There's a right way and a wrong way to convey important information to your fellow executives. Our expert offers three things to keep in mind. How do I effectively communicate with my leadership-level peers?Always plan your communication; never wing it. Planning helps you be purposeful and increase your chances of achieving the results you seek. Take five minutes to plan your message with a few simple steps. First: Determine your high-level business outcome. Next: Consider your audience and where they’re coming from. The more you know about someone, the better you can influence them and move them to action. Then: Choose the right method to communicate. I recommend face-to-face or voice-to-voice when possible because you get immediate feedback. Finally: Know what you’ll do if your time is cut short. If you have half an hour for your meeting, be ready to present in 15 or even 5 minutes.Sometimes send a fact sheet in advance of an important conversation, especially when detailed information is critical to making an informed decision. This is especially important for CEOs who make decisions based more on facts than feelings. Also, there are times when an outside perspective is valuable to build your case. Often a consultant can deliver a tough message more easily.Never make things up. The higher you get in an organization, the more you need truth tellers around you, and the fewer there are. There’s great power and credibility in honesty. And never delay, holding out for absolutely all the information–especially when delivering bad news. By then it will be too late. Someone is going to fill the communication vacuum with their messaging instead of yours, and you’ll be on the defensive. David Grossman is CEO of The Grossman Group, a strategic leadership development and internal communication consultancy. Related content brandpost Sponsored by Freshworks When your AI chatbots mess up AI ‘hallucinations’ present significant business risks, but new types of guardrails can keep them from doing serious damage By Paul Gillin Dec 08, 2023 4 mins Generative AI brandpost Sponsored by Dell New research: How IT leaders drive business benefits by accelerating device refresh strategies Security leaders have particular concerns that older devices are more vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. By Laura McEwan Dec 08, 2023 3 mins Infrastructure Management case study Toyota transforms IT service desk with gen AI To help promote insourcing and quality control, Toyota Motor North America is leveraging generative AI for HR and IT service desk requests. By Thor Olavsrud Dec 08, 2023 7 mins Employee Experience Generative AI ICT Partners feature CSM certification: Costs, requirements, and all you need to know The Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification sets the standard for establishing Scrum theory, developing practical applications and rules, and leading teams and stakeholders through the development process. By Moira Alexander Dec 08, 2023 8 mins Certifications IT Skills Project Management Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe