60% by “Love my role!” advisors

70% by “50%+ time” advisors

Absolute advisors measure their work more81%


7%

14%

16%

17%

28%

38%

44%

65%

10%

6%

16%

29%

No barriers

Other

Leaders use of other advisors

Advisors' inexperience

Gatekeepers limit access

Advisors' lack of time

Leaders' lack of interest

Leaders' lack of time

What barriers respondents encounterBarriers

16% by “Career!” advisors“Career” advisors break through barriers better in 4 areas


Biggest obstacles & challenges faced

Lack of time– Time pressures– Lack of time due to non-value added work and

conflicting deadlines.Lack of focus on part of senior leaders on strategic communication.Lack of respect for the value of strategic communication.The patients don't always know they're sick, and if they do, they take advice from quacks.

Sample from 50%+


Biggest obstacles & challenges faced

Aligning leadership to one communication strategy and one voice.Balance between coaching/counseling and tactical delivery.Volume of work because of change management responsibilities. Prioritizing while drinking from a fire hose.

Sample from 50%+


Rating of professional development

Very effective Ineffective Not doingOn the job training (30%) Coaching from your

manager (14%)Coaching (65%)

Mentoring (26%) Mentoring (8%) Teleclasses (62%)Informal networking (29%)

On-the-job training (6%) Online courses (51%)

Self-study (23%) Professional associations (7%)

Classroom/seminar instruction (51%)

Mastermind groups (21%)

Webinars (5%) Mastermind groups (50%)


Professional development: differences

21%

15%

26%

25%

13%

20%

26%

19%

29%

34%

26%

37%

Mastermind groups

Coaching

Mentoring

50%+"Love it"CareerAll


Professional development: differences

30%

29%

23%

31%

33%

31%

36%

42%

30%

46%

50%

30%

On-the-job training

Informal networking

Self-study



Key professional development topics

sTop Middle BottomInfluence (63%) Identifying and refining

your personal brand (48%)Confidence (35%)

Eliminating non-value add work (62%)

Speaking truth to power (47%)

Time management (31%)

Strategic thinking (59%) Adding value (43%) Facilitating (30%)Improving impact and results (56%)

Coaching (42%) Presentation skills (30%)

Improving executive presence (52%)

Measurement (42%) Body language acumen (21%)

Building relationships (51%)

• Business acumen (41%)• Emotional intelligence(41%)

Meeting design (17%)


Key topics: differences

42%

59%

62%

42%

55%

65%

40%

56%

69%

47%

64%

69%

Coaching

Strategic thinking

Eliminating non-value add work



Key topics: differences

41%

42%

52%

48%

46%

44%

39%

39%

Business acumen

Measurement



Strategic advisors’ suggestions for others Listen. Open your mind and roll up your sleeves. Get close to business.

Learn how to say no. Skip the non-value-add administrative work so you can focus on the strategic work that really matters.

Build a relationship with the executive. The better you know him/her (and vice versa), the more likely you will be able to offer honest coaching.

Be bold; don't be afraid to take risks.

Understand the disciplines (engineering, finance, manufacturing, operations) that power your organization and organize solutions that use the same kind of thinking and measurement.


Strategic advisors’ suggestions for others Ensure everything you do has a well-crafted, strategic purpose and plan with measurable goals. And, be sure to measure and communicate results to the leaders!

Talk business rather than communication. Show how communication will help leaders achieve their business goals and be more successful.

Don't shy away from being a truth teller.

Put yourself in the executive’s shoes. Understand what they really need to be successful in their role.

Find a coach and/or mentor. Seek opportunities to learn with a small group of peers.

Talk less.


So what?

More measurement

More committed to personal learning &

development

More social1.Focusing on relationships. 2.Helping build credibility and

trust and find authentic voice.

3.Anticipating needs.4.Facilitating meetings.

3 differences in absolute advisors


Get over the table!Time is a barrier, yet …Think leverage!

Value of: • Clarity of distance• Data that drives

decisions• Impact of leaders

So what?


Now what? Strategic Action GroupJoin a unique mastermind community

1. Network with peers

2. Get ideas, insights, suggestions

3. Experience being more, doing less


Now what? Strategic Action Group

• Small, selective group (12 people max with only 1 per organization)

• Virtual

Network

• Short lectures • Problem-solving

sessions with real issues

• Group discussion

Get • Learn and practice how to be more:• Influential• Strategic• Effective

Be5 sessions by phone:

Sept. 16, 30Oct. 14, 28

Nov. 11


Now what? Strategic Action Group

1. Private online discussion forum

2. What’s my style?

assessment

3. Tools, templates, exercises

4. Online archive, including

recordings of calls

5. 60-minute 1:1 coaching session

6. Personal action plan

+ 7th bonus another 60 minute 1:1 coaching if sign up by

8/16


Now what? Strategic Action Group More information and to apply:http://connectconsultinggroup.com/strategicaction/

Background about Liz and Connect:http://connectconsultinggroup.com

Price: $875

“Communications has never been in a better position to make a positive impact on a company. We must be a business leader, not only a communications professional.

I report to the CEO which helps, but no matter where you are in the organization, be aggressive with respect and make a difference. When leaders see you doing that, they will flock to you.” –Survey respondent


Now what?

Be bold… Be brief… Be indispensible

CuratorCoach

Red Booths by John Register, Modernism Gallery

Educator

Changing role: Be more, do less