The Chief Repeating Officer

If you want to win at transformations and creating competitive advantage

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.— George Bernard Shaw

Business leaders face a staggering reality: competitive advantages are short-lived, getting shorter, and big bets are required. But… many bold initiatives fail. This is the crux of the problem that Big Bet Leadership tackles. An often-overlooked leadership role that can significantly increase the odds of success—the Chief Repeating Officer.

The Leadership Challenge of Repetition

The failure rate of big initiatives like digital transformations, mergers, or innovation programs is alarmingly high. According to studies, 73% of enterprises fail to provide any business value from their digital transformations, and only 8.5% of megaprojects hit the mark on both cost and time. Many of these failures can be traced back to one common issue: leadership under-communicates key messages. Change agents typically under-communicate their vision by a factor of ten, according to Harvard’s John Kotter.

This is where the concept of the Chief Repeating Officer comes in. Leaders who repeat critical messages, priorities, and goals consistently foster alignment, clarity, and velocity within their teams. Big Bets often suffer from a "death by a thousand cuts"—small, unaddressed issues that build over time. Many of these cuts can be avoided if leaders ensure the right messages are heard, understood, and embedded into the organization’s DNA.

What Should Leaders Be Repeating?

The Big Bet Vector—a framework that keeps the focus on three critical aspects:

1. The Problem We Are Solving (The Why): Remind your teams why the initiative matters, ensuring that they are connected to the customer pain points or organizational challenges driving the Big Bet.

2. The Vision (The Where): Clearly articulate where you are headed, so teams stay aligned with the future state and desired outcomes.

3. The Value (Why It’s Worth It): Reiterate the upside for the organization, ensuring motivation remains high as challenges emerge.

These aren't just abstract ideas; they are the anchor points that will drive clarity and speed.

Repetition Drives Clarity and Alignment

In an era where velocity is everything, repeated communication acts as a catalyst. By establishing a communication cadence, leaders create a rhythm that drives home key messages. This practice ensures everyone is on the same page and moving forward with the same understanding.

Consider using stories to bring the message home. Facts wrapped in stories are 22 times more memorable than standalone statistics. When leaders consistently repeat their vision through memorable stories, they inspire their teams to stay aligned and move faster.

Share the Big Bet Chief Repeating Officer with your team and clients:

Big Bet Chief Repeating Officer

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No Empty Calories

This is what chief repeating officers do. They beat the communications drum with an appropriately short, crafted, outcome-oriented message to build and keep alignment and focus. The messages are not platitudes or jargon — they are not “empty calories.” No, these messages have meaning, definition, and consistency, and are part of a bigger story. — Page 93: Big Bet Leadership; Chapter 5 - Championship Habits

Onward!

John

About The Digital Leader Newsletter

John Rossman is a keynote speaker, innovation coach, and strategy advisor. The Digital Leader Newsletter is a weekly coaching session focused on customer-centricity, innovation, and strategy. We deliver practical theory, examples, tools, and techniques to help you build better strategies, plans, and solutions—but most of all, to think and communicate better.