Strength and Power in Business. Getting from Ideas to Execution

A weightlifter, a mountaineer, and a gymnast - one lifts, one reaches, the other flexes. Each individual goal is meaningful, but they have this in common, without a strong core they are likely to sag rather than succeed.

If we turn to your own business, or Apple or Nokia - a great business goal is one thing, but successful execution depends on the core. What do we mean by the core? A literal definition of the core means the part of something that is central to its existence or character.

In business terms, we’re talking about taking a shiny new goal or idea and communicating it into the central part of your company’s DNA - sales, marketing, and customer service. And then there’s the challenge of protecting your shiny new idea; this is where legal, HR, and accounts come in.

?There are plenty of cautionary tales about what happens to businesses that deny or ignore communication problems, from Nokia and Exxon, to others in the business section of your daily news. This is recognized in The Harvard Business Review:

“According to an in-depth account of why Nokia has “struggle[d] to turn its good ideas into products,” much of the problem stems from habits of communication that favor unfocused discussions about strategy over clear plans to bring new phone models to market.” The Silent Killer of Big Companies, Boris Groysberg and Michael Slind

Scott Monty, former head of digital marketing globally for Ford Motor Company says the mistake most leaders make—particularly when trying to execute a major transformation—is they focus on technology, metrics, and tracking. Ford had been struggling during the late-2000s recession, but returned to profitability under Alan Mulally’s leadership, and was the only American major car manufacturer to avoid a bailout fund provided by the government. Successful internal communication was key.

?“Our success as an organization will ultimately be determined by our ability to work together as a team…to make the strategy succeed.” —Alan Mulally, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ford Motor Company (2006-14)

The Billion(s) Dollar problem

According to an extensive survey by Holmes, a trusted voice in the global PR industry, the cost to businesses of poor communication has hit an overwhelming $37 billion [1]

On the flip side, this same report found that companies with leaders who possess effective communication skills produced a 47 percent higher return to shareholders over a five-year period.

How to succeed at projects, launches and change

Yes, it can be chaos out there, so how can we equip ourselves to succeed in business rather than sag? Have you ever tried to get your people to align with what should have been a great business idea and failed? If you want to harness the power of successful internal communication, let me introduce you to employee engagement and internal brand communications expert Ben Baker.

We know that projects, launches and change initiatives don’t fail on their own. They fail because people inside the company are not invested in the process and do not understand how or why they should succeed. Ben’s books — Powerful Personal Brands: a hands-on guide to understanding yours and Leading Beyond a Crisis: a conversation about what's next?— have helped countless business leaders across the world to navigate change and crisis.

“Read and learn how to be a leader in times of crisis, such as this current pandemic, along with everyday situations. We need more leaders and now is a great time to learn the skill.” Dan Bigger, Founder #USAMfgHour

Ben has spent his distinguished career working with thought leaders like Seth Godin and executives at the top of famous brand companies; he’s also worked with airlines, health service providers and many others. He helps people understand, codify, and communicate their unique value to others. His respected employee engagement consultancy - Your Brand Marketing - is founded on the belief that if companies understand, live, and build cultures around their purpose, employees will engage, stay, and want to grow with the company.

“I am so amazed by the view Ben has on life, and how he brings this perspective to the business world. A true leader himself in every sense of the world, I am confident that Ben will continue to humanize leadership, eradicate "managers", and make workplace communication so much more kind, caring, genuine, and fun!” —Jordan Gross, Author of What Happens in Tomorrow World?

Ben’s number one takeaway? Improving communication involves more than getting your message where it needs to go; it means ensuring that the message resonates with and engages people in a way that moves them to action.

How to future-proof your business

Respected philosopher Tom Morris taught a wildly popular class at Notre Dame for fifteen years, and he is the author of 30 books including the business favourite, If Aristotle Ran General Motors. He agrees that succeeding at projects, launches and change requires more than formal communication:

“Group change is not just a simple aggregate of individual change, but is a genuine social phenomenon. It’s always best effected by a well thought out and properly executed social process involving as many people as possible, as soon as possible in the unfolding sequence of events.

?But most vital of all is what people actually see others doing all around them. Are the organization’s leaders acting in accordance with their public statements, showing that they really care about the new initiative and clearly giving their valuable time and energy to the process? However crucial the right words are for announcing any innovation and stressing its importance, actions always do speak with more authority. A great leader of change remembers this and is vigilant to watch how people behave, quickly recognizing, praising and rewarding the right actions, while also actively discouraging contrary or unhelpful behavior.”

?Want ongoing strength and power in your business?

Ben Baker’s engaging books are a great place to start! If you are a leader who desires to achieve breakthrough business results for your organization, take advantage of the powerful Podcast Host For Hire program hosted by Ben. This is specifically designed for large and complex B2B organizations, and can help you deconstruct silos and streamline communication, while enabling and engaging your workforce.

Natella Isazada, MPA, CMQ-OE, TEDx Speaker has this to say:

“Ben is an amazing host with supreme interpersonal and communication skills who authentically cares about his show guests and all the listeners. He takes sincere interest in the subject matter and facilitates a lively and meaningful conversation.

The question is, how will you get your message where it needs to go? Let’s start with a short, powerful blessing - You’ve Got This!

Want help telling your success story?

I love writing success stories like the incredible journey of Ben Baker. Want me to help tell your story? Email me and let’s talk about how to turn your big ideas into effective content. This means:

●?????Inside knowledge of managing and creating relevant, original content that leads to proven results - for companies across SE Asia, the US and Europe.

●?????The secrets to creating a compelling story for your brand or book.

●?????Extensive international experience in marketing and publishing.

You can trust Claire to write persuasive and precise copy.

With your voice, to your brief, to your deadline.

[1] $37 billion: total estimated cost of employee misunderstanding (including actions or errors of omission by employees who have misunderstood or were misinformed about company policies, business processes, job function or a combination of the three) in 100,000-employee companies, among 400 surveyed corporations in the U.S. and U.K. (average cost per company is $62.4 million per year)