Media Training

As a local and network news reporter, I conducted thousands of interviews over nearly two decades. Yet it was only after I made the leap into strategic and crisis communications that I fully appreciated the complex dynamic at play.

Going off script with journalists, in front of a live audience or on social media works just fine if, say, you’re a celebrity or politician (or both) who is expected to go off script and wing it, and you routinely benefit from making outrageous and provocative statements. How many senior executives, midlevel employees and new hires at brands fall into that category? One or two people, maybe, in the whole country. Everybody else needs media training in the workplace.

Conversing one-on-one reminds me of writing by hand—they’re both modes of communication that have been eroded by the electronic screens that are perpetually in front of our faces. There’s an important distinction to be made… Continued

It’s important for communicators to remain calm and collect the facts. In a situation where the CEO is the focus of media scrutiny, one way to do that is for communicators to play journalist and literally interview the CEO. Senior communicators should have the kind of relationship with the CEO where he or she can discuss things with communicators and confide in them.

“What your body says is as important as what your mouth says.”

Savvy communication professionals invest time thinking about the toughest business challenges their CEOs face, from outmaneuvering competitors to addressing operational vulnerabilities.

Well, it’s almost a wrap on 2016, and what a year it’s been. I’ll bet you thought those presidential primaries would never end. Perhaps that’s an exaggeration. It only feels like the last five weeks… Continued

With diversity becoming a major topic of conversation, brands are advised to keep abreast of the issue and perhaps join the conversation.

Despite the criticisms of The Golden Globes, they can make careers and brands; in addition there are several PR lessons we can learn from them.

The buzz surrounding this year’s Consumer Electronics Show was predictably ubiquitous and positive. Even the taxi driver who picked me up from the airport was talking drones and smart homes. Surely, when you have 170,000 people… Continued