One of the most important duties of a c-level staff member is to inspire trust in his or her employees. Without it, employee confidence plummets and productivity wanes. The most successful companies are those that are able to get each member of the organization to truly buy into the collective vision, and that starts at the top. However, finding candidates that fit this mold can be difficult: After all, how exactly does one measure trustworthiness?
One critical quality to focus on in the recruitment process is how well a candidate communicates. While being a good communicator is far from a guarantee of success, it greatly increases the likelihood that a potential hire will be able to share their vision adeptly.
This ability shouldn't be taken for granted. Recent survey data, compiled by Glassdoor and reported in TIME Magazine, found that nine major companies were saddled with CEOs that fewer than 40 percent of employees gave positive marks.
Glassdoor spokesman Scott Dobroski spoke to TIME about the importance of this data.
"It's clear that some CEOs may want to take note that their own employees feel they can improve when it comes to leadership," Dobroski explained. "Leadership and the tone for the company going forward is generally set at the top and then trickles down to the rest of the company."
While the reasons presented ranged from budget cuts to public debacles, one constant continually cropped up: poor communication. As compared to their more well-liked peers, poorly reviewed CEOs consistently either failed to communicate their visions to the public and/or their employees, and more often made unpopular decisions without properly putting them into context.
In discussing the best-liked executives, Dobroski noted that they "clearly communicate their vision, including being transparent about where the company is going, how they're going to get there, and how each employee plays a vital role in this."
Your employees' view of the CEO doesn't just affect their willingness to work hard and be productive — it can also result in bad press for your organization. With the amount of data being collected and released, having an executive with communication skills is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. Putting in the effort to find the perfect candidate can go a long way.
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