Here's an idea -- do good work, and management will notice

In our last post, we talked about the importance of communicating results effectively to C-level executives who tend to have engineering or finance backgrounds.

Wanna know another way to gain management's respect?

Do good work.

I know it sounds simple. But anyone who's been in the agency business for any length of time knows that a top-flight communications function is pretty rare. Most companies barely scrape the surface of what they could be doing.

In fact, it's probably not a stretch to say that mediocrity rules the day when it comes to the communications function at many U.S. firms. There are reasons for that -- low expectations, small budgets, lack of sophistication, fear of making a mistake ... I could go on, but you get the point.

Many agencies aren't much help, with low-level, underpaid employees doing the bulk of the work. It's the inexperienced leading the uncomfortable.

In today's world, however, there's no reason for any company -- no matter the size -- to accept a mediocre communications effort. Inexpensive, effective tools are available to anyone, and more pop up all the time. All you have to do is put them to use -- outline what you want to accomplish, develop a plan, and start moving forward.

Here are some suggestions for getting management's attention:

• Do something. Too many communicators wait for the perfect moment or the perfect idea. Don't. Get started today. Measure and refine as you go.
• Start small. Don't go to the CEO with a multi-million dollar program right off the bat. Do what you can with the budget you have. When senior management sees you doing things right, they'll be more inclined to boost your funding.
• Set high standards for writing and design. Your communication vehicles are competing with mainstream media for time and attention. Quality is important. Push those who write for you to be more creative, more on message, more informative. Ease of reading is paramount.
• Find out what your CEO's biggest issues are, or what keeps him/her up at night. Then, develop a program to help solve the problem. There's often a disconnect between what the executive team needs and what the communications team is working on.
• Remember that it's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is for permission. If you're in charge of communications, be bold and do your job. Quit waiting for permission to communicate.
• Use your communication skills to build relationships with the key players in the organization -- HR, legal, operations, etc. Show them how you can help them be more effective.
• Hire the best people, and the best agency. Push them to be creative on your behalf. Expect new ideas, and be supportive when they produce.

The key here is that communicators -- whether they are internal or agency -- are paid to communicate. If you do -- and do so effectively -- the right people will notice.