Managing the CEO Brand

Home » Managing the CEO Brand » News » Managing the CEO Brand

By Virgil Scudder, President, Virgil Scudder & Associates, Inc. 

 

Companies often spend millions of dollars to establish and promote their brands only to ignore one of the most profitable brands in their arsenal-the CEO.

Surveys have shown that companies that have a CEO who is well known and well regarded perform better in the stock market. Yet, many companies waste this asset.

Why? Very often it’s fear and aversion of the media. A recent Canadian survey showed that CEOs regarded the news media as the greatest threat to a company’s reputation.

In the 28 years I’ve counseled CEOs and other top executives, I’ve heard a lot of strange notions coming from the corner office. Some common CEO excuses for being media-absent are “we can’t win,” “I don’t have the time,” or “I hire PR people to do the interviews.”

That attitude leaves opportunity on the table. It’s painful for a communications professional to see the head of a competing company getting accolades on a TV program that was available to his or her CEO.

The CEO needs to be known to the media and the public for many reasons beyond the price of the stock. A high positive profile improves morale-employees want to see the boss out there talking about their accomplishments.

Shareholders and boards of directors also need to see the leader speaking effectively for the company.

And, critically important, high favorable recognition is essential when a crisis hits.

Wal-Mart gives us a good case study in this area. For a long time the company and its CEO basically remained under the radar as negative perceptions mounted: hiring illegal aliens, locking cleaning workers in stores, poor employee benefits, and running roughshod over community feelings about building new stores. But, things have changed recently. CEO Lee Scott-a virtual unknown to most people until recently-has become a much more public face. The image he projects for Wal-Mart is reasonable, positive, and fair. And the company has benefited greatly from this change in perception that he is leading.

Many corporate leaders simply don’t understand the media landscape. True, there are journalists who will come into an interview looking for a scalp. But there are far more who are simply looking for a good story. They want to hear it from the CEO. The company that takes advantage of its opportunities has a leg up on the one that doesn’t.

Opportunities abound. Heads of corporations can get fair and positive treatment on numerous broadcast outlets including Bloomberg, CNBC, CNNfn, Fox, and PBS. Most of the interview questions are “soft balls,” such as “how will you account for the dramatic growth you’ve seen in the past 12 months?”

But what about those tough and negative questions that CEOs fear? Every one can be anticipated and handled with an effective answer at the ready. Fear of tough questions is no reason to leave opportunity on the table.

The best executive communication programs combine selected media interviews-print as well as broadcast-with selected public appearances for C-level executives. Just as a company’s leaders should not be invisible, they also should not be available to anyone and everyone who wants access to them. A CEO is a limited edition, as are other C-level executives.

A handful of appearances, say four to six a year, can produce big dividends for the executive and the company. Talks before groups such as the Executive Club of Chicago, the Detroit Economic Club, The Conference Board, and Town Hall, Los Angeles, offer many advantages.

Among them: members of these organizations are influential; local and national media coverage is virtually assured; and guests are treated in a very respectful and professional manner. Moreover, just being on the program of this kind of organization makes a statement about the quality of the company and the individual.

But, success in this arena requires certain things. The speech must be substantive. It must have something to say about business trends today, not merely be a sales vehicle for the company. It must be well written and well delivered. The speaker must take time to rehearse and should retain an executive communications coach to help polish the speaker’s skills.

In my opinion, no company does a better job of planning, executing, and marketing such a program than UPS. A speech by its CEO at Town Hall, Los Angeles, was turned into 26 million impressions through local news stories, wire service stories, media interviews, op-ed pieces, Internet and Intranet posting, and reprints. The value to the company is incalculable.

Like it or not, a CEO is a brand. The only question is whether it’s a known brand and whether the image is positive. If that brand is properly developed and managed, the company will reap big dividends.

One of the pioneers in the field, Virgil Scudder’s career as a media trainer dates back to 1977 and is global in scope. He has conducted training throughout the US and in many far-ranging locations including Australia, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Netherlands. Virgil’s clients include CEOs of numerous major corporations and government leaders in the US and abroad. He began training executives after a long and successful career in news and sports broadcasting which included NBC and ABC.

Published in The Gauge

158 Comments
  1. Pingback: ivermectin 6 mg tablets for human

  2. Pingback: where to buy ivermectin

  3. Pingback: ivermectin 6mg for sale

  4. Pingback: get ivermectin

  5. Pingback: ivermectin 6 mg for sale

  6. Pingback: ivermectin 12mg tablets for human

  7. Pingback: ivermectin for humans

  8. Pingback: generic tadalafil 20mg

  9. Pingback: hydroxychloroquine 200 mg

  10. Pingback: tadalafil otc

  11. Pingback: hydroxychloroquine tablets

  12. Pingback: bahis siteleri

  13. Pingback: stromectol for humans over the counter

  14. Pingback: stromectol 6 mg online

  15. Pingback: stromectol human

  16. Pingback: resized image

  17. Pingback: tadalafil over the counter

  18. Pingback: cialis pill

  19. Pingback: A片

  20. Pingback: stromectol 6mg online

  21. Pingback: how to get a prescription for hydroxychloroquine online

  22. Pingback: hydroxychloroquine mechanism of action

  23. Pingback: cheapest kamagra

  24. Pingback: cenforce 100 pill blue

  25. Pingback: cheap vardenafil 40 mg

  26. Pingback: fildena in india

  27. Pingback: Do antibiotics make you poop hydroxychloroquine lupus

  28. Pingback: Is coffee good for your liver

  29. Pingback: Should I be worried about taking antibiotics

  30. Pingback: What are the 3 types of asthma

  31. Pingback: What antiinflammatory is best for nerve pain

  32. Pingback: Can your heart repair itself Lisinopril

  33. Pingback: Stromectol prevention gale

  34. Pingback: Cialis coupons: What is a worm in the gym | ScwCMD.com

  35. Pingback: vidalista online buy fildena 100 mg

  36. Pingback: Can I drink coffee 2 hours after antibiotics Azithromycin use

  37. Pingback: kamagra 100mg amazon Ist Viagra schadlich furs Herz

  38. Pingback: lasix drug side effects

  39. Pingback: Quels sont les causes du repli sur soi pharmacie en ligne belgique

  40. Pingback: Comment avoir une belle vie de famille trouver un medicament en pharmacie

  41. Pingback: buy generic femara

  42. Pingback: How can I help my husband with ED?

  43. Pingback: How do I fix my ED naturally?

  44. Pingback: How long can you fight an infection without antibiotics | stromectol buy

  45. Pingback: How do you exercise in bed?

  46. Pingback: How does a man with erectile dysfunction feel?

  47. Pingback: What to do when you are craving for love?

  48. Pingback: Should you talk during a break?

  49. Pingback: What foods have biotin can i buy generic propecia without insurance

  50. Pingback: What happens if parasites go untreated Hydroxychloroquine from india buy online

  51. Pingback: Qu'est-ce qu'il ne faut pas manger avant de faire l'amour viagra generique sans ordonnance en ligne?

  52. Pingback: How can I open my lungs without an inhaler best price for ventolin inhaler

  53. Pingback: Do gyms negotiate prices chantix dosage

  54. Pingback: Can an infection come back after antibiotics

  55. Pingback: What to avoid while on antibiotics

  56. Pingback: Can antibiotics do more harm than good

  57. Pingback: Can antibiotics be used for any infection

  58. Pingback: Would antibiotics cure illness Why

  59. Pingback: What is the fastest way to recover from antibiotics

  60. Pingback: Why shouldn't you lay down after taking antibiotics

  61. Pingback: What is better than antibiotics

  62. Pingback: Does coffee have a Prop 65 warning stromectol 6 mg

  63. Pingback: cialis with dapoxetine buy

  64. Pingback: Can antibiotics help anxiety

  65. Pingback: vardenafil levitra staxyn

  66. Pingback: price viagra at walmart

  67. Pingback: Why Russia is good for medicine

  68. Pingback: Do all antibiotics have serious side effects

  69. Pingback: What does Russia use instead of antibiotics

  70. Pingback: Is 2 days of antibiotics enough

  71. Pingback: How do you heal your gut after antibiotics

  72. Pingback: How antibiotics work

  73. Pingback: Treblab - jbl bluetooth speaker

  74. Pingback: Can I stop antibiotics after 3 days

  75. Pingback: stromectol 12mg online Is pineapple good for liver?

  76. Pingback: anything speaker

  77. Pingback: How do I start arousing her stromectol cvs?

  78. Pingback: Quelle est la meilleure vitamine pour bander tadalafil sans ordonnance

  79. Pingback: wireless headphones noise cancelling

  80. Pingback: anker earbuds

  81. Pingback: What drugs interact with albuterol printable ventolin hfa coupon

  82. Pingback: Can my lungs become dependent on albuterol ventolin hfa 90 mcg inhaler

  83. Pingback: How long can you live after being diagnosed with heart disease enalapril and furosemide for dogs?

  84. Pingback: Which is better for COPD nebulizer or inhaler ventolin cupon

  85. Pingback: What happens if you use albuterol everyday | albuterol inhalation solution

  86. Pingback: Which type of inhaler must be used daily to control symptoms of COPD | albuterol dosage

  87. Pingback: How do you feel with heart failure chlorthalidone 25 mg para que sirve

  88. Pingback: Advocating for Affordable Asthma Medication: How University Students Can Make a Difference | albuterol inhaler for horses

  89. Pingback: Quel est le profil d'un manipulateur commande viagra

  90. Pingback: Pourquoi un gros ventre a la menopause | cialis medicament

  91. Pingback: levothyroxine 25 mcg cost | Decreased motivation, lack of interest, and decreased productivity can be symptoms of thyroid deficiency

  92. Pingback: Why does turmeric have a Prop 65 warning?

  93. Pingback: Does 3 times a day mean every 8 hours?

  94. Pingback: Who has the greatest risk of getting parasitic diseases?

  95. Pingback: Can I drink the same day I took antibiotics?

  96. Pingback: Pourquoi les couples se separent apres 40 ans - sildenafil 100 prix

  97. Pingback: Comment s'appelle un pere qui couche avec sa fille levitra hollande

  98. Pingback: What do you do when your partner doesn't want to be intimate

  99. Pingback: How do you know when a man loves you

  100. Pingback: How do you make your wife loves you more vidalista 20 reviews

  101. Pingback: Hair loss that occurs along with changes in the nails, such as brittleness, ridges, or slow growth, may indicate thyroid deficiency?

  102. Pingback: What is the impact of excessive exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals on ovulation?

  103. Pingback: How does the use of intrauterine balloon therapy improve fertility outcomes in women with Asherman's syndrome?

  104. Pingback: What role does thyroid function play in ovulation?

  105. Pingback: Can regular aerobic exercise help improve heart function and reduce the risk of heart disease

  106. Pingback: Can cholesterol levels be improved through consuming herbal blends for cholesterol support

  107. Pingback: What are the weak points of a man during romance - Priligy pills

  108. Pingback: Who has more desires male or female - viagra for men

  109. Pingback: What are the most harmful blood pressure medications?

  110. Pingback: Will antibiotics dehydrate you?

  111. Pingback: C'est quoi la famille aujourd'hui - sildenafil 50 mg

  112. Pingback: Inhaler Device and Inhalation Technique Selection in COPD Patients: A Critical Review | albuterol inhaler directions

  113. Pingback: Nolvadex - Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams to destroy cancer cells

  114. Pingback: Is rice good for your liver. buy duricef

  115. Pingback: Is a 3 day period normal. vardenafil 10mg tablets

  116. Pingback: buy amoxicilina 500 mg online | What do you have to take with turmeric to activate it

  117. Pingback: Are over the counter drugs effective for treating sunburns. cialis over the counter

  118. Pingback: What is a high value male. order sildenafil 100mg pills

  119. Pingback: How can I detox my liver in 2 days. can i buy hydroxychloroquine over the counter

  120. Pingback: How do I know if my liver is repairing | can you Buy Stromectol over the counter

  121. Pingback: What inhaler is for moderate to severe asthma albuterol sulfate inhalation solution

  122. Pingback: Can we take other medicines with antibiotics | best price for plaquenil

  123. Pingback: How can I conceive a child

  124. Pingback: Can low blood pressure cause a stroke | where do you buy hydroxychloroquine

  125. Pingback: How can I get a prescription filled without a doctor

  126. Pingback: Where did syphilis come from?

  127. Pingback: What is the meaning of leukorrhea ivermectin dogs?

  128. Pingback: What can chlamydia do to your body if left untreated ivermectin 12mg?

  129. Pingback: What alcohol is best for your liver?

  130. Pingback: Why should you not drink vodka stromectol 3 mg tablet?

  131. Pingback: When do I need antibiotics buy ivermectin online?

  132. Pingback: What drugs Cannot be taken with turmeric ivermectin dosage for scabies?

  133. Pingback: Can antibiotics be used to treat clostridium difficile infections ivermectin scabies dosage?

  134. Pingback: Can you live without a liver ivermectin?

  135. Pingback: What stage is liver pain how much ivermectin to give a dog with mange?

  136. Pingback: Are there any bacterial diseases that can be sexually transmitted ivermectin treatment?

  137. Pingback: What is the best treatment for asthma budesonide 200 mcg?

  138. Pingback: How accurate are finger oximeters albuterol?

  139. Pingback: Who should not take Primatene Mist ventolin inhaler price?

  140. Pingback: What color is asthma phlegm albuterol?

  141. Pingback: How old do you have to be to take Advil?

  142. Pingback: canadian pharmacy phentermine?

  143. Pingback: pharmacy rx one coupon code?

  144. Pingback: What organs do antibiotics damage?

  145. Pingback: Can antibiotics prevent infection in patients with a history of recurrent infections Azithromycin sale?

  146. Pingback: What vitamins are hard on your liver fish antibiotics Azithromycin?

  147. Pingback: What are 2 disorders that only affect males cialis 5 mg price??

  148. Pingback: Can walking reduce tummy Tadalafil side effects??

  149. Pingback: What happens to a female when they are turned on cialis information??

  150. Pingback: How do I always get hard in bed??

  151. Pingback: What are the 4 components of quality management 20mg cialis??

  152. Pingback: How can I increase my sperm pressure??

  153. Pingback: What is worth of a woman??

  154. Pingback: How does a woman love a man??

  155. Pingback: It is also important for partners to be supportive and understanding of men who are struggling with premature ejaculation.?

  156. Pingback: Some countries may have different regulations and pricing for dapoxetine, so it is important to research the regulations and pricing in your specific location.?

  157. Pingback: Is antibacterial healthy to use??

  158. Pingback: Can antibiotics be used to treat shingles??