CEOs par excellence

In recent practice, communication has established itself as a critical component of corporate life. In a lot of companies, communication as a management function is still subsumed by other functions in a bureaucracy, such as human resources, marketing, corporate planning or even legal. In more progressive operations, however, it is strongly seen as less of a craft industry and more of a profession. We have to distinguish communication as an entirely different discipline essential to achieving things through people. This is particularly true in a globalized world economy where managers must learn how to communicate across cultures and time zones.

Communication has become a strategic component that can make or break organizations, depending on how they are able to seal the all-important linkage between their business strategy and communications strategy.

Successful companies consistently look at the bigger communication picture, which can be interpreted in several ways. In some cases, communicators have confused volume of churned out communication implementations with the actual value of the communication itself, and focused their efforts on extending their armory of communication channels – memos, newsletters, voice mails, e-mails and intranets, to name a few – rather than helping achieve the overall business strategy.

The most common challenges in communication tend to be the basic ones – using management speak, and getting the balance between high-tech and high-touch communication wrong. Whatever the mix is, communication should provide information and make it accessible, demonstrate leadership – from the CEO down – and give people direction, and build a sense of community, belonging and collaboration.

It’s a must that chief executive officers must become the lead communicator for the company. This will ensure that the quality of information is made clearer, the capacity of communication channels is constantly improved, and communication-related decisions that impact on operation are planned, implemented and evaluated at a faster pace.

Excel Awards

Effective communication conquers, and most CEOs in the Philippines adhere to the principle that great leadership begins with great communication. In the recent CEO Excel Awards, the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines proved it could make some of the country’s most respected chief executives, organization heads and even city mayors vie for an award that is essentially on its maiden year.

The CEO Excel Awards is an expanded version of the Excel Award given annually by the 13,000-member San Francisco-based IABC, one of the three largest PR associations in America that has chapters all over the world. The Awards recognizes company leaders who utilize communication strategies and tools effectively to pursue business and stakeholder ends.

It is clear that CEOs do not need any award as their individual track record of successful management speaks for itself. Their participation in the CEO Excel, however, made a strong statement to all the managers under them and their peers that they give importance to communicating well with their employees, business partners and other publics.

It was perceptive of IABC to open the competitions to resident expats, many of whom have been here for sometime and have developed genuine affinities for the Philippines. After all, one distinguishing character of IABC has been its international ties with other IABC chapters in Asia and in North America, where Filipino delegates have had notable participation in the annual IABC conference. Several Filipino companies, in fact, have won the Gold Quill Award and it is the intention of the local IABC board to endorse strong candidates to the world. Excel has not had an Asian winner in its long history.

There has been a local Excel in the past two years but the choice was limited to those voted by the IABC board. The first winner was Mirant Philippines as an organization (it was not yet strictly an individual contest then) and the second winner was Bangko Sentral Governor Rafael Buenaventura.

This year, however, the board decided to expand the search to 12 industry or sectoral categories, including those for government executive offices, government-owned or controlled corporations and NGOs. This had the effect of leveling the playing field among non-comparable industries and professions, big and small organizations, and Manila-based and provincial organizations.

The awardees include Grace del Rosario-Castaño, Johnson & Johnson, Excellence Award; Chris Nelson, Philip Morris Philippines, Merit Award; Menardo G. Jimenez Jr., PLDT, Excellence Award; Dr. Fiorello Estuar, Maynilad, Merit; Alan Ortiz, Transco, Merit; Margarito Teves, DOF and Landbank, Merit; Warner Manning, HSBC, Merit; Edgar Chua, Shell Companies in the Philippines, Merit; Ricardo Santiago, PASAR, Merit; Bienvenido Bautista, Universal Robina Corporation, Excellence; Howard Belton, Unilever, Excellence.

Jose de Jesus, president and CEO of Manila North Tollways Corporation, Excellence Award; Ma. Lourdes Fernando, City Mayor of Marikina, Merit; Grace Padaca, Governor of Isabela Province, Merit; Jesse Robredo, City Mayor of Naga, Excellence; Efraim Genuino, Pagcor-Merit; Lito Atienza, City Mayor of Manila, Excellence; Rina Lopez-Bautista, Knowledge Channel Foundation, Excellence; Aniceto Sobrepeña, Metrobank Foundation, Excellence; Fr. Francis Lucas, Catholic Media Network, Merit. A special award for Exemplary Achievements in Communication and Culture was given to writer-publisher-restaurateur Larry Cruz Jr.

The Excel CEO awardees adhere to the tenets of good communication. They all believe that not everything in their respective organizations is perfect yet. Surely they are alert to the changes ahead, and communication will be a major tool that will ensure success in their companies’ future challenges.

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E-mail bongo@vasia.com or bongo@campaignsandgrey.net for comments, questions and suggestions. Thank you for communicating.