Silent CEOs are leaving money on the table
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The first edition of this newsletter was titled, "Why every CEO needs to be a communicator," and if you're still not convinced four years later, chew on this…
- Fortune 500 companies with CEOs who communicate consistently and effectively average two to three times the returns of their peers, according to a recent analysis from Golin.
- A separate study by Cardinal40 found that high-quality CEO thought leadership can drive an average of $367 million in shareholder value in a single week.
Why it matters: Communications is delivering measurable financial impact at a time when it feels like most CEOs have gone radio silent.
Between the lines: Much of this silence stems from politicization and the reputational risks of wading in.
- As Jamie Dimon recently said on "The Axios Show," "CEOs aren't used to commenting on every single policy that comes out there. ... You can't comment on every little thing. And particularly when they make statements that you know they're going to modify later."
Reality check: Dodging policy discussions is nearly impossible given the impact tariffs, foreign affairs and regulation have had on U.S. businesses. How CEOs engage in Washington can now have direct implications for their reputations.
- According to Golin's analysis, CEOs perceived as aligning too closely with the Trump administration for business gain often saw net negative sentiment.
- Those who performed best took a narrower approach by engaging policymakers, attending White House meetings and advancing business priorities — while sticking to business-first language and avoiding ideological positioning.
- Of note, CEOs who took the position of walking back their company's DEI and sustainability commitments (68%) also saw a slip in sentiment scores.
What to watch: Artificial intelligence is shaping up to be the next messaging fault line.
- While 86% of Fortune 250 CEOs regularly reference AI, only half are viewed as credible on the topic.
- Those who connect AI to products, customer outcomes or workforce re-skilling have sentiment scores that are nearly four times higher than their peers.
- As the report notes, the gap is no longer between CEOs who talk about AI and those who don't — it's between those who can prove what they're doing and those who can't.
The big picture: In an effort to control the narrative, many CEOs are pulling back from traditional media and investing in owned channels by "going direct."
- Earned media impressions dropped by nearly 3 trillion year over year, and CEO participation in global forums and trade associations has also declined, per Golin's analysis.
- CEOs are showing up in commercials, launching podcasts and posting on Reddit.
The bottom line: CEOs aren't necessarily communicating less. They're just communicating differently.
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