Words That Work

Communicate Your Purpose, Your Profits and Your Performance

Val Wright

• Publisher: Kogan Page
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9781398603301
• eBook ISBN: 9781398603318
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Decision Making
• Index: Business

Challenge the 'business as usual' rhetoric and create a stronger narrative in today's purpose-driven society with Words That Work. When a Broadway or West End show opens on its first night, everyone knows their lines. When it's time for the Super Bowl, the Olympics or World Cup, the athletes have prepared with precision. Yet in board rooms, company away days and conferences around the world, repeatedly leaders are starting off badly when millions in revenue are at stake. The most successful executives know that they need to invest their time in preparing in a thoughtful and intentional way to continuously improve their knowledge and communication skills so that they can effectively lead their organizations. Words That Work will help leaders benefit from the strategies, language and tools of CEOs who know how to speak the right language at the right time. But Words That Work does more than that. It calls on leaders to challenge the 'usual' business conversations. Val Wright turns a number of familiar communication approaches on their head, and shows the reader how to question, contest and change traditional language skilfully and persuasively.

Index

Page numbers in italic indicate figures or tables

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 countdown 36–37, 39

7 Minutes of Gratitude Revealed 97

Adobe 76–77

advisory board, personal see Executive Power Circle

Air New Zealand 72–74

Amazon 4, 144

Amazon Prime 60

“backbone” 6

Fyre Festival documentary 6

hiring practices 24

public disagreement 63

Technical Advisor role 68

written communication 83

ambivalence 57

Amdur, Meredith 127

anger, managing 101, 104–06

and curiosity 104

venting vs complaining 105–06

“Anita Effect”, the 24–25, 26

Apple 93

iPod 68

asensei 75–77

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) 14, 83

bad reactions 20

Baskerville, Tim 127

Belkin International 93, 94

Benchmark 126

Bezos, Jeff 60

Big Little Lies 1

Black Entrepreneurs Day 98

Black Lives Matter 82

BMW 4, 17

board of directors, your 121–28

challenges 128

connections, leveraging 124

exit plan, clarifying the 122

Fueling Your Powerful Board 126, 126

governance 126

relationship, cultivating a 127

reputations, online 124–25

strategy, aligning the 122–23

suggestions, tracking 123–24

what success looks like 128

Boeing 126

BrainCo Dexus 90

Brain Robotics 90

Brilliant Business Case & Rapid Scoping Plan 83, 84–86

Burnett, Mark 97–98

business case, writing a 82–87

Brilliant Business Case & Rapid Scoping Plan 83, 84–86

Canada Goose 93

Canales, Rachel 14

celebrating memories 161–62

change curve 65

change, handling 46

Change Tornado, the 64–67, 65

crucial phases of change 65–66, 66

Chauvin, Derek 82

Chief of Staff role 68–69

Clarke, Andrew

Contagious Truth Telling 10–11, 13

inspiring, being 125

phoenix emblem 11...

Table of contents

• List of Figures and Tables
• About the Author
• Acknowledgments
• Preface
• 01 Creating a Company of Truth Tellers
• 02 Setting the Right Hurdle Height
• 03 Getting Others to Cooperate
• 04 Creative Internal Communications
• 05 Customers at the Heart of Your Company
• 06 It’s a Lovely Day for a Moonshot
• 07 How to Love Your Anger and Other Emotions
• 08 Taking the Boredom Out of Your Board of Directors
• 09 Turning Investor and Media Interactions to Your Advantage
• 10 Creating Your Perfect Executive Launch
• 11 Creating Your Playbook for Success
• Appendix: Quotes
• Index