Effective Executive Speaking

I recently read an article that said, 'speak, present and communicate with poise and persuasion.'

Effective speaking ability distinguishes one executive from another. Speaking effectively is a critical component of every executive's success but how much of that expectation is being pushed down? 

Are executive teams arming their talent (who speaks on behalf of them everyday) with the skills necessary to communicate the organization's message effectively?

Do we know what our employees are communicating to our customers?
Is it in line with our mission and vision?
Do you have the tiniest fear that your customers or potential clients are being disrespected, treated unfairly or being turned away?

Truth is, many executives don't know if their staff are prepared to communicate effectively on behalf of the organization or business. They are sometimes 3-5 positions removed from the staff with direct contact to the customers being served. When things are moving smoothly at the top or negotiations are happening on behalf of the entire organization, this is not really a major consideration.  It is not until the overall impact of bad communication hits us, that we realize the problem is real.

What questions should your talent management team be asking?
How are you evaluating our communication systems?
Are you leaving this up to chance?