Great communicators

The Great Communicators

What good are ingenious ideas or a grand vision if you can't convey their fabulousness to your audience? Take some pointers from these leaders

You have an extraordinary story to tell. But let's face it -- some people are better than others at telling their stories. Some men and women stand apart. They grab more attention, close more deals, and persuade more employees, customers, and colleagues to follow their vision.

The following individuals were profiled in the book 10 Simple Secrets of the World's Greatest Business Communicators, by Carmine Gallo. Our slide show features contemporary business execs considered among the top speakers in Corporate America. These men and women have leveraged their powerful communications skills to build such companies as General Electric, Starbucks, and Apple.

They look different, sound different, and come from different generations, but they all command attention and connect to their audiences -- whether they consist of one or 1,000. They are charismatic, persuasive, inspirational, and simply magnetic. Best of all, we can learn something from all of them. By adopting their best traits, business professionals in a variety of industries will learn to craft and deliver a story that's clear, concise, and compelling.

By Carmine Gallo

Jack Welch

Cutting Out Corporate Lingo

Former Chairman and CEO
General Electric
The former head of General Electric was legendary for demanding simplicity in written and verbal communications. "Insecure managers create complexity," Welch once said. He was a master at crafting a vision and passionately articulating that vision in simple, broad-based terms that everyone could buy into.

Clutter and jargon had no place in a Welch business meeting. He would ask his managers to pretend they were talking to high school students -- to focus on the basics. Eliminating jargon isn't an option. Great business communicators speak in clear and simple terms.
Best communication asset: Simplicity
Tip: Eliminate jargon

Steve Jobs

Real-Life Dramatist

CEO and Director
Apple Computer
Chairman and CEO
Pixar Animation Studios
Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs radiates a charisma that captivates thousands of the "Mac faithful" as well as customers, employees, and colleagues. The key to his success as a communicator: his nearly messianic zeal to change the world. People find it intoxicating. In 1983, Jobs turned to 44-year-old Pepsi President John Sculley and asked: "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?" Great business communicators want to make history, and they're not too bashful to admit it.
Best communication asset: Charisma
Tip: Create and articulate a bold vision

Meg Whitman

Feedback Welcomer

President, CEO, and Director
eBay
As president and CEO of the world's largest online marketplace, Meg Whitman has built one of the most trusted, admired, and successful brands in corporate history. Since she accepted the lead role in 1998, Whitman has acted as a strong advocate for soliciting customer feedback. She listens and takes action to improve the experience for buyers and sellers.

BusinessWeek once recounted a story about Whitman flying to meet with a veteran seller who had protested a particular policy. After conferring with him for an hour, Whitman took pages of notes and changed the policy two days later. Great business communicators listen before saying a word.
Best communication asset: Penchant for listening
Tip: Seek feedback

ohn Chambers

Winning Through Rehearsals

John Chambers
President, CEO, and Director
Cisco Systems
Watching Cisco's CEO give a presentation to employees, investors, analysts, or customers is an astonishing experience. With hardly a glance at notes, Chambers fills his presentations with volumes of information about his company's products, facts, and figures.

He owes it to meticulous preparation. Before a talk, he reviews and rehearses his presentation, memorizing the slides and the flow of content. He even knows when and where he's going to walk into the audience or put his hand on someone's shoulder. Great business communicators prepare diligently for every major meeting, interview, presentation, or speech.

Best communication asset: Preparedness
Tip: Review and rehearse your presentation

Michelle Peluso

Reaching Out to Workers

President and CEO
Travelocity.com
As President and CEO of Travelocity, Michelle Peluso is one of Corporate America's rising stars. Peluso understands that employees will care more about their work when they know their leaders care about them. She makes it a point to respond personally within 24 hours to every e-mail from one of her employees, even if she's traveling or on vacation. It's how she motivates her far-flung staff of more than 5,000 employees spread around the world. Great business communicators respond to employee concerns by answering e-mails, holding lunchtime chats, or sending out weekly companywide correspondence.

Best communication asset: Responsiveness
Tip: Be there for your employees

David Neeleman

High-Flying Tales

Chairman and CEO
JetBlue Airways
When David Neeleman launched Jet Blue in 2002, the ex-Southwest Airlines exec embraced his former employer's model of discount fares but one-upped Southwest by adding perks like leather seats and DirecTV on all flights. Neeleman dedicates himself to finding and keeping the most enthusiastic employees in the airline industry.

He champions the culture by flying JetBlue to a different city each week. He appears at nearly every first-day orientation for new hires and leads sessions titled: "Why are you here?" An excellent storyteller, Neeleman likes to recount anecdotes about employees who exceeded expectations. Great business communicators cultivate an enthusiastic staff passionately dedicated to providing exceptional customer service.

Best communication asset: Talent for storytelling
Tip: Tell tales that inspire

Howard Schultz

Percolating Passion

Chairman
Starbucks
Howard Schultz loves coffee. And the Starbucks founder is fervent about creating a workplace in which people are treated with dignity and respect. He conveys that message to employees, customers, and investors.

"When you're around people who share a collective passion around a common purpose, there's no telling what you can do," he says. Schultz understands that Starbucks' competitive advantage lies in its people. Because its entire organization communicates its values so effectively, Starbucks has built a reputation as one of the best places to work. Great business communicators identify their enthusiasms and convey that enthusiasm through all levels of the organization.


Best communication asset: Passion
Tip: Identify and share what you're passionate about

Suze Orman

Debt Detractor

Author, TV Host
Financial guru Suze Orman stands out among the more than 650,000 financial planners in the U.S. Orman is on a mission, a crusade to help people avoid the crushing debt and financial problems that caused so much pain for her family as she was growing up.

Orman freely admits that very little of her advice is groundbreaking. "It's not the material that I know, but how I communicate the material I know that sets me apart," she says. She delivers financial information using clear, concise, and direct language. Great business communicators use simple language to discuss complex issues.

Best communication asset: Clarity of expression
Tip: Break down complex information into easy parts

Rudy Giuliani

Eye-Contact King

Chairman and CEO
Giuliani Partners
The former New York City mayor became a hero for maintaining his composure after the 9/11 attacks. He exhibited courage, stamina, and grace -- everything people look for in a leader. But long before Giuliani became an American icon, he appreciated the emotional connection of a great presentation.

In his book, Leadership, Giuliani says he began preparing for his annual State of the City address five months early so he wouldn't have to read the presentation from notes. Great business communicators use eye contact to make an emotional connection with their audience.

Best communication asset: Ability to make eye contact
Tip: Spend 90% of the time looking at your audience

John Thompson

Relentlessly Upbeat

Chairman and CEO
Symantec

For more than six years, Symantec CEO John Thompson has built the company into the leading antivirus software brand, despite competitive threats from Microsoft. Thompson uses big, bold, and optimistic language in his presentations and speeches.

Last year, Thompson pulled off a $13 billion acquisition of storage-software maker Veritas, despite investor criticism. During the acquisition, Thompson said: "We'll prove one more time that our long-term vision is where the industry is going, and what we need to do to respond to it is right." Great business communicators transmit a positive, upbeat vision during times of change.

Best communication asset: Facileness with optimistic language
Tip: Employ powerful and positive words

Klaus Kleinfeld

Getting Fresh

President and CEO
Siemens
As CEO of Siemens, Kleinfeld oversees some 460,000 workers. He has impressed many an employee with the way he sets clear goals and communicates his vision. The key: Kleinfeld's insatiable curiosity about his people, his industry, and the world in which he does business.

Kleinfeld feels at ease whether talking about the newest hip-hop star or the latest strategic management theories. His upbeat tone, energy, and curiosity keep him fresh, dynamic, and contemporary. Great business communicators teach their listeners to stay topical and current. By doing so, they leave their listeners with something new.

Best communication asset: Ability to reinvent
Tip: Stay fresh, remain current

Larry Ellison

Playing the Anti-Geek

CEO and Director
Oracle
The billionaire founder of Oracle is no stranger to the media. Whether he's engaging in a hostile takeover of a competitor, risking injury racing yachts, buying up nearly $200 million in Malibu property, or piloting jets, Ellison lives life on a grand scale. When Ellison walks on stage, he looks the part of a successful leader.

Not content to dress in geek chic like many of his counterparts in Silicon Valley, Ellison wears finely tailored Italian suits and walks with commanding body language. Great business communicators know that packaging counts.

Best communication asset: Looking like a leader
Tip: Pay attention to what your wardrobe says about you

Richard Branson

Lavisher of Praise

Chairman
Virgin Group
Whether donning a wedding dress for the launch of a Virgin Brides shop, attempting to fly a hot-air balloon around the world, or building a company to take people to the moon, the billionaire entrepreneur behind the Virgin brand likes to have fun and encourage his staff. Branson believes in lavishing praise on his employees. Like flowers, he once said, people will grow if watered -- but shrivel if left to dry. Great business communicators go out of their way to make sure their employees feel valuable.

Best communication asset: Generosity with praise
Tip: Lavish appropriate praise on employees, customers, and colleagues