by Jacqui | May 9, 2017 | Communication Strategy, Leadership
Values are the deep-seated beliefs under which each of us conduct our daily lives. To the best of my knowledge, corporations began articulating their values back in the seventies. In essence, the values of an organization should reflect their cultural norms and...
by Jacqui | May 2, 2017 | Communication Strategy
These days, communications people are almost always challenged to develop a social media strategy. Sometimes, that’s all clients actually want. I have a different take – I like a communications strategy that first and foremost identifies the “audience” for the...
by Jacqui | Apr 18, 2017 | Communication Strategy, Leadership
Leadership is difficult and when leaders want to steer their followers in a new direction or significantly change culture or processes, it requires careful thought. This point was driven home for me last week when I was working with a relatively new CEO who needs to...
by Jacqui | Apr 11, 2017 | Communication Strategy
From the very earliest days of my career, I have had a hand in doing consumer research. Back then, I learned the value of developing research that provides actionable insights. We agonized over the wording of questions, debated the value of asking certain questions,...
by Jacqui | Apr 4, 2017 | Communication Strategy
2017 seems to be my year to attend events and conferences. I have already attended four and have several more on the schedule. Events. Conferences. Seminars. Workshops. All have one thing in common – people who attend them. They are also complicated to do well and...
by Jacqui | Mar 28, 2017 | Communication Strategy
I am one of those people who is always looking for ways to do things better. It’s a disease with the status quo I caught in my days as a product development engineer that was fostered throughout my career at P&G over the next two decades. P&G could actually be...
by Jacqui | Mar 7, 2017 | Communication Strategy
There are two active states of communication; speaking and listening. When I think of speaking, I don’t just mean audible speech, I also mean the way in which a person or group presents itself to their audiences (potential “listeners”). Presentations, written memos,...
by Jacqui | Feb 21, 2017 | Communication Strategy
I am watching Canada’s Curling classic, The Scotties Tournament of Hearts, this week. Success in curling requires a high degree of technical skill but the top teams have another thing in common – strong communications within the team. Make the plan: Before each rock...
by Jacqui | Feb 7, 2017 | Communication Strategy
All of the chatter about branding lately seems to leave out an element that I see as key – style. Brands have a style whether by design or by happenstance. I prefer the former above the latter. Brand/visual identity The “printed” collaterals from an organization also...
by Jacqui | Nov 8, 2016 | Communication Strategy
Too often, I see people trying to manage every aspect of reputation without taking the step back to measure and evaluate what really matters to them or their organization. Strategy is about making choices. Effective reputational management strategies begin with an...
by Jacqui | Sep 20, 2016 | Communication Strategy
Throughout my career as a communications professional, I have steadfastly encouraged my clients – whether internal or external – to get the facts out. One of my good friends has always maintained that being truthful is not the same as going to confession. And of...
