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Navigating Media and Technology Without Losing Your Ethical Compass
In this episode of Thriving in the Messy Middle, host Amy P Wilkins talks with Linda Thomas Brooks, an accomplished leader in media, marketing, and communications. Linda shares how her career, filled with pivotal moments and decisions, highlights the importance of pushing boundaries, staying adaptable, and maintaining core values. Her extensive experience across various sectors offers invaluable insights for women leaders aiming to thrive amid chaos and change.
Linda discusses her transformative career journey, which includes significant roles leading organizations like General Motors Media Works and the PRSA. She emphasizes the importance of having a strong ethical foundation in media and communications and describes how to navigate the challenges that arise when values are tested. Linda's candid discussion reveals the mindset shifts necessary for personal and professional growth, alongside her strategies for dealing with the demands of leadership, such as surrounding oneself with supportive people, being open to learning, and always challenging oneself to think critically.
Key Takeaways- Resilience and Adaptability: Linda highlights the necessity of being adaptable in leadership roles across different industries and the value of learning from challenging experiences.
- Ethical Leadership: Emphasizing the importance of ethics, Linda discusses the need for leaders in media to uphold integrity and social responsibility, especially in content curation and dissemination.
- Continuous Learning and Mentorship: Encouraging ongoing learning, Linda underscores the role of mentors and the significance of absorbing knowledge from others with more experience.
- Values and Decision-Making: Deciphering one's core values and understanding their importance in decision-making processes can be pivotal in navigating professional landscapes.
- Embracing the Messy Middle: Emphasizing acceptance of challenges as part of the journey, Linda encourages women leaders to embrace the messiness and learn from it for personal growth.
If you were ever bored in this job, it would be your own fault.Surround yourself with really smart, nice people who up your game.Just because I can carry the burden doesn't mean it's not a heavy one.Remember to recognize the weight you're carrying and give yourself permission to feel it.Every voice matters, but it's equally important to gain the wisdom of those more experienced before making your mark.The messy middle is just another step along the way.Mentioned in this EpisodeWhat? So What? Now What? Critical Reflection Model
About Linda Thomas BrooksLinda Thomas Brooks is a visionary leader whose career spans the intersections of nonprofit leadership, media, technology, and ethical communications. Most recently, she served as CEO of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), where she championed initiatives to combat mis- and disinformation and led the development of industry standards around ethical AI use. Under her leadership, PRSA was named Global Public Relations Association of the Year, and Linda was honored as an Industry Champion in the PR News Top Women in PR Awards.
Throughout her career, Thomas Brooks has brought strategic insight and operational excellence to high-impact roles—from President and CEO of the Association of Magazine Media to EVP of General Motors Mediaworks, overseeing $750M in annual media investment. She also served as President of Ingenuity Media at The Martin Agency and helped shape marketing strategy at Trilogy, a tech firm focused on business transformation. A founding executive of the Institute for Advertising Ethics, she has been instrumental in advancing responsible advertising practices adopted by Fortune 500 companies and top universities alike.
Widely recognized for her industry impact, Linda's accolades include Advertising Age Women to Watch, the AAF Hall of Achievement, and Folio's Top 100 Execs. She serves on advisory councils at The Ohio State University and is a sought-after speaker and advisor on media ethics, consumer behavior, and the evolving communications landscape.
Linda Thomas Brooks LinkedIn Profile
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By Amy WilkinsIn this episode of Thriving in the Messy Middle, host Amy P Wilkins talks with Linda Thomas Brooks, an accomplished leader in media, marketing, and communications. Linda shares how her career, filled with pivotal moments and decisions, highlights the importance of pushing boundaries, staying adaptable, and maintaining core values. Her extensive experience across various sectors offers invaluable insights for women leaders aiming to thrive amid chaos and change.
Linda discusses her transformative career journey, which includes significant roles leading organizations like General Motors Media Works and the PRSA. She emphasizes the importance of having a strong ethical foundation in media and communications and describes how to navigate the challenges that arise when values are tested. Linda's candid discussion reveals the mindset shifts necessary for personal and professional growth, alongside her strategies for dealing with the demands of leadership, such as surrounding oneself with supportive people, being open to learning, and always challenging oneself to think critically.
Key Takeaways- Resilience and Adaptability: Linda highlights the necessity of being adaptable in leadership roles across different industries and the value of learning from challenging experiences.
- Ethical Leadership: Emphasizing the importance of ethics, Linda discusses the need for leaders in media to uphold integrity and social responsibility, especially in content curation and dissemination.
- Continuous Learning and Mentorship: Encouraging ongoing learning, Linda underscores the role of mentors and the significance of absorbing knowledge from others with more experience.
- Values and Decision-Making: Deciphering one's core values and understanding their importance in decision-making processes can be pivotal in navigating professional landscapes.
- Embracing the Messy Middle: Emphasizing acceptance of challenges as part of the journey, Linda encourages women leaders to embrace the messiness and learn from it for personal growth.
If you were ever bored in this job, it would be your own fault.Surround yourself with really smart, nice people who up your game.Just because I can carry the burden doesn't mean it's not a heavy one.Remember to recognize the weight you're carrying and give yourself permission to feel it.Every voice matters, but it's equally important to gain the wisdom of those more experienced before making your mark.The messy middle is just another step along the way.Mentioned in this EpisodeWhat? So What? Now What? Critical Reflection Model
About Linda Thomas BrooksLinda Thomas Brooks is a visionary leader whose career spans the intersections of nonprofit leadership, media, technology, and ethical communications. Most recently, she served as CEO of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), where she championed initiatives to combat mis- and disinformation and led the development of industry standards around ethical AI use. Under her leadership, PRSA was named Global Public Relations Association of the Year, and Linda was honored as an Industry Champion in the PR News Top Women in PR Awards.
Throughout her career, Thomas Brooks has brought strategic insight and operational excellence to high-impact roles—from President and CEO of the Association of Magazine Media to EVP of General Motors Mediaworks, overseeing $750M in annual media investment. She also served as President of Ingenuity Media at The Martin Agency and helped shape marketing strategy at Trilogy, a tech firm focused on business transformation. A founding executive of the Institute for Advertising Ethics, she has been instrumental in advancing responsible advertising practices adopted by Fortune 500 companies and top universities alike.
Widely recognized for her industry impact, Linda's accolades include Advertising Age Women to Watch, the AAF Hall of Achievement, and Folio's Top 100 Execs. She serves on advisory councils at The Ohio State University and is a sought-after speaker and advisor on media ethics, consumer behavior, and the evolving communications landscape.
Linda Thomas Brooks LinkedIn Profile