Talk Is Chief

Book excerpt: A public relations expert shares inspirational stories and smart strategies for successful business communication and crisis management. Business leaders spend up to 90 percent of each day communicating with colleagues, customers, shareowners, creditors, regulators, advocates, and competitors. The style and success of those communications has a vital influence on their organization’s culture, opportunity, and reputation. In this age of heightened transparency, no leader can afford to undervalue to importance of communication—especially during a crisis. With more than three decades of experience working with many Fortune 500 companies, communications consultant Jack Modzelewski teaches leaders to see themselves as chief credibility officers. In Talk Is Chief, he provides sound advice and concrete examples of effective communication. He also shares the “10 Commandments of Crisis Management”—essential communication tools for avoiding crises or averting worst-case scenarios when confronted with an existential threat.