Wanna know the secret to impressing your CEO?

When you work in communications, you often work with senior stakeholders. Commonly, you’ll need to go as high up as your CEO to get materials approved or to brief them for media opportunities.

It’s a great opportunity to build your reputation and learn from the best. To do this, you need to get it right, but remember, every interaction with an executive is a chance for personal growth and learning.

Here are some tips I have found helpful for hitting the mark with executives.

They have little time – Executives are busy people, so don’t expect that they will have the same amount of time as other stakeholders to meet with you or review work.

Don’t start a meeting or email with small talk; get right to what you need from them and the critical information they need to be across.

They have high expectations – Executives are used to dealing with senior staff who are experienced and skilled. They expect to see high-quality work. When I send something to an executive to approve, I aim for it to be strong enough that they don’t need to make significant changes.

Ensure you have consulted with a subject matter expert to ensure the material is factually correct, reviewing carefully to pick up any grammatical errors or typos and generally just taking a step back to pick up on anything that can be strengthened.

Consistency is key – If an executive knows what to expect from you, approvals will be smoother and quicker. I suggest using a template for the emails you send through so they follow the same format each time.

It’s also good to check with those who work closely with them, such as a business partner or executive assistant, to understand what works best when contacting them. Some executives like clear email subject lines, while others like a text at the same time as an email so they don’t miss them.

Have I missed anything? I’d love to hear your tips for how you put your best foot forward with executives.