By Michael Blanding for Harvard Business School Working Knowledge It’s a common experience in the workplace: You leave a meeting feeling good about the discussion and believe everyone is on the same page. “Then you meet with someone two days later, and you realize they’re not on the same page at all,” says Hanne Collins, […]
By Justin Bariso for Inc. How long should it take to respond to an email? I recently asked that question to thousands of connections on LinkedIn. I provided the following four options: A. Four hours or less B. One business day or less C. One business week or less D. None of these And the results were fascinating. […]
In the wake of the Uvalde school tragedy, the frequent call that “thoughts and prayers are not enough” resonated deeply. This sentiment underscores a growing numbness towards standardized expressions of empathy and compassion, which, while well-intentioned, often fall short in the face of real crisis. As these phrases become routine, their ability to truly address […]
Tony Jaques, Director of Issue Outcomes Pty Ltd, is both colleague and friend. Writing from Australia, he offers solid advice about when to speak – and when not to speak. Let’s see what he has to say… When you’re in the public spotlight over a high-profile issue, the first question is often: “What shall we […]
Sterling Miller’s latest blog post, “Ten Things: Having Hard Conversations Inside (and Outside) the Legal Department,” provides valuable insights that are applicable not only to legal professionals but also to a broader audience in various organizational settings. This piece, like many of Miller’s writings, transcends the boundaries of legal expertise, offering universally relevant advice on […]
From wildfires in Hawaii to hurricanes in Florida, and sweltering heat, ice storms, boil-water notices, tornadoes, and extended service outages everywhere in between, 2023 has provided many crises (or near crises) on which utility communicators must communicate. That’s why we sat down with Thomas Fladung (left), managing partner at Hennes Communications, a crisis communications firm, to assess the current state of […]
Since the tragic events of October 7, when innocent Israeli civilians were victims of Hamas terrorists’ actions, senior executives have faced the challenge of whether to say something on behalf of their organizations – and then what to say. As Bloomberg pointed out in a wide-ranging look at the issue, “Many companies won’t have a […]
Introduction by Thom Fladung, Hennes Communications As suppliers of essential services, utility firms are frequently on the front lines of controversies that can spark public outrage. And for public utility firms, the stakes are raised even higher. Effective communications are vital for utilities – to share important information on an ongoing basis, to keep the […]
By Mike McLean for PRNews Even the biggest companies aren’t entirely self-sustaining. They require a network of vendors and partners to grow and maintain their everyday operations, and with an extended network comes an extended realm of risk. Even with long-standing, trusted partners, you need to remember that their problems can become your own. In […]
By Kelly Lyons for Newsweek Everyone communicates differently—even in the workplace. According to Princeton University, there are four main communication styles: passive, passive-aggressive, aggressive and assertive. An assertive style generally leads to the most effective communication. But not everyone reacts the same in every interaction, so it’s best to learn how to work with team […]