Let’s debunk a myth today: managing up isn’t about sucking up. In our second installment of “In Your Corner,” our career coaching segment, Sharon and I dive deep into what it really means to “manage up” and why it’s a critical skill for communicators. Managing up effectively is about making your indispensability known—creating a symbiotic relationship that helps support your career as well as enhances your team’s success. We discuss: How understanding and aligning with your boss’s expectations and communication styles can dramatically improve your work relationship Practical examples from our ..read more

Let’s face it: The world of internal communications is anything but boring. If you’re anything like us, the thrill of navigating our ever-changing landscapes — like hybrid work, AI and channel management, to name a few — is what gets you up in the morning. That’s why we’re diving into the big picture of what’s shaking up our field and the cool trends that are shaping our work in 2024. In this episode, we’ll replay a recent Poppulo webinar, “Employee Trends for 2024,” featuring insights from Mark Dollins, President of North Star Communications Consulting, Ashley Tobin, Poppulo’s Director of Cus ..read more

“Let’s be careful out there.”  The line made famous by Hill Street Blues’ Sgt. Phil Esterhaus holds up 40 years later – just ask crisis expert Andy Gilman. In addition to his formal title – President and CEO of CommCore Consulting Group – Andy is the standard-bearer for communicators tasked with navigating sensitive issues.  In his fifth (!!) appearance on EE Voice, Andy joins us to take a look at the state of things in 2024 and advises us to prepare, prepare, prepare for potential crises. He urges communicators to “get the checklist going” and identify the events that may impac ..read more

Our work as communicators is always evolving – there’s no finish line to cross or book to close. And, because of that, many of us are guilty of forgetting to take time to reflect on lessons learned and consider how our work is changing. This year felt especially frenetic. The evolution of generative AI may have been the first talking point in many of our conversations, but that doesn’t come close to telling the whole story. Luckily, Sharon and I were able to discuss many of the industry’s hot topics with a few of the best minds in comms – highlighted in this episode. Here are some of our favor ..read more

A year ago, many communicators were unsure if generative artificial intelligence was going to have staying power in our industry. There have been supporters, detractors and plenty of folks who simply haven’t been able to wrap their heads around the technology. So, with accessible and evolving AI a reality, we’re left asking, “Now what?” “This is an opportunity to learn-and-lead versus wait-and-wonder,” our friend and colleague Mark Dollins says of AI in comms on this episode of EE Voice. Mark and his team at North Star Communications Consulting recently collaborated with the University of Miss ..read more

Introducing “In Your Corner” In boxing, competitors head to their stools in the fighter’s corner for one-minute respites between rounds. They try to catch their breath, have cuts tended to and receive instruction from their trainers, or “cornermen.” A good cornerman builds relationships with their competitors; they are reliable, identify any changing variables and build strategies geared toward competitors’ strengths. As an avid fan of boxing, my aim is to provide similar guidance to coaching clients looking to navigate their careers. During episodes of “In Your Corner,” Sharon Phillips and I ..read more

So much of our time as communicators is spent navigating uncharted territory – handling crises, adapting to emerging technology, etc. – that it’s easy to forget to take time to reflect. We recently received a great reminder to do just that from our friend and former Sears colleague, Barbara Rozgonyi. A pioneer of digital communications and the leader of CoryWest Media, Barbara joined us to discuss the current popularity of retro culture and how lessons from the past can help shape how we work moving forward. “It’s just really gives you a feeling that what was cool is still cool,” Barbara said ..read more

As communicators, we are often at our best while functioning as trusted advisors to executives, colleagues and other key business stakeholders. But trust isn’t gained overnight. How do you build trust for the long-term? Enter Jason Anthoine, the managing founder and “head honcho” of Audacity, a communications consultancy that helps companies inform, involve and inspire their employees by immersing themselves in businesses and absorbing as much as possible, from balance sheets and organizational goals to day-to-day operations. “We will never be able to understand what their world is like unless ..read more

Artificial intelligence (AI) is here, and no one is less surprised than Shel Holtz. So many of us know Shel from his 40-plus years as a consultant, speaker, blogger, author, and co-founder of the FIR Podcast Network, but it is his fascination with emerging technologies that make him the ideal person to discuss AI models like ChatGPT. “Mark my words,” Shel wrote in 2016, “Bots are coming to the workplace, to media relations, to public relations. They are coming just as surely as the web was going to completely disrupt the way communications was done a quarter century ago.” Now, w ..read more

In our first episode of the year, we look to unpack what’s going on and what lies ahead for communicators in 2023. To us, there’s no one better suited to discuss the present and future of executive communication than David Murray. In addition to being an expert communicator and accomplished author, David is the Executive Director of the Executive Communication Council, the head of the Professional Speechwriters Association and pens the popular communications blog, “Writing Boots.” We’re thrilled to have him back on EE Voice. During our conversation, David jests that this is “the first and only ..read more