Sean Garrett

My early takeaway from PRSA Oregon #CommCon2024 is that the public is facing a real trust issue when it comes to innovations like AI and other emerging tech (and in general). Which raises the question: how do we address the trust crisis in a way that is both authentic and effective? #communications #publicrelations

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Start-up and scale-up founders, CEOs and CMOs can save themselves a lot of heartache if they assess their company's readiness for corporate communications before they bring on an expensive corp comm leader. By identifying where the requisite building blocks for success already exist, executives can develop the function in a way that impacts business results by making better hiring decisions, understanding where to expect results near and long term, and strategically planning their investments in the function. Looking for a guide to help you do this? Drop me a line. As a 25-year veteran leader who has helped a number of start-ups and scale-ups build their corporate communications departments, I can help you figure out if you are ready to add this strategic function. #CorporateCommunications #ScaleUp #StartUp #PublicRelations

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Super important read from our insights and analytics team Message Lab:

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Flashback Friday ⚡ If you missed "5 Ways to Grab a Journalist's Attention (and 5 Mistakes to Avoid)" you'll want to read it. Our team at Si14 Global Communications dives into best practices when pitching media...and warns of the ways startups tend to annoy reporters (you don't want to be THAT startup!) And after you read this blog post, check out the other videos and articles on our PR Academy for lots of valuable tips from our team and successful CMOs, VPs of Marketing, and CEOs. https://lnkd.in/d7YVQrbV

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Good read from Andy Kessler on the importance of supporting basic research for innovation: "It’s easy to fall off or be pushed off the leading edge. Faster productivity doesn’t just happen. Government shouldn’t pick winners and losers. Instead, productivity takes tireless scientists and engineers to experiment constantly with tiny improvements until the rest of us see what feels like huge gains in what we can do... Basic research of all types should be encouraged. Let many ideas flourish as industrial policy doesn’t work. Instead, success is like throwing spaghetti against the wall, seeing what sticks. In technology, this often takes place inside big companies. In pharma, it’s often government grants that drive basic research. Don’t DOGE it. We need both." https://lnkd.in/eVEjiVZf

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Us Comms folks are wired to navigate tricky situations. MacGyver was my favorite show growing up. ‘Mac’ had a knack for solving problems and extensive scientific knowledge.  → He could unlock a vault with a paperclip and some bubble gum. Comms doesn’t always have all the resources, either. But we know how to play the hand we're dealt. - Assess the situation  - Explore options  - Make it work Being great at Comms requires us all to be MacGyvers. → A mix of expertise, experience and resourcefulness. We're strategic. We're scrappy. We're problem solvers.

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AI for communicators: What’s new and what matters.

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When Words Fail: The Critical Role of PR in Managing CEO Missteps Today, #CEOs are exposed to being the public face of their companies and holding countless more precarious positions than at any other point due to the hyperconnected world that exists today. Although this position affords the opportunity to shape the positive perception of the public, the risk of damaging a brand's reputation exists with miscommunication. This issue has been brought to light by a very public spat recently between Ola's CEO Bhavish Aggarwal and comedian Kunal Kamra, bringing the stark reminder of how poor communication from a company leader can become a PR crisis. The #BhavishAggarwal and #KunalKamra Incident: A Case Study The argument started after Kunal Kamra began posting issues with #Ola's service centers on social media and posting an image wherein several electric scooters were parked for repair. Kamra's serious question through the tweet, wherein he questioned the service rendered and asked if Indian consumers are being given a proper platform to air their grievances, fueled a defensive response from Bhavish Aggarwal, Ola's CEO. Aggarwal's ripostes, that seemed to taunt Kamra accusing him of being paid to criticize and dismissed the latter's concerns outright, the entire episode turned into a public spat gaining quick virality. Aggarwal's statements that described Kamra as having a "failed comedy career" and offering him a job at Ola were interpreted as defensibly immature. Such an incident began to get most people on the column of questioning the tone and manner with which the CEO handled relevant customer complaints, which reflected poorly on the brand and leadership. Why CEO Communication Matters A CEO is not merely an executive but more so an ambassador of his company's values, vision, and culture. His or her words and acts can have far-reaching effects, not only on the public perception but also for the internal stakeholders in the form of employees and partners. In the digital world of today, where one tweet may become viral within minutes, a CEO must talk cautiously and sensibly. A reaction to defensiveness, as in the case of Bhavish Aggarwal-Kunal Kamra, reflects poor accountability and a lack of respect for customer feedback. This alienates the consumers and does damage to the brand's credibility. read more - Subscribe on LinkedIn - https://lnkd.in/guTnwxgJ

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Communications executives need to understand reporter lingo and be capable of translating it for their C-suite and other spokespeople.   “A Reporter’s Glossary: Journalistic Terms of Art” helps fulfill that mission by revealing definitions for a cornucopia of insider journalistic expressions (link to full paper in Comments). The publication sheds light on such jargon as: · The distinctions among clarifications, corrections, and retractions · What to do with an IFB when participating in an SMT · How to accommodate TV reporters who say they need B-roll · Why media training needs to be a comprehensive series of events, not a one-off, check the box situation · The peculiarities of off the record, on background, and not for attribution   My hope is that this resource will make the job of communications and government relations executives just a bit easier. It’s yours for the taking. No subscriptions. No nags. All I ask: If you find it useful, share it with colleagues and support it with a 👉 Comment 👈 here on LinkedIn.   💭 Once you’ve taken a look, don’t be shy about suggesting additional terms of art that might make it into future revisions. #mediarelations #reporters #journalism

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State of play: A recent Memo report found that 56% of CCOs are reporting to the CEO — an increase of 34 percentage points since last year. I loved seeing insights like that in Eleanor Hawkins's Axios Communicators Newsletter this week. It's a topic that is becoming increasingly important as the look of C-Suites continues to change each year. A separate report by the Observatory of Corporate Reputation found that CCO+ roles have increased by roughly 88% within the Fortune 1000 since 2019, outnumbering traditional CCO roles for the first time. I have been a long-time advocate of the CCO reporting to the CEO, indicating the importance of the role as well as its differentiating the position from the CMO which is complimentary but has a different lens to the brand. This hasn't historically been the case but I love to see this shift and its continued trend upwards! https://lnkd.in/gwEeuKxu

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Pro PR Tip 💡 Build media connections and relationships before you need them. Disinformation is a growing problem and having reporters who already are on your side and know what you stand for is the best way to combat the Internet trolls - which seem to be everywhere (even in places you'd expect to be credible). It's much harder to get your commentary placed in the midst of disinformation if they've never heard of you before -- but if they've covered you before and trust you, they'll continue to trust you. Because while you can't totally avoid the dark side of the Internet - repeating your values publicly, prioritizing a positive message and stacking reporters who champion your work will always help you come out on top. 🔥 P.S. If you'd like more easy and actionable PR advice that is designed to help you get more media coverage right now (and just in time for the biggest PR season of the year!) make sure to subscribe to our monthly newsletter Fintech & Friends. #pr #pragency #publicrelations #startups #fintech #media

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Conversations I’ve had with media leaders and peers this year have centered around a common theme: the need to break out of traditional bubbles. The focus is shifting toward more human-centered engagement—listening directly to those impacted by the work we do and fostering trust through authentic dialogue. This highlights a critical point: trust is built not just through what we say, but through how well we listen and adapt. I’ve been prioritizing three words to inspire me this year: 🎯Clarity 🤝Connection ✍️Authenticity These words continue to guide how I approach every conversation, decision, and story. What words have inspired your work this year, and how have they shaped the way you lead and communicate? I completed my last business trip of the year; here I am outside my bubble and in the bubble of NYC. :)

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Public service announcement: Maend also has a YouTube channel. Okay, we've had this for a while, but we haven't really told anyone about it. This is also not an official launch or anything, but I figured I should at least tell someone that Ave-Lii and I are using this channel to collect a lot of different kind of content that we create along our way. It's a good channel to follow if you want to make sure to see (and hear) fun stuff from us. For example: 🎙 All our #FutureMakers podcast episodes 🎯 All my #SimpleFriday LinkedIn videos 📈 All my #CobblersChildren LinkedIn videos (yes more will be coming, next one tomorrow) 💵 Some client work - but this is a bit trickier, since mostly we don't want to take away reach from videos hosted by clients. And sometimes the videos we create are for internal use only. So we can't promise to have all of those on our own channel. So now you know. Maybe go subscribe? https://lnkd.in/eCH5i7uZ

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"We can build the future we want. Technology is not something that happens to us; it’s something we choose to create. When we design the next wave of products, let’s choose to empower." Jesse Weaver, CEO of Design Like You Mean It Although I ghostwrite for many clients, I cannot take credit for this one. Please allow me a moment to share a point of pride. DLYMI embodies a unique and profound understanding of human-centered design. It addresses the challenges to our human experience in an increasingly digital world. It is not just another UX design studio—it walks the walk. It is a privilege to collaborate with thought leaders who offer more than big ideas. I have found that the most influential leaders exude compassion as well as creativity. Working with #Product and #UX experts who advocate for ethical standards, transparency, and user empowerment is critically essential. Therefore, it's an honor to help amplify such a forward-thinking, compassionate voice in the industry. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gDhM9TNy

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Preparing for the election battleground of 2024: where AI, deepfakes, and disinformation collide. An eye-opening read 👀🔍 #Election2024 #AI #Deepfakes https://lnkd.in/gk82cm9T

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There are many reports out there that none of us have time to read, but this is one you need to make the time to look at. It’s research from Hard Numbers 📈 that looks at AI-generated content and, in particular, the roles that both earned and owned media have in informing AI content from the perspective of quality, trust, innovation, and value. If you’re not thinking about this as a comms leader, you need to be – and this whitepaper is a great place to start. #PublicRelations #ReputationManagement Great work Darryl Sparey (Chart.PR, FPRCA, FCIPR) Claire Simpson Chart.PR https://lnkd.in/eARJfJyT

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It’s a long article, but a masterclass in the changing roles of media and communications. #IFKYK Thanks for the summary, Erin Grant

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This week, I'm thrilled to share a monumental guide that dives deep into the art of creating compelling brand messaging for advocacy campaigns. As public affairs practitioners, crafting a persuasive message is crucial, but it's a task we don't undertake daily. To streamline this complex process, I've turned to ChatGPT to help break down the task into manageable steps. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄’𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿? I detail a 27-prompt strategy that uses ChatGPT to: - 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀: Set precise objectives to drive your campaign. - 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲: Ensure your messaging resonates with your values and desired public perception. - 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴: Generate innovative ideas and refine them into impactful messages. - 𝗘𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀: Align your messaging across different media for consistent advocacy. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗧𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝗜𝗻? If you've ever found yourself recycling old messages or struggling to infuse creativity into your campaigns, this newsletter will transform your approach: - 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆: Use AI to explore new angles and fresh perspectives. - 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: Save time with AI-driven prompts that guide the creation and refinement of your brand messaging. - 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: Ensure your messages are not only creative but also strategically aligned with your campaign goals. 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀: Paid subscribers will gain exclusive access to the full archive of my interactive session with ChatGPT, providing a behind-the-scenes look at how each step was implemented for a hypothetical campaign against the carbon tax. ☝️You can subscribe by clicking 𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗴 link in my bio☝️

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