A team’s output is so often affected by the number of team members. Yet this issue is seldom discussed. You need enough people for a good range of ideas, but not too many to bog down meetings with side issues. This article outlines the ideal number of team members.
It is available to you in a special Kindle collection of 12 top articles on communication campaigns for only $11.99 including tax. Click here to buy.
Read moreAs the business world becomes more complex, decision-making is becoming more complex as well. Just think of the complexities in dealing with risk, issue and crisis decision-making these days. And if you are a member of your organization’s executive team – a role requiring you to confront operational problems – many decisions would be even more complex and longer-term. So how can you use more innovative ways to reach solutions? Making tough decisions Various ...
Read moreMost managers and team leaders don’t know how to manage their staff well. Research consistently shows this. For instance, global surveys by Gallup performance management consultancy show that around 85% of all employees are not engaged or are actively disengaged at work. An astounding figure! Likewise, many senior communicators don’t know how to draw top performance from their staff. Gallup defines engaged employees as those who are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to ...
Read moreIf you want a high performing organization, you need to engage and inspire your middle managers. They are the key to employee engagement, according to research conducted for the UK Chartered Management Institute. But middle managers need good lines of communication from top management in order to engage their own staff. Unfortunately, good contact from the top happens far too rarely, according to a 2018 Gatehouse survey of employee engagement and internal communication. Poor ...
Read moreBuild the right team To develop your function's strategic communication capability, you need to bring together a team with the right knowledge and skills, with the potential to develop their capabilities. Your team needs to be across the use of digital technology and social media. Corporate communication and PR consulting both require plenty of energy, but that energy needs to be directed at the right level. It needs to start with taking a strategic ...
Read moreMost business people don’t understand the role of communicators; they usually just see the busy, visible, low-level PR activities, and don’t realize that strategic focus is hugely important to communication planning. This article explains powerful ways you can turn decision-makers’ focus from tactical to strategic for better results. It is available to you in a special Kindle collection of 12 top articles on communication campaigns for only $11.99 including tax. Click here to buy.
Read moreIn my rush of work recently I failed to follow up a couple of important meetings. Now I’m suffering the consequences because I tried to recall all the key points a month later – and couldn’t. Both meetings were exploratory with experts in two different fields, and both the experts and myself should have written and shared notes to ensure we were on the same wavelength. This frustration reminded me of some key advice ...
Read moreWhen we get promotion at work, life becomes more stimulating, challenging and complicated. One of the key aspects of our new role is how to handle the vital relationships with the people who were our peers and team mates. This difficult change can be managed successfully with some thought about the transition. Here are some points to work on: 1. Establish a balance between authority and familiarity Suddenly your relationship with your peers has ...
Read moreOne of the crucial tests of a communicator is winning the approval of senior management for a recommended strategy, whether it relates to communication or more general management issues. How to make a top strategy presentation A bullet proof way to present a strategy to top management and the executive committee is to work to the formula below. James Lukaszewski, one of the most experienced US PR consultants says it is proven in use. ...
Read moreMany PR managers find it difficult to understand management issues beyond the level of communication concerns. However, to be fully accepted by top management, you need to think like a manager, understand management issues from management’s perspective, talk like a manager (not use PR jargon) and to figuratively put yourself in the shoes of operational managers in looking at their problems. Above all, you are proactive and assertive, prepared to insist that PR should ...
Read moreBias may seem a vague concept for business, but people's biases cause massive errors in business decisions, including communication decisions.
Testimonials are a classic way to create perceptions of authentic value to customers and clients. Sample testimonial: Other thoughts for
Presenting to senior executives is a daunting proposition. They are extremely busy and have to make many decisions under