Internal communication engages your employees and helps ensure they focus their efforts on activities that produce business results. External communication engages your stakeholders and customers, builds your reputation, and sets expectations. When both are clicking, employees are connected to the marketplace and customers interact with employees. Four IABC Fellows discussed the blurring of the lines between internal and external communications on Thursday, June 18, 2020.

About the panel

Priya Bates is a senior communication executive who provides strategic internal communication counsel in order to ensure leaders, managers, and employees understand the strategy, believe in the vision, act in accordance with the values, and contribute to business results. She is president of Inner Strength Communications in Toronto and previously served as senior director of Internal Communications at Loblaw Companies Limited.

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.

Jim Shaffer is a business adviser, leadership coach, author, and speaker. As leader of the Jim Shaffer Group, he helps organizations accelerate results through superior strategy execution. The Jim Shaffer Group creates hard business results by translating the business strategy to the people who need to implement it, aligning systems, processes, and culture to make the gains sustainable. The firm has improved quality, service, sales, safety, turnover, productivity, speed and costs with some returns exceeding more than 1,600 percent. He designed and produced the IABC Academy courses, “Managing Communication to Drive Results and Value” and “How to Add Value as a Strategic Adviser”. Some of his clients have included: Hallmark, ConAgra Foods, FedEx, IBM, Marriott, Mayo Clinic, Verizon, Owens Corning, Pfizer, and Toyota.

Angela Sinickas is the founder of Sinickas Communications, which has worked with companies, organizations, and governments in 32 countries on six continents. Her clients include 25% of the Forbes Top 100 largest global companies. Before starting her own consulting firm, she held positions from editor to vice president in for-profit and government organizations and worked as a senior consultant and practice leader at Hewitt and Mercer. She is the author of a manual, How to Measure Your Communication Programs (now in its third edition), and chapters in several books. Her 150+ articles in professional journals can be found on her website,www.sinicom.com. Her work has been recognized with 21 international-level Gold Quill Awards from IABC, plus her firm was named IABC Boutique Agency of the Year in 2015. She holds a BS degree in Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MS in Leadership from Northeastern University.

#363: Jerry Phillips and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Stand out from the competition with consistent revenue and profit performance delivered by rock star talents. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Jerry Phillips (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-phillips-6818201/), a consultant, business coach, author, speaker, and president of NineRuns, which helps companies optimize and maximize their performance by driving behavioral change and developing sales professionals.

Jerry helps companies who want to improve their sales teams’ revenue and profit. He has extensive experience — from conceptualization to implementation of solutions and processes that are innovative — because he’s worked with sales and marketing organizations such as Black & Decker/DeWalt, Grainger, and Cold Spring.

Whether you’re in a small or big company and are looking for support and services to help you hire rock stars, reach out to Jerry Phillips by visiting his website, https://www.nineruns.com/, and going to https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-phillips-6818201/.

Here are a few AHA messages from this episode:

* Companies struggling to find talent — great rock stars — who are high-value assets in any role should reach out to Jerry Phillips. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-phillips-6818201/

* My role to you is to be an example of a servant leader with a supply of innovative action plans in recruiting and operational processes for consistent and predictable performance of your team. #RockStarTalent https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-phillips-6818201/

* Customer referrals, success stories, and businesses built over the years all give me the credibility to provide you support and counsel to successfully scale up your team with #RockStarTalents. https://www.nineruns.com/

* What drives success for your new talent? With that premise defined, I can mentor you on identifying the core competencies that you are looking for and aligning them with the must-have values in your company. #RockStarTalent https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-phillips-6818201/

* Having a “hire the next president” mentality can change the game in finding talent. When you have this in mind, you are invested in developing these #RockStarTalents further, from recruitment to onboarding. https://www.nineruns.com/

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

 

#364: Molly Mandelberg and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Progress to more influence, impact, and revenue with smart systems, strategies, and technology. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Molly Mandelberg (https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-mandelberg/), a tech-savvy strategist and creation coach. She helps coaches and healers tackle the technology and create the content to magnetize and engage their soulmate clients to their business.

Molly is passionate about helping her clients get their magic out to the world through creating hot content, setting up and integrating their email automation, and/or creating sales funnel to attract their target market and scale their business, so they can experience freedom and increased revenue with more ease. She especially helps other women focus their efforts to thrive in their creative businesses...

This week’s FIR Zoom Chat included a discussion of IABC’s virtual 2020 conference and the viability of virtual conferences in general.

The role of the communicator is to adapt, to change, and to evolve…and never before now has that been more true.

Things are changing at lightning speed—one day you decide on a plan and messaging and it changes six hours later.

It’s a lot and we all have to figure out what to do and say on a dime.

As well, what people expect from their communicators is changing almost as fast.

Your executives or clients don’t always know what or how or when—but they expect you do—and you should.

We’ve talked a lot internally, with clients, and with other communicators about the need right now to add to our skill sets.

Not only do we have to keep up with current events and work to stay top-of-mind without seeming tone deaf, we have to learn and use everything new that comes along—or be able to make the decision you don’t have to use everything new that comes along. 

To boot, the PESO Model is fluid!

It’s adaptable!

It evolves with us!

And, right now in a world where everything feels like it’s on fire, we need a process that allows us to adapt with the times.

The PESO Model does that…and more.

That’s what we’re talking about on this week’s Spin Sucks podcast episode.

Links Mentioned In This Episode

* Spin Sucks (the book)

* Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business

* Built to Sell

* PR Pros Must Embrace the PESO Model

* Spin Sucks Community

* PESO Model Certification

#359: Dr. Susan Duffy and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Move from your now to your next through an environment where you can build self-efficacy. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Dr. Susan Duffy https://www.linkedin.com/in/SusanGDuffy/, an entrepreneurial educator, coach, and angel investor.

Susan is an advocate for gender equality as a driver of social and economic growth.

If you have the superpower of self-awareness and need to get somewhere else but don’t know the steps from A to B, reach out to Dr. Susan Duffy at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/SusanGDuffy/.

Here are a few AHA messages from this episode:

* Professional women all over the world know they’re ready for their next big thing. They just don’t know how to get from point A to point B. They should reach out to Dr. Susan Duffy at https://www.linkedin.com/in/SusanGDuffy/. #EntrepreneurialEducator

* We help women catapult from their now to their next. We do that by creating environments where they, from a technical standpoint, can build self-efficacy. #EntrepreneurialEducator https://www.linkedin.com/in/SusanGDuffy/

* We create an environment for women to get that sense in their gut that they know what it takes to go forward and that they have what it takes. #EntrepreneurialEducator https://www.linkedin.com/in/SusanGDuffy/

* We keep social anxiety down and psychological safety up, creating an environment where women are around people like them. #EntrepreneurialEducator https://www.linkedin.com/in/SusanGDuffy/

* We empower, educate, and inspire women with role models and skill sets, creating an environment and a community that launches them into their next big thing. #EntrepreneurialEducator https://www.linkedin.com/in/SusanGDuffy/

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

 

#360: Lynnea Hagen and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Build an organization that inspires the soul and see increased profits and productivity. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert Lynnea Hagen https://www.linkedin.com/in/LynneaHagen/, a best-selling author, international speaker, high ground leadership consultant, radio host, and success strategist.

Lynnea’s mission is to build profits, productivity, and people by building organizations that inspire the soul.

If you’re in a company of less than $20 million and you’ve hit the wall or been stuck at the same revenue level, reach out to Lynnea Hagen at https://www.linkedin.com/in/LynneaHagen/.

Here are a few AHA messages from this episode:

* Businesses of $20 million or less that are stuck but want to move forward should reach out to Lynnea Hagen at https://www.linkedin.com/in/LynneaHagen/. #SuccessStrategist

* What I provide is clarity, guidance, a kick in the butt, and support for people to move forward and get out of their own way, as well as strategies for business. #SuccessStrategist https://www.linkedin.com/in/LynneaHagen/

* I do one-on-one coaching with the leader or sometimes, with the managers whom they want to groom into being leaders. #SuccessStrategist

#355: Dr. Flo Falayi and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Become an effective leader by discovering your purpose and calling. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert, Dr. Flo Falayi (https://www.linkedin.com/in/drflofalayi/), a dynamic leadership expert, business advisor, management consultant and executive coach. He helps leaders and organizations to unionize and maximize disruptions.

As a leadership coach, Dr. Flo speaks at conferences and advises leaders and private, public and nonprofit organizations on culture, leadership excellence, business success, youth empowerment, change, national development and capacity development. He is focused on identifying, raising and developing the next generation of global leaders and entrepreneurs and is rooted in his doctoral research.

If you are questioning your effectiveness as a #Leader, you should consider reaching out to Dr. Flo Falayi by visiting his website http://www.flofalayi.com and going to https://www.linkedin.com/in/drflofalayi/.

Here are a few AHA messages from this episode:

* #Leaders who are questioning their effectiveness should reach out to Dr. Flo Falayi. http://www.flofalayi.com @DrFloFalayi

* The irony is that many #Leaders who successfully run huge orgs often question if what they are doing is impactful. They question themselves, their work and everything around them. http://www.flofalayi.com @DrFloFalayi

* #Leaders who are questioning their effectiveness, in many instances, are really not living in the center of their purpose and calling. I can help you to discover, develop and deploy your purpose and calling. http://www.flofalayi.com @DrFloFalayi

* #Leaders can greatly benefit from the discovery of their true selves. I can work with you to uncover to the world who you are. https://www.linkedin.com/in/drflofalayi/

* I am a Forbes Certified Executive Coach and have a PhD in Organizational Leadership. That gives me the perceived credibility to help #Leaders find their purpose and effectiveness. https://www.linkedin.com/in/drflofalayi/

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

 

#356: Manny Wolfe and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Monetize your success by sharing your empowering message from the stage. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert, Manny Wolfe (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannyprofile/), founder and owner of The Personal Brand Incubator (Opus Speakers LLC), founder and CEO of 1000 Speakers Academy and Leadership Consultant at Emmanuel Wolfe Coaching for thirteen years.

Manny supports visionary leaders who want to speak but don’t have the time to deal with all the details. He’s passionate about bringing more clients and more money to his connections and the people he mentors.  With the right interaction, training and audience, he sets them up for stage and speaking engagements that have real actual value.

If you’re a coach or an author who doesn’t want to learn sales but wants to monetize the impact of your services, consider reaching out to Manny Wolfe by visiting his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/manny.wolfe1 and going to https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannyprofile/.

#351: Duane Morrow and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Adapt to a new normal by simplifying complicated situations and having an extremely positive outlook on life. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert, Duane Morrow (https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanemorrow/), a business leader, consultant, advisor and board member of Shepherd Center and Blazesports America. He also has leadership roles in similar organizations which show that he’s a serial winner and survivor. He has overcome ten near-death experiences and ten surgeries and he is a strong and elite wheelchair athlete.

Duane broke his neck during a rugby match in 2004 while living and working in England and it paralyzed him from the chest down. That did not stop him at all and, in fact, while his life changed, he learned to adapt and even continued his passion for sports in both leisure and competition. He’s a self-taught expert in peer support, therapy, emerging technologies and adaptive sports.

If you, or someone you know, haven’t gotten over a traumatic injury and need support to find a new normal, consider reaching out to Duane Morrow by visiting his website https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanemorrow/ and calling or texting his cell phone 404-952-4530.

Here are a few AHA messages from this episode:

* People who had a traumatic and debilitating injury and are feeling hopeless and need help and motivation, should reach out to Duane Morrow. https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanemorrow/

* There may be a lot of disadvantages to being in a wheelchair but I can help you find the positives. I can help you to truly stabilize yourself so that you have a mentally and physically fit mind and body that you can live with and accept. #RiseUpChampion https://www.shepherd.org/

* My role is to guide you in finding a new normal in your physically challenging situation where you can embrace what God has given you and use your story as a platform to be a blessing to others. #RiseUpChampion https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanemorrow/

* Do you think of yourself as the guy in a wheelchair who always gets noticed by people? With my mentorship, you can use that opportunity for good advocacies and causes as it gives you an industry that most people don’t have. #RiseUpChampion https://www.shepherd.org/

* “I am the presentation.” My words and life are the example that you need in order to become tough and to continue to strive for excellence and to build lasting relationships, be they in business or your personal life. #RiseUpChampion https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanemorrow/

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

 

#352: Craig Dunkerley and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Strategically maximize your success with financial freedom and empowerment. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert, Craig Dunkerley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-dunkerley/), who is an investor, speaker, financial and investment strategist, multi-business owner and best-selling author. His business repertoire includes BG Accounting and Business Solutions, Inc., BG Wealth Properties Inc., and BG Marketing Authority Inc.

Craig’s passionate and extensive investment knowledge enables individuals to develop a mindset that gives them a positive relationship with money so that they can achieve their financial goals.

Amid health, economic and social crises, our leaders are being asked communicate like never before…. and almost all virtually.

For today’s comms pros, creating and facilitating engaging virtual town halls, conferences and important meetings is possible – and even culturally rewarding. Plus, you’re also helping your leaders communicate from their home offices.

Need some solid tips and advice? Enter virtual virtuoso Stephanie Bickel of Speak by Design. She shares her expertise on delivering compelling content with strategies that cover everything from engaging attendees in the virtual waiting room to closing on a note that will have people clapping at their computers.

Other resources:

* Follow Speak by Design on LinkedIn.

* Speak by Design is adds daily tips on Instagram.  Please follow, comment, and let us know what you think

* Download this whitepaper – Own the Zoom – for tips on virtual meeting excellence.

A couple of weeks ago, when George Floyd was murdered by police, the country erupted into a fury that seemingly will not end anytime soon—nor should it.

We are in massive need of an overhaul of many of our systems—and of our culture—if every human being is to be treated the same as others, no matter who they are, what they believe, and certainly not the color of their skin.

As the entire world has watched this unfold, there have been incredibly challenging conversations with clients, with friends, with co-workers, and with other stakeholders.

Three Questions to Ponder

There are three things we’ve asked the leadership teams of our clients to think about as we determine how they will not just make a statement, but prove it with their actions:

* Are we willing to lose customers or detract prospects from hiring us if we take a public stance on social injustices?

* What kind of policy do we want to have in place for employee activists?

* How will we react if an employee is arrested or a customer leaves because of something they’ve done or said, as it relates to social injustice?

These are challenging questions to answer—and I know not everyone will handle it the same way I would want to for my business.

But, just like we put social media policies in place, it’s important to do the same for social injustice and employee activism.

Hopefully the answers reflect the values of your organization.

If they do not, you’d better get there fast.

There is a crisis waiting to happen if you say you stand for diversity, equality, and inclusion and your website is full of old white men.

Don’t just say it—live it.

On this week’s Spin Sucks podcast episode, we talk more about how the answers to these questions will help you, your leadership team, and/or your clients set the stage for social issues.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

* Gina Luttrell and Natalia Flores

* Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion

* Spin Sucks Community

* Employee Activism

 

#348: Lisa McDonald and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Unleash the best version of yourself by living fearlessly. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert, Lisa McDonald https://aha.pub/LisaMcDonald, who is an author, motivational speaker, TV and radio host and blogger.

Lisa empowers business owners and entrepreneurs to transform their lives, achieve their goals and turn their dreams into realities by approaching life, love and work with fearlessness, gratitude, enthusiasm and hope.

If you think that fear in some way, shape or form has immobilized some activities that you want to do, you should reach out to Lisa McDonald at LivingFearlesslyWithLisa.com.

Here are a few AHA messages from this episode:

* People who are immobilized by fear should reach out to Lisa McDonald at https://aha.pub/LisaMcDonald. #LivingFearlessly

* Using the unique messages of my guests each week, we talk about how to eradicate fear. We talk about tools. We talk about nuggets. We talk about wisdom. https://aha.pub/LisaMcDonald #LivingFearlessly

* My clients get more than what they bargained for during our coaching sessions because I’m very big on accountability. They get what they didn’t recognize upon our initial point of contact. #LivingFearlessly https://aha.pub/LisaMcDonald

* During coaching sessions with clients, we go deep into what was subconsciously blocking them. We look at the framework they’re working with and their infrastructure of support or lack thereof. #LivingFearlessly https://aha.pub/LisaMcDonald

* I’m all about results. Results don’t lie. My results come from daily metrics, from being 95 percent referral-based as a business, from credible testimonials and from my brand: #LivingFearlessly with Lisa McDonald. https://aha.pub/LisaMcDonald

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, subscribe to the channel: http://youtube.com/user/thoughtleaderlife.

 

#349: Lucie Newcomb and Mitchell Levy on Thought Leader Life Credibility Episode

Expand your business globally by exploring and navigating new marketplace challenges and opportunities. This episode features #ThoughtLeader and #Expert, Lucie Newcomb https://www.linkedin.com/in/LucieNewcomb/, who is the President and CEO of the NewComm Global Group, Inc. based in Silicon Valley.

Lucie is a recognized global B2B strategy, marketing and business leader helping companies to build, launch, change things strategically and drive results collaboratively.

If you are a #GlobalBusiness or you’re trying to figure out whether or not you should be and you want an expert and partner, reach out to Lucie Newcomb at https://www.NewCommGlobal.com/.

Here are a few AHA messages from this episode:

* Orgs that are exploring and navigating global business challenges and opportunities should reach out to Lucie Newcomb at https://www.linkedin.com/in/LucieNewcomb/. #GlobalBusiness

* We help evaluate global business challenges and opportunities. Global business is a long-term play and not an overnight sensation. It’s definitely an investment. #GlobalBusiness https://www.linkedin.com/in/LucieNewcomb/