In this episode, Mike Klein, the founder of WeLeadComms, shares his career journey and insights into the world of internal communications. He discusses the creation of WeLeadComms and the recognition it provides to communication professionals. Mike emphasizes the importance of investing in professional development and taking ownership of one's own growth. He also highlights the challenges and opportunities presented by remote work and the need for internal communicators to adapt and drive connection and integration within organizations. Mike encourages communication professionals to build diverse networks and seek sponsorship from leaders who can support their work. He concludes by emphasizing the value of connections and the need for leadership in the internal comms profession.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:14 The Creation of WeLeadComms

07:28 Characteristics of Honorees in the Comms Industry

09:39 Mike Klein's Career Journey

11:57 The Impact of COVID-19 on Internal Comms

15:42 Challenges of Remote Work and Onboarding

19:22 The Importance of Investing in Professional Development

23:13 The State of Internal Comms and the Need for Leadership

27:05 The Value of Connections and Networks

29:31 Changing the Reporting Line in Internal Comms

34:15 Advice for Changing the Perception of Internal Comms

36:14 The Importance of Networking and Building Relationships

37:26 Conclusion

Summary

Christina Pantin shares her career journey from journalism to communications and PR, emphasizing the importance of embracing change and taking risks. She highlights the value of networking and building connections, as well as the benefits of going global in one's career. Christina also discusses her involvement in Web3 Women and the Global Communications Network. Her advice to listeners is to embrace the new and the unknown, and to push themselves out of their comfort zones.

Takeaways

Embrace change and take risks in your career

Build a strong network and make connections

Consider going global in your career

Embrace the new and the unknown

Push yourself out of your comfort zone

This episode brings you another humble and honest account of being a senior leader in the world of Communications. Today we're joined by, Fritz Quinn, the Vice President Head of International Corporate Affairs and Communications at American Express for a fascinating insight into the world of Comms from the top.

The conversation includes:

- insights and advice from the top of Communications

- challenges and rewards of senior leadership

- why successful leadership is all about perspective

- whether having specific career goals are a wise move

- dealing with imposter syndrome and loneliness

- Fritz's key leadership and career tips

You can connect with Fritz on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fritz-quinn-2836014/

This podcast is brought to you by Jo Hall & Lisa Macmillan and our trusty Producer, Connor Wells.

Jo supports Comms Pros facing redundancy, returns to work, career changes and crises of confidence. Specialising in personal leadership, Imposter Syndrome and career coaching, with extensive experience in Internal Communication, global leadership and Comms consultancy roles, Jo's coaching will help you navigate through any career chapter feeling totally clear and empowered to successfully take your next steps.

Book a free coaching session or discuss coaching program options with Jo: https://calendly.com/afire/20-minute-free-discovery-call-with-jo-hall

Find Jo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johall/

Website: https://www.joannahall.co.uk

If you're seeking a new role, or you're looking for the perfect Comms professional to join or expand your team, Lisa prides herself on matching exceptional Comms talent with incredible roles across Europe, UK and AsiaPac by combining her extensive market knowledge and networks with a genuine interest in the clients she works with.

Find Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-macmillan-68b3b57/

Website: https://www.macmillan-consulting.com/

In this episode of The Comms Careers Podcast we had the pleasure of chatting with Kevin Ruck, an esteemed internal communication researcher, author, lecturer, and academic. As he's about to launch his latest book, 'Leading the Listening Organisation: Creating Organisations that Flourish', Kevin reflects on his career journey and shares his personal insights into the field of internal communication.

We chatted about:

- Transitioning from customer service to PR to internal communication and the importance of education throughout.

- Writing books (obviously!)

- The core new skills that communication professionals need to keep ahead of the competition.

- Ways to boost your career confidence

- The future features of internal communication and how to navigate the fast-changing world of work effectively.

- New ways to understand employees and their expectations for personalised communication.

- Kevin's key reflections on his incredible career and his top tips for career success.

You can connect with Kevin via these links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pracademy/

Or PR Academy's website: https://pracademy.co.uk/

This podcast is brought to you by Jo Hall & Lisa Macmillan and our trusty Producer, Connor Wells.

Jo supports Comms Pros facing redundancy, returns to work, career changes and crises of confidence. Specialising in personal leadership, Imposter Syndrome and career coaching, with extensive experience in Internal Communication, global leadership and Comms consultancy roles, Jo's coaching will help you navigate through any career chapter feeling totally clear and empowered to successfully take your next steps.

Book a free coaching session or discuss coaching program options with Jo: https://calendly.com/afire/20-minute-free-discovery-call-with-jo-hall

Find Jo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johall/

Website: https://www.joannahall.co.uk

If you're seeking a new role, or you're looking for the perfect Comms professional to join or expand your team, Lisa prides herself on matching exceptional Comms talent with incredible roles across Europe, UK and AsiaPac by combining her extensive market knowledge and networks with a genuine interest in the clients she works with.

Find Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-macmillan-68b3b57/

Website: https://www.macmillan-consulting.com/

With an illustrious career and incredible story of how he's built 'simply' to become the trusted and expert voice for thousands of communicators, we have a superb conversation with Marc Wright today on The Comms Careers Podcast.

We chatted about:

- How moonlighting might open career doors you never expected

- Marc's career journey from film production, consultancy and digital technology to building communities for internal communication.

- How simplycommunicate was born

- Perseverance, consistency and community in relation to finding success.

- The impact of digital technology and social platforms to uplevel internal communications.

- Marc's golden nuggets of advice if you want to advance your career in internal communication.

- Why we all need to take risks and dare to fail to take your career to the next level.

- Becoming a strategist in Internal Communication and ultimately building your credibility and influence.

For more details about Marc, Jo and Lisa, read on:

simply is a community and consulting business for internal communicators and the digital workplace. Founded in 2005 by Marc Wright, simply has grown to become the trusted and expert voice for thousands of communicators. 

The consultancy arm of the business has helped deliver optimised intranet solutions for globally recognised corporations including HM Treasury, Interxion, Monster, National Trust, and European Investment Bank. 

The simplycommunity is home to the world’s largest closed community for internal communicators, offering bespoke resources and insights, and the ability for peer-to-peer best practice sharing and development. 

simply is also renowned for hosting EMEA’s biggest event for internal communicators around the digital workplace at simplyEXP, as well as Europe’s largest festival of all things internal communication at simplyIC. There are also other in-person workshops, online webinars, and member-only best practice seminars throughout the year. Discover more about simply here: https://simply-communicate.com/

This podcast is brought to you by Jo Hall & Lisa Macmillan and our trusty Producer, Connor Wells.

Jo supports Comms Pros facing redundancy, returns to work, career changes and crises of confidence. Specialising in personal leadership, Imposter Syndrome and career coaching, with extensive experience in Internal Communication, global leadership and Comms consultancy roles, Jo's coaching will help you navigate through any career chapter feeling totally clear and empowered to successfully take your next steps.

Book a free coaching session or discuss coaching program options with Jo: https://calendly.com/afire/20-minute-free-discovery-call-with-jo-hall

Find Jo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johall/

Website: https://www.joannahall.co.uk

If you're seeking a new role, or you're looking for the perfect Comms professional to join or expand your team, Lisa prides herself on matching exceptional Comms talent with incredible roles across Europe, UK and AsiaPac by combining her extensive market knowledge and networks with a genuine interest in the clients she works with.

Find Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-macmillan-68b3b57/

Website: https://www.macmillan-consulting.com/

In another cracker of an episode, we chat with Paul Osgood on The Comms Careers Podcast today.

Paul is Global Head of Internal Communications at Clifford Chance and shares highlights from his extensive career in corporate communications, including his role as a speechwriter for the Chairman and Chief Executive at NatWest Group, setting up an internal communications practice at Brunswick Group, and leading internal communications during a digital transformation at Philips.

Words of wisdom from Paul include:

- Why authenticity and vulnerability are so important in communications, especially during challenging times

- An under-appreciated skill that's essential for understanding stakeholders, managing senior leaders and gaining valuable perspectives to enhance your career.

- Top tips for helping leaders be more human and empathetic in their communications

- The Communicator's best friend and secret weapon to be a key influencer

- Note to hiring managers: Think outside the box - Why taking risks on new talent can lead to great rewards and a more diverse and capable team.

- Skills that professional Communicators absolutely need and should invest in!

You can connect with Paul here on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulosgood/

This podcast is brought to you by Jo Hall & Lisa Macmillan and our trusty Producer, Connor Wells.

Jo supports Comms Pros facing redundancy, returns to work, career changes and crises of confidence. Specialising in personal leadership, Imposter Syndrome and career coaching, with extensive experience in Internal Communication, global leadership and Comms consultancy roles, Jo's coaching will help you navigate through any career chapter feeling totally clear and empowered to successfully take your next steps.

Book a free coaching session or discuss coaching program options with Jo: https://calendly.com/afire/20-minute-free-discovery-call-with-jo-hall

Find Jo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johall/

Website: https://www.joannahall.co.uk

If you're seeking a new role, or you're looking for the perfect Comms professional to join or expand your team, Lisa prides herself on matching exceptional Comms talent with incredible roles across Europe, UK and AsiaPac by combining her extensive market knowledge and networks with a genuine interest in the clients she works with.

Find Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-macmillan-68b3b57/

Website: https://www.macmillan-consulting.com/

This episode of The Comms Careers Podcast features the remarkable Dr. Aniisu K Verghese, a comms and change leader, author, and speaker.

We heard about his incredible career as he shared his insights and experiences in the field of internal communications.

We chatted about:

- The importance of following your passion and staying true to yourself in your career to feel fulfilled.

- The need for inclusivity in internal communications and Aniisu's advice on practical steps to activate employee voice.

- The need for changing how we view employees as an Internal Communication professional.

- The value of listening within the workplace.

- Making difficult decisions to prioritize your values and well-being in your career.

Explore more of Aniisu's wealth of experience on www.intraskope.com and www.aniisu.com, platforms where he shares valuable insights from his journey.

This podcast is brought to you by Jo Hall & Lisa Macmillan and our trusty Producer, Connor Wells.

Jo supports Comms Pros facing redundancy, returns to work, career changes and crises of confidence. Specialising in personal leadership, Imposter Syndrome and career coaching, with extensive experience in Internal Communication, global leadership and Comms consultancy roles, Jo's coaching will help you navigate through any career chapter feeling totally clear and empowered to successfully take your next steps.

Book a free coaching session or discuss coaching program options with Jo: https://calendly.com/afire/20-minute-free-discovery-call-with-jo-hall

Find Jo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johall/

Website: https://www.joannahall.co.uk

If you're seeking a new role, or you're looking for the perfect Comms professional to join or expand your team, Lisa prides herself on matching exceptional Comms talent with incredible roles across Europe, UK and AsiaPac by combining her extensive market knowledge and networks with a genuine interest in the clients she works with.

Find Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-macmillan-68b3b57/

Website: https://www.macmillan-consulting.com/

In this episode of The Comms Careers Podcast we welcome Tala Booker and Daniel Fitzpatrick, co-founders of Via, to share their career journey from the corporate world to entrepreneurship.

We talked about:

- The importance of taking risks, being fearless, and having a hunger for learning when pursuing your career goals.

- The challenges of balancing work and personal life and our tips for finding fulfillment in both areas.

- How to accelerate your career in communications

- Finding your purpose and motivation to drive your career decisions

Connect with Dan & Tala via their website: https://wearevia.com/about/ or LinkedIn

This podcast is brought to you by Jo Hall & Lisa Macmillan.

Jo supports Comms Pros facing redundancy, returns to work, career changes and crises of confidence. Specialising in personal leadership, Imposter Syndrome and career coaching, with extensive experience in Internal Communication, global leadership and Comms consultancy roles, Jo's coaching will help you navigate through any career chapter feeling totally clear and empowered to successfully take your next steps.

Book a free coaching session or discuss coaching program options with Jo: https://calendly.com/afire/20-minute-free-discovery-call-with-jo-hall

Find Jo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johall/

Website: https://www.joannahall.co.uk

If you're seeking a new role, or you're looking for the perfect Comms professional to join or expand your team, Lisa prides herself on matching exceptional Comms talent with incredible roles across Europe, UK and AsiaPac by combining her extensive market knowledge and networks with a genuine interest in the clients she works with.

Find Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-macmillan-68b3b57/

Website: https://www.macmillan-consulting.com/

It seemed timely to take a moment to reflect on Season 1 of The Comms Careers Podcast and the valuable lessons we learned from our guests last year.

And because it's the start of 2024, we put our predictive hats on, sharing our views on the key job and career elements we think will be relevant in the year ahead.

To give you a flavour we chat about:

- the benefits of stepping outside your comfort zone and embracing the unknown

- embracing neurodiversity in the workplace

- the value of understanding younger generation's perspectives

- embracing your own sphere of influence and the power of positive energy

- taking ownership for your own well-being and how to practically do that

- how to navigate the job market

- finding happiness in your current role (even if it's not your dream job).

And a big thank you to all our listeners across the globe for their support. If there's an inspiring Comms person you know with a remarkable career story to share, then let us know. You can email Jo at [email protected]

This podcast is brought to you by Jo Hall & Lisa Macmillan and our trusty Producer, Connor Wells.

Jo supports Comms Pros facing redundancy, returns to work, career changes and crises of confidence. Specialising in personal leadership, Imposter Syndrome and career coaching, with extensive experience in Internal Communication, global leadership and Comms consultancy roles, Jo's coaching will help you navigate through any career chapter feeling totally clear and empowered to successfully take your next steps.

Book a free coaching session or discuss coaching program options with Jo: https://calendly.com/afire/20-minute-free-discovery-call-with-jo-hall

Find Jo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johall/

Website: https://www.joannahall.co.uk

If you're seeking a new role, or you're looking for the perfect Comms professional to join or expand your team, Lisa prides herself on matching exceptional Comms talent with incredible roles across Europe, UK and AsiaPac by combining her extensive market knowledge and networks with a genuine interest in the clients she works with.

Find Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-macmillan-68b3b57/

Website: https://www.macmillan-consulting.com/

This week's episode of The Comms Careers Podcast has Lisa and Jo talking to seasoned Comms Pro, Kate Humphris about her adventurous approach to finding a fulfilling career.

In this very down-to-earth and inspiring conversation with Kate, who is currently a Global Communications and Engagement Leader at EY in London, explores topics such as:

- Seeing your career as an adventure

- Cultural differences and embracing curiosity to be a success

- Building your networks in the right way to enhance your career - why other people are the key to your own career advancement

- The challenges of moving your family globally, repatriation and how we can personally learn from change and transformation

- Professional communication principles we can all apply to shape a fulfilling career and life

- Being intentional or opportunistic, taking linear or lateral moves - which is the right career approach?

- Why life doesn't map out as you necessarily plan, making the most of each chapter of your career and building the skills of the person you are today

- How we inadvertently limit our career possibilities, how fear stops us in our career tracks and what to do instead

- The power of trust, openness and taking action when facing redundancy and career challenges

Connect with Kate Humphris on LinkedIn

This podcast is brought to you by Jo Hall & Lisa Macmillan and our trusty Producer, Connor Wells.

Jo supports Comms Pros facing redundancy, returns to work, career changes and crises of confidence. Specialising in personal leadership, Imposter Syndrome and career coaching, with extensive experience in Internal Communication, global leadership and Comms consultancy roles, Jo's coaching will help you navigate through any career chapter feeling totally clear and empowered to successfully take your next steps.

Book a free coaching session or discuss coaching program options with Jo: https://calendly.com/afire/20-minute-free-discovery-call-with-jo-hall

Find Jo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johall/

Website: https://www.joannahall.co.uk

If you're seeking a new role, or you're looking for the perfect Comms professional to join or expand your team, Lisa prides herself on matching exceptional Comms talent with incredible roles across Europe, UK and AsiaPac by combining her extensive market knowledge and networks with a genuine interest in the clients she works with.

Find Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-macmillan-68b3b57/

Website: https://www.macmillan-consulting.com/