There are plenty of podcasts that CEOs listen to. Just Google “Top podcasts for CEOs,” and you’ll get lists of the best ones to listen to. But, one thing you won’t easily find are podcasts hosted by CEOs. This is a missed opportunity.
Benefits of Podcasting
A podcast doesn’t have to be long. It can be five to 10 minutes and still make an impact. It can be a weekly address from a leader or a short interview with another leader, employee or even a customer. Consider some of the benefits of a weekly podcast hosted by a CEO:
· Visibility: Even if the podcast is audio only—but why should it be?—the CEO will seem more visible and approachable to employees.
· Motivation: Leaders should be motivating and inspiring to others. This is an opportunity to “fire up the troops” and get employees excited about what’s happening in the organization today and in the future.
· Updates: Is there a new product, an acquisition or other news that could excite or be of interest to employees? Critical messages that come directly from the CEO are powerful and won’t be misinterpreted.
· Opportunities for Accolades: If the company, a division, a department or an individual is doing well, why not take this opportunity to share accolades and showcase the people involved? People love being recognized and acknowledged for the excellent work they do.
· Clarity: A regularly scheduled podcast will allow for carefully crafted communication between the CEO and employees. This is especially important for the previously mentioned updates. Messages won’t be lost in translation, as often happens when leaders and managers translate what they think the CEO was trying to say in a “closed-door meeting.”
· Connectivity: Even though the information is flowing one way, from the CEO to the listeners, it is an opportunity for the CEO to show feelings, such as happiness, concern, fear, etc. This humanizes the executive. A well-liked leader will most likely have a loyal following.
· Accountability: If a CEO makes a promise or shares a plan, the podcast is an opportunity to convey updates and demonstrate follow-through on what was promised.
· Celebrity: This is the least important reason to do a podcast, but it’s important to mention. And this isn’t the kind of celebrity status that gets you recognized walking down the street. The CEO, already a respected leader, can create even more “celebrity” within the organization. For many reasons mentioned above, employees will feel more connected to their CEO. A podcast simply adds to the “personality” of the leader.
Content Creation
A weekly podcast is not a daunting project. Once the executive decides on a topic, someone on the team can help draft the “script” or develop relevant talking points for the executive to follow. Here are some questions that will help generate content ideas:
· A Weekly Message: What do your employees want to hear? Is there pending news about something related to the company?
· A Weekly Message Part Two: What do your employees need to hear? (There’s a difference between want and need!)
· Meet the Leadership Team: Having a “fireside chat-style” interview to introduce other leaders is easy and has some of the same positive impact as the CEO talking to the camera.
· Meet a Customer: Have a similar “fireside chat” interview with a customer. Employees love it when happy customers share their accolades about the company.
· Meet an Employee: Not only do other employees get to see a peer on camera with the boss, but think about how meaningful it would be to be invited onto the CEO’s podcast.
This is just a short article to get you thinking about a weekly CEO podcast. Brainstorm with your team. In just a few minutes each week, you will have a communication tool that connects you with your employees and builds more confidence throughout your organization.
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