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Guiding CEO stances: The communicators’ role
CEOs worldwide are increasingly speaking out on pressing sociopolitical issues. This trend raises an important question: Are these public stances carefully orchestrated communication strategies, or do they genuinely reflect CEOs’ personal convictions? This article presents findings on the relationship between CEOs and communication practitioners. In particular, it delves into the decision-making, management, planning, and the essential skills communication professionals need to effectively craft and guide their CEOs’ public stances on sociopolitical issues.
Beyond Business: CEOs abandoning corporate neutrality
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff’s statement, “The business of business is improving the state of the world,” reflects a trend where CEOs are increasingly addressing sociopolitical issues, going beyond profit. From climate action to racial justice and political stability, corporate leaders are taking public stances. Recent events, such as the Israel-Hamas conflict or the rise of the AfD in Germany, further highlight this shift. This inspired this research project on CEO communication strategies.
So, this study is part of a larger doctoral research project at the University of Vienna. It delves into the decision-making, management, planning, and the essential skills communication professionals need to effectively craft and guide their CEOs’ public stances on sociopolitical issues.
A sociopolitical positioning is a a public communication measure through which a company/its official representative (CEO), personally, takes a clear position, takes a clear position, on a sociopolitical issue.
The positioning is a reaction to a social event that was not initiated by the company itself or the official representative personally. The topics and contents of the communicated messages do not have an immanent intrinsic connection to the core business of the company. However, a perceived fit between the actual issue theme and the respective brand may well exist.
(Fröhlich & Knobloch, 2021, p. 2)
How communication practitioners shape sociopolitical CEO communication
A typology was created from literature and interviews to describe how communication practitioners support CEOs in sociopolitical communication. It identifies four ideal roles: The Mediator, The Circumspect, The Tandem, and The Value Champion. Each type represents different approaches to handling sociopolitical issues. These roles are not fixed, as practitioners often switch between them based on the situation, highlighting the adaptability needed when addressing various topics.
The Mediator
»Most of the time, he did not consult us.
We would be sitting there, thinking that the
world is fine and easy, and suddenly we’d
find a tweet from the CEO, and all the
journalists would call the company and
ask what is going on.«Communication business partner
Mediators often deal with CEOs who act unpredictably and independently, making spontaneous decisions to take a stand. These “first-mover” CEOs are guided by strong personal beliefs and are usually the first to speak up on issues. These CEOs may skip their communication teams, handling media and statements themselves. This independent approach makes structured communication strategies difficult, requiring mediators to be adaptable, proactive, and honest in feedback. Mediators bridge the gap between the CEO and stakeholders by fostering open dialogue, and preventing misunderstandings. This includes facilitating discussions, addressing public feedback, conducting employee surveys, and organizing feedback sessions.
The Circumspect
»We’re not here to be advocates, we’re not
here to virtue signal. We’re here to focus on
the business.«Senior manager executive communication
For circumspects, both CEOs and communication practitioners carefully approach sociopolitical issues, prioritizing business leadership over CEO activism. For the most part, statements on sociopolitical issues are released when customer, employee, media, or other stakeholder pressure compels it. The focus is on the CEO declaring the company’s position rather than actively driving the conversation. A structured framework helps CEOs speak on issues where their company can make a real impact, avoiding superficial gestures. The CEO and practitioner work closely, aligning sociopolitical engagement with the company’s interests.
The Tandem
»It’s always served two ends. We knew we
were doing this because it paid into our
business goals and because it was also a
good match for him as a person.«Strategic communication manager
In the tandem type, CEOs and communication practitioners are open to collaboratively exploring sociopolitical issues. This approach is driven by the shift from shareholder to stakeholder capitalism, ESG goals, and the need to engage with political stakeholders and NGOs. They proactively select topics that align with company values and integrate them into a cohesive communication strategy. Practitioners keep close contact with the CEO, ensuring culturally and contextually sensitive messaging. By prioritizing the collaboration with other departments the CEOs and communication practitioners also ensure a global perspective. They avoid impulsive responses by focusing on the long-term impact of sociopolitical statements, believing that a CEO’s stance should be both genuinely committed to the issue and aligned with the company’s goals.
The Value Champion
»Yesterday we had a diversity day, and the CEO
posted about it on LinkedIn. Once a year –
yeah. It’s the most boring thing to me now.
I mean, how am I supposed to be against it?«Communication practitioner
For the value champion, a CEO’s sociopolitical stance is about fearlessly
broadcasting the company’s core values, even on polarizing issues, tolerating and embracing stakeholder disagreement to reinforce these values. Their approach is driven by urgency rather than pre-planned strategies, with practitioners often encouraging CEOs to take a stand during pivotal moments. Value champions collaborate with diversity officers, HR, and legal teams to ensure clear, value-aligned, and legally sound messaging. They stress that lasting societal impact requires ongoing action, involving media, board members and employees. Throughthis continuous effort, value champions become advocates themselves, promoting the cause and motivating others.
Recommendations for communicators
To effectively plan a CEO’s sociopolitical positioning, there are some points worth considering during the strategy process:
- Choose communication formats that allow control and depth: Communication practitioners could choose formats that provide more control over the message, such as long-form articles, (employee) letters or interviews, rather than brief social media posts. These formats allow for a more nuanced and well-rounded portrayal of the CEO’s position, minimizing the risk of misinterpretation.
- Delegation is a smart move: Not every issue requires the CEO’s personal input. Sometimes, delegating certain sociopolitical topics to other executives or subject-matter experts within the company can be more effective. Practitioners should assess when it’s appropriate for the CEO to speak and when others in the organization are better suited to address specific issues.
- Visuals matter: Visual communication, such as images, videos, or infographics, often resonates more deeply than words alone. They help simplify complex issues, convey emotions, and make the CEO’s stance more relatable to a broader audience. However, visuals should be chosen carefully to reflect the company’s values and inclusively represent all stakeholders.
- Prioritize the topic, not the channel: The nature of the issue should always dictate the communication strategy, not the other way around. Before deciding on a platform or communication channel, practitioners should consider the sensitivity, complexity, and cultural relevance of the topic. This ensures that the message is delivered in the most appropriate format, ensure maximum impact.
- Expect immediate reactions and prepare for backlash: Practitioners must be prepared for an immediate surge in reactions, following a CEO’s sociopolitical statement. This includes hate messages, public criticism, and potential threats, making it crucial for communication teams to have the time, resources, and crisis management skills to handle the fallout.
About the study
The study “Guiding CEO stances: The communicators’ role” by Vanja Bojanic (University of Vienna) utilized guideline-supported qualitative online interviews with communication practitioners from corporate organizations and PR agencies. By sourcing participants from varied organizations, the research garnered insights beyond a singular CEO, company, or issue. A qualitative content analysis was conducted and typologies were developed based on the interview data. The analysis was enriched by the participation of 15 professionals from 14 organizations, primarily from Germany but also from Europe and the US.