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Melissa DeLay helps CEOs find good ways to deliver bad news. It may come as little surprise that her business has increased significantly due to the pandemic.
DeLay has over 22 years of experience guiding companies through challenging situations and providing strategic communications consulting with Trupersion, a Roseville firm.
“There’s a science behind communication,” Delay said. “There’s a certain way to write words, there’s words to avoid, there’s words you should use.” There is a right time to deliver a message. You have to repeat it many times to make it really resonate. There are the right vehicles to use.
But too many CEOs don’t realize that closed-door meetings and poor body language, such as when they’re not making announcements or sending emails, say a lot.
“The world is basically full of bad news,” Daley said. “Unfortunately, very few people know how to speak and write clearly, get results, come from a position of authority and not be taken advantage of or be seen as needy, pushy or aggressive, something that no leader wants to be seen as.”
Change is hard and communication is the key to change, Delay said. That’s why she offers free “cheat sheets” on how to fire an employee and how to avoid a failed merger.
Depending on what DeLay sees as leaders who need help the most right now, those could be useful. In one camp, there are companies that are growing, making acquisitions and seeking talent but struggling to cope with constant rapid expansion. On the other hand, they are downsizing, cutting costs and fearing where the economy is headed.
Informal communication is more powerful than formal ads, Delay said. Although some of the “organic and natural” relationships are disappearing, some leaders have improved during the pandemic and have been able to wait a little longer to get to know their employees.
“I always tell leaders, if you want productivity to increase, you have to make it clear in your communication that you care about the people who work for you,” Daley said.
Daley recommends talking about business objectively, focusing on what causes disruption to the company, customers and employees. She says that employees respond better to everyday language.
Before announcing any disruptions, senior management should prepare front-line managers to answer questions that employees may have first.
Leaders need to be more informal and more transparent, Delay said. But they shouldn’t wear their hearts on their sleeves. In a recent email to clients, Daley wrote about a CEO who posted a photo of himself in tears after firing two employees.
“The most important thing to this CEO is the employee in this situation — not the leader,” Daley said. “Talk to your executive coach, your mom, your dog or your best friend, anyone, to give you the help you need to get through this.”
When emotions arise, the fight or flight response kicks in and we don’t think clearly.
“Be clear, be real, but don’t let emotion immediately come into the equation,” Delay said. “Just press pause to communicate and your brain is working and the best results can be achieved. You want to show compassion, but don’t let your emotions guide you. The job of a leader is to eliminate emotions.”
Todd Nelson is a freelance writer in Lake Elmo. His email is todd_nelson@mac.com.
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