The Four Traits of Inspiring Thought Leaders

In this episode we’re cross-examining a recent warning from Canada's Competition Bureau that has businesses buzzing and reevaluating their online review strategies. The Bureau has put the spotlight on the potential bias of employee-generated reviews and testimonials, signaling a need for companies to monitor these contributions closely.

Yet, in the realm of internal communications, encouraging employees to be brand champions is considered foundational. So, where does the line between advocacy and bias lie?

And it isn’t just Canada moving in this direction. There are signs the United States, UK, and Australia may be too.

How can organizations navigate this complex landscape?

Listen For
4:32 Is it Still Legal for Your Employees to Leave Reviews Without Declaring They are Employees?
10:37 This is Happening in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia
15:43 The Role of Disclosure in Employee Reviews
18:38 Influencers and Native Advertising Ethics

Guests: Gavin Tighe and Stephen Thiele
Website | Gavin email | Stephen email

Listen to Gavin and Stephen’s podcast Beneath the Law

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For the past 2+ years nights have been tense in Kyiv and throughout Ukraine.

Julia Petryk, one of the co-founders of the Ukrainian PR Army joins us one evening to share what life is like now and the critical role of communications in the ongoing conflict. The efforts of the PR Army have helped mobilize a formidable information front to combat disinformation and keep Ukraine's situation in the international consciousness.

This episode offers a unique look at the power of strategic communication in times of war and the unyielding fight for national identity and sovereignty.

Listen For
3:15 The Role of PR in Conflict Zones
4:37 Founding the Ukrainian PR Army
13:56 Utilizing AI in Counteracting Disinformation
23:25 How PR Pros can Help

Guest: Julia Petryk
Website | Ukraine PR Army Website | Email | X | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

Read Kateryna’s Story on the PR Army website

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Managing public relations for the British Royal Family is an intricate world, particularly now amidst the backdrop of King Charles III's health concerns. Two people who’ve been very close to that world are David Yelland, former editor of the Sun in the UK, and Simon Lewis who… managed public relations for the Royal Family under Queen Elizabeth II.

In this episode we explore the evolution of public relations strategies within the Royal Family. Simon and David share their insider perspectives based on their experience. What are the biggest PR challenges facing the Royals today with the health of King Charles III in question? How has the Royal Family adapted to the digital age? And what advice would they give today?

Listen For
3:11 The Evolution of Royal Communications Strategy
4:42 Reviewing the Importance of Simon’s Role as the First Comms Director for the Royal Family
5:54 Transparency and Openness Within the Palace
10:03 The Importance of Duty and Public Service

Guests:
Simon Lewis, former Communications Director for Queen Elizabeth II
David Yelland, former Editor of the Sun

Listen to Simon and David on their podcast “When it Hits the Fan” as produced by Raconteur for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

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The third edition of the Asia-Pacific study by PRovoke Media flags Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) as a key driver behind rising optimism and budgets for communications leaders. But underneath the top layers, there’s uncertainty.

Listen For
4:21 The Importance of ESG in Asia Pacific
7:50 The Role of Communications Teams and ESG
9:25 Measurement of ESG Efforts
13:32 DEI Challenges

Guest: Arun Sudhaman
Website| X | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
Read the PRovoke Media 2023 Asia-Pacific Communications Index

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Last week we had a look at how to make an apology when you should – and why most apologies are just awful. But there’s another side to that human interaction – forgiveness. Accepting an apology. An apology can be the key that unlocks forgiveness, yet forgiveness can also occur in its absence, driven by personal growth and healing.

In this episode we look at the psychological journeys involved in embracing forgiveness.

Listen For
5:22 Why Apologies are Mandatory but Forgiveness is Not
8:13 Forgiveness Benefits the Forgiver
10:10 The Importance of Acknowledging Apologies
15:09 Self-Forgiveness and its Role in Personal Growth

Guests:
Marjorie Ingall
Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Wikipedia Page | Contact

Susan McCarthy
X | LinkedIn

SorryWatch.com

The Meagan Napier Foundation

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There are a lot of apologies out there. And a lot of them only serve to make things worse.

“I’m sorry if you were offended”
“We’re sorry if what we said was misunderstood”
“The situation is regrettable”
“Sorry but we have the right to do it and we reserve the right to do it again”

Sometimes a bad apology is because someone wants to hold on to their pride, or deep in their heart an apology can’t be right because they know they’re the hero of their own story.

In this episode Susan McCarthy and Marjorie Ingall of SorryWatch.com share some of what they see behind the bad apologies and offer good advice for doing better.

Listen For
4:23 Why Apologies are Important to Society
5:54 The Challenges (and Benefits) of Apologizing
9:59 The Key Elements of a Good Apology
13:15 Why Sometimes You Shouldn’t Apologize Right Away

Guests:
Marjorie Ingall
Website |Facebook| LinkedIn | Instagram | Wikipedia Page | Contact | Publishers Website for Book

Susan McCarthy
X | LinkedIn

SorryWatch.com

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The report shows two-thirds of senior leaders say they would describe their role as both marketing and communications but there’s a clear shift happening toward marketing.

More focus on brand awareness, broader reach, building media relationships, and managing brand reputation.

What does that mean for budgets in 2024? For content strategy?

Muck Rack helps us understand the trends.

Listen For
4:14 The Roles of Marketing and Communications are merging
6:21 How Budget is Being Allocated
10:41 The Focus on B2B or B2C?
12:38 Is Enough Attention Being Paid to Internal Communications? 

Download the Muck Rack State of PR Report

Guest: Linda Zebian, Muck Rack senior director, communications and community
LinkedIn
Muck Rack
X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Threads | Website

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Historically, our approach to setting objectives and evaluation criteria has been organizational-centric. What is the company trying to achieve? What behavioural changes are needed by our key audiences to accomplish those goals? How do we nudge or persuade the behaviours of our key audiences?

But is that satisfying those audiences? Is it ethical for us to think our job is to influence their behaviour? Are we considering how those audiences are evaluating us?

In this episode Anne Gregory, a past chair with the Global Alliance and CIPR, and a recipient of Lifetime Achievement awards from both the PRSA and CPRS, says a new approach is needed. One that marks a step toward a new direction, emphasizing a more inclusive and responsive evaluation framework that aligns with the dynamic nature of modern communications and stakeholder engagement.

Listen For
5:45 Anne’s Challenge of Traditional Evaluation Methods
8:28 Redefining the Purpose of Public Relations
10:46 Bridging the Gap Between Organizational Goals and Stakeholder Expectations
20:12 Aligning Communication with Your Societal Role and Stakeholder Expectations

Guest: Anne Gregory, Ph.D., BA, FRSA, HonFCIPR, Huddersfield University
University Website page | Email | X | LinkedIn

You can download An evaluation u-turn: From narrow organisational objectives to broad accountability by Anne Gregory and Jim MacNamara here

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In March 2021 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave an interview to Oprah Winfrey that was absolute gold for fake You Tube body language experts. Some said it was a significant moment when she touched her nose. Others said she revealed all when she showed the tip of her tongue. And another said the tell-all moment was that one particular blink. The top five videos of those “analyses” generated 5.9 million views.

The Royals aren’t alone. A video analyzing the nonverbal communication of family murderer Chris Watts was watched by more than 38 million people. After the Johnny Depp/Amber Heard court case there were numerous body language experts on You Tube giving analysis like “when she licks her lips here, that’s when she’s lying.” Even Dr Phil has done videos analyzing precise body movements he said have definitive meaning.

The problem? It’s all voodoo. There is no acceptable scientific method to decode body language. There is no “language of the body.” It is pseudoscience wrapped in bells and whistles to delight and amaze. And it’s based on our human tendency, in our everyday lives, to make judgements based on what see and interpret which is influenced by our internal prejudices.

In this episode, the truth about nonverbal behaviour, and why misinterpretation can be downright dangerous to society.

Listen For
6:02 Debunking the Famous Myth that 93% of all Communication is Non-Verbal
14:21 How Misconceptions Influence Decision-Making
17:16 Non-Verbal Communication in Credibility Assessment
19:28 Challenges in Applying Non-Verbal Communication

Guest: Vincent Denault, Ph.D. , McGill University Postdoctoral Fellow
Website | LinkedIn | You Tube

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There may be an emerging overreliance on generative AI in marketing and public relations. While artificial intelligence can enhance efficiency and creativity, it shouldn't overshadow fundamental marketing strategies. PR and marketing often focus too much on tactics like AI, neglecting the importance of a coherent, overarching strategy.

Maybe Generative AI is part of a bigger problem.

Listen For
4:47 Strategic Focus Over Tactical Execution
8:27 The Role of Generative AI in Marketing and PR
11:01 The Value of Human Insight in Content Creation
13:27 The Emerging Role of Prompt Engineers

Guest: Joe Zappa, Founder Sharp Pen Media
LinkedIn | Sharp Pen Media LinkedIn | X | Website | Email

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Hey, we’re on Threads under Stories and Strategies

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