How to turn your leaders into storytellers on Zoom and video

Your CEO is often the de facto spokesperson and figurehead of your organization. Whether or not they have the skill or desire for the role, they’re likely to find themselves being tapped for media interviews, speeches and other public appearances.

It’s up to us to get them ready.

During PR Daily’s 2022 Brand Storytelling Conference, Cheril Clarke, founder of Phenomenal Writing, and Ashley Brown, clinical communications senior strategist for Atrium Health, joined forces for a panel discussion on “Transforming Leaders Into Storytellers.”

Clarke started by challenging the idea that your CEO is always the best person to take up that torch.

“The best person to tell your story is whoever is the most knowledgeable, whoever is the most enthusiastic, whoever can bring the most authenticity to telling the story,” she explained. “A lot of times we default to the CEO, and that may be the best person, but sometimes it may not be.”

Brown agreed. In her healthcare-focused role, her team often find that the best person to share knowledge is from their physicians or care teams, based on their subject-matter expertise and the target audience. “Look at who is best for the media outlet and who has the appropriate knowledge and train them. It’s about the audience, really,” she advised.

Getting camera ready