WAINGER
WISDOM
In this blog, we explore what it takes to engage, inspire and connect whether you are building a personal or organizational brand.
Join us in this ongoing conversation about creating effective leadership communications with strategies and tactics that foster understanding and motivate people to act.
Join us in this ongoing conversation about creating effective leadership communications with strategies and tactics that foster understanding and motivate people to act.
Social Media: Making It Up As We Go Along
While the winds howled last week with the snow of the century, the power managed to stay on long enough so that I could participate in a webinar about building buzz through social media. Hosted by The Communications Network and by the Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN), session leaders Holly Ross, Executive Director of NTEN, and Nancy Schwartz, NTEN board member and blogger, the session presented three case studies about nonprofits and foundations that had successfully used social media.
Change Management: The Great Snow
It’s humbling to realize how easily our world can come to a stop. And how all the incredible communications tools we have don’t work when we don’t have power. After the first blast last weekend, all of our neighbors ventured out trading information. Some even ventured beyond the end of the street to get a good look at what was happening and then heard more information from others.
Say What You Mean Or No One Will Hear
Today the respected British medical journal, The Lancet issued a retraction of Andrew Wakefield’s 1998 study that links measles vaccines to autism and caused so many parents to put their children at risk by NOT getting them vaccinated.
Communications Planning: Inventory Control
It’s a new year and as companies and organizations think of communications planning, it's good to step back and inventory your assets and think about how you will communicate their value inside and outside of your company or organization. Sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how often organizations don’t fully understand what their true assets are.
Leadership Communications: The Power of Thank You
It is the simplest things that can mean the most. And that is the case with two words: thank you. Unfortunately, they don’t get used enough at home or in the workplace. All too often when people do good things, nice things, it is taken for granted. This is especially true in business where leadership communications should matter most. When an employee does a good job, very often the boss doesn’t say anything–” isn’t that what I’m paying you to do,” is the logic there.
Public Relations: Avoid Gobbledygook
I just came across an old post from David Meerman Scott, who developed with the help of Dow Jones Insight, the Gobbledygook Grader to eliminate those overused phrases from press releases that have become meaningless. You know what we are talking about–I blogged about some of them in an earlier post–innovative, robust, leading provider, next generation, new level, cost-effective and it goes on and on.
Framing Messages: Communicating in Shades of Gray
Redskins owner, Dan Snyder is probably the most hated man in Washington, DC these days. But Washington Post columnist Bob McCartney in his column yesterday pointed out that Dan has a charitable side.
Language: Words PR Folks (or Anyone) Should Use with Care
Stop the world. Not literally. But I sure would like to stop the poor use of several words that seem to show up often in press releases, articles and, it just seems, everywhere. When used well, this language greatly assists understanding. Unfortunately, they are so overused that they have become almost meaningless.
Public Relations As Therapy?
A common theme runs through most calls for new business. “Our company [or organization] wants to get more attention for ourselves and our work. We want to create buzz, get noticed,” they say.
Leadership Communications: Welcome to Liz Unmuzzled
This the Wainger Group’s blog reborn after several months of silence. In this space, we are dedicated to having meaningful conversations about effective leadership communications. The goal isn’t more press clips or tweets about us or our clients but about getting people to understand each other and to act in meaningful and effective ways. Isn’t that what communications is really all about?
Liz Wainger says:
Liz Wainger says:
Liz Wainger says: