Communicating CEOs

Written by Robert F. Abbott


I see a PR firm has done a survey onrepparttar amount of time Canadian CEOs spend on communication, and found they spend almost half of their time on communication.

I think we're supposed to be impressed that CEOs spend that much time on communication. But, quite frankly, what else does a CEO do? And, if you consider both direct and indirect communication, wouldn't that be more like 90%?

So, what do CEOs do, and how much of that involves communication of one kind or another?

Well, they make decisions. But before they make them, good CEOs get information from specialists in their organization. They also may check other options by reading newspapers and magazines, attending conferences, and talking to their peers. All of which involve communication.

For example, let's say a CEO must decide whether or not to launch an important new product line. Before she makes that decision, our CEO will have had discussions with, and reports from, senior members ofrepparttar 148400 sales department. She will also considerrepparttar 148401 country's economic outlook inrepparttar 148402 coming months and years, talk to others about what competitors might do, and reviewrepparttar 148403 financial implications withrepparttar 148404 VP of corporate finance.

It's all about gathering, distilling, and transmitting information: what we call communication.

Turning to another CEO function, what about envisioning a new future forrepparttar 148405 organization and developing a strategy based on it? Again, communication can't be taken out ofrepparttar 148406 mix.

After all, you can't just pick a vision out ofrepparttar 148407 air. It'srepparttar 148408 outcome of reflective thinking combined with information, knowledge, and insight. All of which come from communicating.

Chunking the Routine Essentials

Written by Gerry McRae


Chunking a large project into small parts is a great way to tackle an overwhelming project you keep putting off until a large block of time is available. The problem is - that opportunity seldom presents itself in your busy schedule. Chunking is an effective method for getting these large tasks done.

Small business operators can apply this chunking idea to small routine tasks that tend to accumulate until some crisis forces them to use a block of time better applied to other activities. Small tasks become overwhelming large projects.

For instance, a stack of accounts payable has accumulated torepparttar point where suppliers are sending you embarrassing messages or, worse, saying unkind things about you inrepparttar 148180 marketplace. Or, you avoid completing lengthy (government) forms untilrepparttar 148181 deadline or later. Opportunities foregone or just lost?

You can chunkrepparttar 148182 accounts payable by arranging them in priority order. Then, establish a daily discipline to pay one or two each day. The discipline is enforced when you experience that healthy sense of accomplishment that has replacedrepparttar 148183 sinking feeling in your stomach you had each time you sawrepparttar 148184 unprocessed pile of bills.

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