I was listening to an old Bonnie Raitt song the other day, ‘Have a Heart.’ And the lyrics really hit home in terms of executive thinking and communication (clearly NOT Bonnie’s intended audience). Check out her opening lines: “Hey! Shut up. Don’t lie to me. Hey! Mister, how do you do? Oh pardon me I thought I knew you. Would you stand back baby cause I want to get a better look.”

Here's a novel take: interpret the lyrics in light of what AIG’s CEO Edward Liddy said to Congress, and Bonnie’s words take on a WHOLE new light! Instead of "Have a Heart, " how about, "Have a see-through communication strategy." Well, that's not catchy enough for a Grammy or an MTV music video, but such a strategy might garner major kudos for an executive from his/her core constituents.

With Enron as a backdrop, and our current economic troubles, we now have a new landscape that demands disclosure and transparency of all business leaders. And not just windows into executive compensation, options and bonuses, but windows into CEO activities, initiatives, vision, strategies and major decisions. Let's get inside their heads and see how they think!

Let's call this new era, The Saran Wrap Age--a major see through into executive actions.


So how does an up-and-coming business leader become a "See Through" CEO and incorporate communication transparency into her/his daily activities? Does it mean opening the kimono to ALL executive business decisions and actions? Not necessarily. But for starters, we can follow the lead of CEO David Fox.

Jeff Elliott in his article, David Fox: Transparent Executive, highlights Mr. Fox's efforts to be a transparent leader. Mr. Fox is President of Good Samaritan Hospital in Illinois, and he is so committed to transparency that he publishes how well his own activities align to stated hospital goals. Performance metrics at saran wrap levels! Employees can actually track his job performance on their internal web site. Hats off to Mr. Fox and his dedication to communicating measurable performance objectives. Imagine if all executives did this!

This is a perfect starting point for all leaders who want to add more visibility into the C-level suite. Let your employees see how you measure up to your organization's stated goals or objectives or how you are aligning to you board's stated vision. Communicate your report card quarterly, as well as your plan for improvement. Don't your investors deserve this insight? It's not a plan for the weak of heart or those shy on principles. But it is a plan for leaders who want integrity to be their legacy. Let the saran wrap challenge begin!

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