FIR Podcast Network

During the past 12 months, the PR industry faced a reckoning around its lack of racial diversity, especially in leadership. While the industry has mostly fallen short on immediate goals, many agencies have made tangible commitments to do better with metrics, targets, and deadlines. According to PRovoke Media, most of these commitments are around recruitment and retention, but not around pay equity. In 2017, a PRovoke survey showed a discouraging pay gap that favored white men by more than $6,000 over all others.

Four years later, the numbers, unfortunately, don’t fare much better, which is precisely what we are going to discuss on this week’s episode of the Spin Sucks podcast.

Resources Included:

* PRovoke Media

* PRovoke survey

* Spin Sucks Blog Post: The Communications Industry is Not Free From Diversity Issues

* Great Resignation

* Sixth Annual Women in the Workplace Report

* Spin Sucks Blog Post: The Burden of Women “Having It All” In a Post-COVID World

#735: Vaishali Nikhade and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Leverage intuition for business to move forward. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Vaishali Nikhade (https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaishalinikhade/), business strategist, speaker, psychic, and host of the podcast, “The Uncanny Link.” She is a left brain engineer with solid background from Standard Microsystems, Level One and Intel who transitioned to being a right brain psychic where she combines physics and metaphysics in her readings.

Vaishali is a go-to expert for entrepreneurs and business owners who would like to see and take control of their future in order to avoid confusion, panic and uncertainty.

If you are a business owner who wants more, consider reaching out to Vaishali Nikhade by visiting her websites https://theuncannylink.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/valishalinikhade/.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Business owners that want more should reach out to Vaishali Nikhade. https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaishalinikhade/

* Do you find yourself hitting walls? Like you’re not doing the right thing? I can help you find a key or path to move forward in your business. #UncannyLink https://theuncannylink.com/

* I can guide you in transitioning from your autopilot mode of doing business where you’re feeling stuck to a state where you can be profitable. #UncannyLink https://www.llinkedin.com/in/vaishalinikhade/

* My role is to show you what decisions you are making and how to get out of doing the same things over and over only to get the same results. #UncannyLink https://theuncannylink.com/

* I can predict your future by opening your eyes to what kind of opportunities you can get in step with in terms of your cash flow and profit. #UncannyLink https://theuncannylink.com/

To view the video interview click here.

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, visit https://thoughtleaderlife.com/.

The annual CMO Spend Survey from Gartner is available and…well…it’s not pretty. Marketing budgets, as a proportion of company revenue, have fallen from 11% in 2020 to 6.4% in 2021, their lowest point in the history of this survey. 

As well, pure-play digital channels account for 72.2% of the total marketing budget, with CMOs indicating that they’re shifting offline budgets into digital spend and 29% of work that was previously carried out by external agencies has been moved to in-house teams during the last 12 months. 

CMOs have focused in-house efforts on high-value, strategic capabilities such as brand strategy, innovation, and technology. The survey captures a snapshot of marketing’s budget, spending, and strategic priorities. It finds CMOs at a difficult juncture — budgets and resources are constrained, but marketing needs to demonstrate how it can support the enterprise’s growth and transformation ambitions.

It’s kind of depressing news, but at the same time, there are tons of opportunities in here if you’re willing to look at it a bit differently, which is what we are going to discuss on this week’s episode of the Spin Sucks podcast.

Resources Included:

* CMO Spend Survey from Gartner

* Spin Sucks Community

* New Yorker Article

* Spin Sucks Blog Post: What Kellogg Can Teach You About Marketing During a Global Pandemic

* Spin Sucks Blog Post: What’s in Store for Communicators for the Rest of 2021

#734: Eileen McDargh and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Optimize human energy to build resilience in the workplace and in life. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Eileen McDargh (https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileenmcdargh/), CEO of Resiliency Group, internationally recognized keynote speaker, master facilitator, award-winning author with expertise on resiliency and leadership.

Eileen is passionate in inspiring people to unleash the energy that brings their best selves forward by building resilience, inspiring hope, and finding joy in the process. Her life mission is to transform the life of work and the work of life through conversations that matter and connections that count.

If you or your team has lost energy or you’re part of a team who has lost energy, consider reaching out to Eileen McDargh by visiting her websites https://www.eileenmcdargh.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileenmcdargh/.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Teams that have lost their energy should reach out to Eileen McDargh. https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileenmcdargh/

* The hallmark of #Resiliency is energy. I can work with you and your team to find out 1) what depletes your energy, and 2) what gives you energy, both individually and collectively and start from there. https://www.eileenmcdargh.com/

* My role is to provide you with a better way to craft work and life by design and not by default that creates lasting positive impact in both your work and life. #Resiliency https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileenmcdargh/

* I can teach you how to create an energy connection that results in positive change and strong leadership. #Resiliency https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileenmcdargh/

* With my guidance, I can help you cultivate radical #Resiliency to live a life of balance and purpose in this changing world. https://www.eileenmcdargh.com/

To view the video interview click here.

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, visit https://thoughtleaderlife.com/.

The August installment of The Hobson & Holtz Report includes reports on these stories:

* Whatever it turns out to be, the metaverse is absolutely coming as the next iteration of the internet

* An update on NFTs: They have more staying power than we originally predicted

* Unpacking the vicious cycle of anger, hostility, and outrage on social networks

* Internal communicators need to get more involved in how managers manage

* Shades of Dooced! How a boss discovering a secret blog changed an employee at a company in Belgium

Our FIR recording sessions are now being streamed live, because why not? We already stream it in order to capture a backup recording on YouTube; we’ve just been making these restricted streams. We have decided to make them public so you can watch and comment. Our next recording is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, September 22 at noon ET. You’ll see our pre-recording conversation as well as seeing how the sausage gets made. Watch live here.

(You can watch the video of the making of this episode, though it’s clearly too late to share comments we can read right into the show.)

We are hosting an FIR Communicators Zoom Chat each Thursday during the stay-at-home period at 1 p.m. ET. For credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly or request the credentials in our Facebook group or send an email to [email protected].

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Neville’s link blog, Outbox, is available, as well.

Host Notes

* Neville is participating in an “unhurried conversation” with Johnny Moore about social warming, a topic covered in this episode of FIR: “Is technology making us too vehement? How can we steer away from instant outrage online?” Join Neville and Johnny at 11 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday, September 1, and join in the conversation. Register for free

* On Wednesday, August 25, Shel will join cybersecurity and ransomware extortion expert JD Myers to discuss the chilling, widespread impact of cybersecurity threats. We’ll also share expert advice for strategic preparation to mitigate risk, and communication tactics should the worst-case scenario occur. Learn how professional communicators and executives can prepare for impact as the threat of ransomware extortion increases at a pandemic frenzy worldwide. Hosted by IABC DC Metro, this Zoom event is free to IABC members and $10 for non-members. Register

* Join Shel’s internal communication BEAM (a short-form social audio service)

Links from This Month’s Episode

* Wikipedia’s entry on the metaverse

* What is the metaverse? 2 experts explain

* Facebook launches VR remote work app, calling it a step to the ‘metaverse’

* Mark in the Metaverse: Facebook’s CEO on why the social network is becoming ‘a metaverse company’

*

We have an exciting and different sort of program this month to the Circle of Fellows.

During the recent IABC World Conference, Brad Whitworth and Mark Schumann led a highly rated interactive session that examined how we use time to positively impact worlds we hope to change, lives we want to touch, and differences we need to make. Brad and Mark reprised much of that session — joined by Alice Brink and Jane Mitchell — as the five of us discussed what we are doing with our time.

Here’s how Brad and Mark describe the conversation: “We fill our days fighting the realities of time. Maybe it’s time to stop the clock, take time to reflect, and recommit to what we contribute to make ours a better world.”

The two unveiled the first draft of a “time manifesto” that emerged from the session at the conference. The August Circle of Fellows participants will be invited to contribute their ideas to this living crowd-sourced document and will receive a copy of the manifesto afterward. (Send your contributions to [email protected].)

About the panel

Alice Brink is an internationally recognized communications consultant. Her firm, A Brink & Co., works with businesses and non-profits to clarify their messages and communicate them in ways that change people’s minds. Her clients have included Shell Oil Company, Sysco Foods, and Noble Energy. Prior to launching A Brink & Co. in Houston in 2004, Alice honed her craft both in corporate settings (including The Coca-Cola Company, Conoco, and First Interstate Bank) and in one of Texas’ largest public relations firms, where she led the agency’s energy and financial practices.  Alice has been active in IABC for more than 30 years, including serving as chapter president, district director, and Gold Quill chair. She is the vice-chair of the IABC Academy.

Jane Mitchell’s career began at the BBC in London on live TV programs. She moved on to producing award-winning films and videos for public and private sector organizations and developed groundbreaking employee engagement programs. Since 2006 when she formed her own consultancy, she now guides organizations, (some of which have experienced cultural trauma), with embedding values and ethics through understanding culture and leadership and their link to high-performing sustainable organizations. She has worked with Top 100 companies across the world, is a regular conference speaker and writer, and is a Director of two highly successful UK-based agencies. Jane has been a member of IABC since 2008 and has had the privilege of serving on local, regional, and International IABC Boards. She is currently Chair of the 2021 World Conference and was awarded the honor of IABC Fellow in March.

Mark Schumann is the former Vice President of Culture at Sabre and the co-author of Brand from the Inside and Brand for Talent. Before joining Sabre, he was Director of Graduate Communication Studies at the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College in New York City, as well as a managing principal and global communication practice leader at Towers Perrin. He served as IABC’s chair in 2009-2010 and is the winner of 17 Gold Quill awards.

Brad Whitworth is a veteran communicator and communication coach at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Brad was most recently a communication manager at Hitachi Vantara. Before that, he was an executive communication manager at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and senior communication manager at Cisco Systems. Before Cisco, Brad led communication programs at HP, PeopleSoft, and AAA. He earned undergraduate degrees in both journalism and speech at the University of Missouri and an MBA at Santa Clara University. A former broadcaster, Brad has made more than 300 presentations to executives, communicators, and university classes around the world. Brad has a long history with IABC, including serving as chairman of the international board and pr...

A recent quarterly survey by Propel shows that journalists tend to open most of the pitches they receive later than one might expect. The majority of pitches are opened at 11 a.m. Overall, pitch opens are concentrated heavily in the first half of the day, before 1 p.m.

It also demonstrates that it can take quite a number of pitches in general, before you are likely to receive a response. The information in the results is helpful and interesting, but there is one thing about it that bothers me.

Which is precisely what we are going to discuss on this week’s episode of the Spin Sucks podcast—the helpful information, along with the piece I can’t get my brain around.

Resources Included

* Quarterly Survey by Propel

* PESO Model

#732: Matthew Russo and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Drive scalable business results towards growth. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Matthew Russo (https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewrusso/), the CMO/COO of Gimbal.

An experienced digital marketer and operator with a proclivity towards helping people in utilizing digital systems, Matthew Russo helps companies build successful scalable operations for motivated individuals and well-aligned processes. He manufactures tools that translate location data into intent, measurement, and analytics to help organizations reshape their businesses.

If you have an organization that is yearning for incredible internal and external experiences, it is best to reach out to Matthew Russo by visiting his website at https://gimbal.com/ or his LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewrusso/.

Here are several AHA messages from this episode:

* Organizations that are desiring incredible internal and external experiences should reach out to Matthew Russo. #Business https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewrusso/ @MatthewRusso

* I’ve had the opportunity to lead hundreds of employees across dozens of departments, marketing operations, and product manufacturing. And to date, we have served well over 10,000 clients, including advertisers. #Business https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewrusso/ @MatthewRusso

* What I found over the years is that if you want to build a great company and a great product, you obviously need really great people! #Business https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewrusso/ @MatthewRusso

* I’ve helped #Businesses build and rebuild detailed forecasts and plans, create our marketing strategies, business models, financial projections, product roadmaps, you name it. It’s really about translating ideas into action! https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewrusso/ @MatthewRusso

* If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together! #Business https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewrusso/ @MatthewRusso

To view the video interview click here.

#733: Tony Martignetti and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Stay inspired and connected to your true purpose. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Tony Martignetti (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonymartignett1/), trusted leadership adviser, entrepreneur, idea generator, and people connector. He also hosts The Virtual Campfire Podcast sharing powerful lessons learned from leaders in their transformation journey.

Tony elevates leaders and equips them with the tools to navigate through change and unlock their true potential. He is passionate in helping people live a life of inspired purpose.

To learn more about getting out of feeling unfulfilled despite your accomplishments, consider reaching out to Tony Martignetti by visiting his websites https://www.inspiredpurposecoach.com/ and

#730: Omar L. Harris and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Providing servant leadership principles to organizations to gain more employment engagement. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Omar L. Harris (https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarlharris/). He is the Founder and Managing Partner at Intent Consulting. He is also a Motivational Speaker, High Performance Leadership Coach, and an author.

Omar helps companies align their WHY with HOW they make these intentions live for employees and customers. We believe that enhancing innovation, strategic alignment, efficiency, employee productivity, and sustainability are the keys to long-term financial performance.

If you recognize that your employee engagement is not only where you needed to be but it’s rapidly declining, you should reach out to Omar L. Harris by visiting his website at https://www.omarlharris.com/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarlharris/.

Here are a couple of AHA messages from this episode:

* Organizations with a rapidly declining #EmployeeEngagement should reach out to Omar L. Harris by visiting his website at https://www.omarlharris.com/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarlharris/

* #EmployeeEngagement is actually happening to the lens of leaders. So really helping leaders from members that they’re leading for people and not for their own ego. https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarlharris/

* Having to show up and be an example every single day for what I stand for in terms of servant leadership principles, so that people could buy my credibility as a leader in order for me to help do their best. #EmployeeEngagement https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarlharris/

* We’re helping leaders lean more towards servant leadership principles, then toxic leadership principles. #EmployeeEngagement https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarlharris/

* As a general manager, having to show up and be an example every single day for what I stand for. #EmployeeEngagement https://www.linkedin.com/in/omarlharris/

To view the video interview click here.

#731: Peter Quayle and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Supporting business owners with an unbiased perspective to make a difference to their lives. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Peter Quayle (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-quayle/). He is the Business Owner of The Alternative Board. He helps business owners through challenging and expansive times using coaching and peer boards.

He works with successful business owners who are tired of wasting time and money from advisors and consultants and who feel that their current practices are not elevating their businesses to the next level. He brings together CEOs, owners and presidents of non-competing companies to meet in groups of 6 – 10 members for one morning a month in a relaxed, confidential setting to discuss issues and opportunities.

If you recognize that you’re in the right geographical area, you should reach out to Peter Quayle by visiting his website at https://www.thealternativeboard.com/st-paul or https://www.

A couple of weeks ago, a friend forwarded a post from a colleague that said she was in a meeting where the CEO said that most engineers consider most PR people call girls. And another exec piped in with something along the lines of it actually being the PR pros who hire the call girls.

I’m glad I wasn’t in that meeting. There would be a former client with a broken nose.

(I also recognize that sometimes stuff like that happens and you’re so shocked, you don’t really absorb it all until later. But I’d still want to break the guy’s nose.)

But y’all. This is 2021. We work with a bunch of engineers for a couple of clients and if I EVER heard them snicker like this behind our backs, there would be hell to pay. Not to mention the jerk executives repeating it.

The fact that the PR industry STILL has such a bad reputation is disgusting. And that is what we are going to discuss on this week’s episode of the Spin Sucks podcast.

Resources Included

* The Economist

* PESO Model

* Spin Sucks Community