Insights for Leaders Navigating
Visibility, Credibility, and Growth.
From media strategy to reputation management, we explore the trends shaping public perception and share the approaches that drive measurable results for growing brands.
As offices were closed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and individuals shifted to working from home, there was a spike in Zoom and MS Teams meetings. Virtual team happy hours were added to peoples’ schedules and existing meetings were converted to video conference calls.
We all enjoyed a glimpse into our co-workers’ homes (at least the background behind their video images) and relished working in sweats from the comfort of our kitchen tables. We adjusted lighting and video camera angles to look our best and shared memes about video calls gone bad.
Now it’s been a few weeks into working from home and the novelty of these virtual meetings is starting to wear off.
It seems there are a lot more meetings, leaving less time to actually get the work done. Friends have shared that they are maxed out on video calls. They have back-to-back meetings with the intent to stay connected and intentionally try to overcommunicate with colleagues as we all work in isolation. At the end of the workday, as the virtual meetings wrap up, we face the challenge of trying to get work projects and tasks done. On top of pressures to stay connected, working from home can make work-life separation challenging.
Below are some tips to navigate the increased demand for meetings while working from home:
- Block time on your schedule to work through your to-do list. Each day have a block of time dedicated to doing the work and GSD. If someone sends a meeting request for this time, see if there are alternative times to conduct the meeting. Some requests may require you to flex your scheduled work time; however, having something on your calendar will make it easier to push back.
- Schedule breaks. Make sure you take a couple of 10- or 15-minute breaks to get up and move around your home. Breaks give you a chance to recharge and when you’re working at home, it is easy to lose track of time.
- Say no or gracefully opt out of participating in the meeting. There are likely some meetings that are optional or which your participation is not required. Additionally, sometimes a video call is not the most efficient way to move the project forward. Be selective in participation of virtual social gatherings. Be mindful of how you say “no” or decline a meeting; especially as everyone is working remotely, nuance can get misread via email/text.
- Have a clear agenda and objective. When setting up a meeting, provide an agenda in advance and let intended participants know what the objective is of the meeting. Take time to check in with people at the start of the call and then focus on working through the agenda and staying on task to accomplish the intended objectives. If you are invited to a meeting and the objective is not clear, secure that information when accepting and/or at the start of the call.
- Remember in some instances, people just need human-to-human socializing. Around the world, we’re all going through stressful times and many of us are experiencing considerable change in our home, work and social lives. As a result, catching up and maintaining emotional connections is critical. If you sense a co-worker is anxious or depressed, check in with them and consider being a sounding board.
For additional guidance on virtual meetings, please consider the following articles:
- What you Need to Know About Holding Productive Virtual Meetings During COVID-19, Forbes.com
- What it Takes to Run a Great Virtual Meeting, Harvard Business Review
- When Coronavirus Causes you to Meet Differently: 6 Tips for Making the Most of Remote or In-Person Meetings, Forbes.com
What tips do you have during this time to manage the uptick in meetings, getting work done and maintaining work-life balance while working from home?
Growing up, my main source of news came from the television or newspaper. It seemed like a simple transaction. Accredited journalists discussed politics and ethics. I watched and listened, without a doubt in my mind that what they told me was true. Thanks to social media, news is constantly at our fingertips now. Determining what’s true has become a much more difficult proposition.
We see it all the time – a misleading or plain old false tweet blows up, and only after it’s been recirculated thousands of times is it debunked. It happens to me too. I see something that feels urgent and important, and there I go, off to the retweet races before checking the source. I know better. Still, it happens.
As we are flooded with countless articles about COVID-19, the issue seems especially urgent. I decided to create a step-by-step system to make sure I slow down and question everything. It’s difficult to decipher fact from fiction in a situation evolving so rapidly. I thought it would be helpful to share my list with others.
Check the Profile
- Who is in their network and who do they follow?
- What’s their background and apparent biases?
I’ve found it helpful to follow a handful of trustworthy journalists who possess a strong background and an objective lens. It allows me to save time by not scrolling through hundreds of posts. I also have the confidence that the information is credible and reliable.
Do They Cite Sources?
- Are their sources clearly cited in the post?
- Is the information being distributed in other media outlets?
Citations are one of the key differences between a factual and fictional post. A simple hyperlink to a report or to a credible article is an easy way for readers to be certain the information is true.
Does It Add Up?
- Trust your intuition – if the headline doesn’t match the article, you should be wary.
- Refer to dependable websites when there is information being spread that’s hard to verify.
There’s a handful of great websites that fact-check information buzzing around the internet. Snopes, Factcheck.org and PolitiFact are a few of my favorites. If you’re still unsure, it’s helpful to look at government websites such as the CDC’s site, especially during times of natural disaster or the current Coronavirus pandemic.
These past few weeks have been extremely difficult, to say the least. We are all doing our best to simply stay safe and healthy. It’s more important than ever to filter out false information and focus on the truth.
For additional ideas on how to determine if you’re receiving news from a trustworthy source, check out these other posts:
In college and even before, I’d always heard that finding a job after graduation was the hardest and most important part of graduating college. I knew several people who had spent thousands of dollars on a degree they weren’t using or that they couldn’t put to use because they couldn’t get a job in their field. When approaching my own college graduation, I made sure to be ahead of the curve.
I asked for help to tune my resume, I practiced interviewing, I sought to acquire as many relevant skills as I could, I networked my rear off, and I applied everywhere. And then to my immense joy, one of the first post-grad internships I applied for worked out. When the internship was over, I found a job within a week’s time. I had succeeded! However, as time went on, I realized the adjustment to be a “real” working adult was not what I expected.
For all my soon-to-be-graduate peers, below are three important lessons I’ve learned since leaving college and entering the workforce.
You will mess up, and that’s ok.
As a senior in college, we’ve mastered how to be a student. We understand what teachers in our program look for when they grade, and we have a better sense of what to focus on when we study. We also know the ins and outs of our respective campus, where to find the best deals on textbooks (or if we even need them) and how long we can procrastinate a paper before we absolutely have to start writing.
Entering the workforce can feel like starting from square one. Deciding how to prioritize deadlines and gauging what a supervisor values are not spelled out on a rubric. However, you are not expected to know everything. When you make a mistake, own it and come up with a plan to avoid making it again in the future. More importantly, don’t get hung up on the mistakes you make – take them in stride. Treat them as a learning experience and glean as much from each mistake as possible. Reach out to your teammates, mentors and friends to reassure you that the learning curve is normal. Remember: Everyone above you was once in your position. Mastering your craft takes time and mistakes come with the territory.
Make time for yourself.
Working a 9-5 essentially requires that we give our day to someone else. By the time we commute home it’s after 6 p.m. and we’ll have done nothing for ourselves, five days a week! To feel like I still have a personal life, I’ve learned it’s crucial to maximize my mornings. I recommend going to the gym or for walks in the morning, listening to podcasts during your commute, or catching up on the latest episode of the show you’re watching while you eat breakfast.
Now that college is over and there aren’t as many accessible clubs to join, I recommend investing in a new hobby. Whether it’s cycling, rock climbing, knitting or playing the piano, finding something you enjoy doing outside of work other than watching Netflix helps your life feel full and well rounded. Lastly, it’s vital to protect breaks. It may be tempting to follow the example of coworkers who work through lunch every day, but taking the time to disconnect can hit your refresh button and help you remain productive and tuned in for the rest of the afternoon. It can also help us avoid burnout.
It’s OK if you don’t know everything.
In a similar vein to my first important lesson, it’s OK if you don’t know everything. I remember in my post-grad internship I was introduced to the world of B2B tech. There were so many acronyms I had never heard before! SEO, DDoS, PPA, ISO, CCA, EOW, GW – there was an entirely new language I had to learn! Since everyone around me spoke the language fluently, it was intimidating (and even embarrassing) to ask someone to explain these seemingly simple words to me. But in doing so, I was able to keep a running note of all the terms and eventually I was a fluent speaker, too.
Successfully adjusting to the workforce means being willing to ask questions and being willing to ask for help. If we jump into our field eager to learn, we’re so much better equipped to add value than if we pretend to know what’s going on around us.
Graduating college is an enormous feat and a huge life milestone. Equally momentous is entering the workforce. Both thrilling and a little intimidating, beginning a career brings changes to our lives that we may not see coming (i.e., feeling like we have less time now than we did with a job, an internship, clubs and 15 credits). Recent college graduates should be patient with themselves as they learn the tricks of their trade and protect their personal time as they adjust to life after college.
In the midst of COVID-19, the news can be overwhelming. There is the potential for millions of us to get sick, many people may die, there may not be enough hospital beds and ventilators, businesses are closing, and unemployment may go up to 20 percent.
But at the heart of this pandemic, there are some amazingly positive resources and stories that can make our lives better. I thought I’d recap a few of them as a reminder for the Communiqué team and the readers of our blog.
The below list includes ideas for how to give back, how to stay entertained and more. Take a look and, if you have additional suggestions, I’d love to hear from you.
How to Help
- Donate blood. There is a severe shortage of blood and the American Red Cross has an easy-to-use website that allows people to find a drive near them. I found a location within three-miles of my home, but before you zip over to donate, make sure you confirm walk-up donors are allowed. With COVID-19, many locations are requiring that you have an appointment.
- Sew masks. The global demand for masks and other personal protective equipment has created a shortage. In the Seattle area, Providence requested volunteers to make medical-grade masks. As of my writing of this post, all of its kits were claimed, but other organizations may also be looking for volunteers. Check your local hospitals’ websites to see if they need help.
- Donate money. Consider a donation to a charity responding to critical community needs. There are a number of charities that are supporting caregivers, research around COVID-19, or the poor and vulnerable people in our community.
- Help a neighbor. To identify people in need, I recommend checking out Next Door, the social media site for neighborhoods. They have just created a “Help Map,” noting that daily activities may present a challenge for those at higher risk of complications from COVID-19. You can post a description of how you can help and they’ll help you to connect with someone in need.
Staying Entertained
- Have an online Netflix party. USA Today provides instructions for how to do this in its article here.
- Check out some animals from these fun animal cams. We can thank the staff of Adventure Journal for developing these recommendations which allow viewers to watch otters feeding, bears emerging from hibernation and more.
- Have a socially distant happy hour. Turn on Skype or Facetime your friends. If you have a subscription to Zoom or access to Microsoft Teams you can use those tools as well. Finally, many people I know are sitting on their respective porches and raising a glass with their neighbors, talking, albeit more loudly than normal, to communicate with one another from a safe distance.
- Enjoy an online music festival. Stay at Home Fest harnesses the power of the internet for good, creating a central hub to find all the fantastic decentralized events that are happening online, and aiding music discovery during the global pandemic.
- Visit the Seattle Art Museum. The museum as launched a new blog called Stay at Home with SAM. Check out their “Object of the Week” and other content to stay engaged with art.
- Learn something new. According to experts, already 400 million students have been disrupted by the spread of the coronavirus. Fortunately, there are some excellent ways to learn online. I’m a huge fan of Coursera and its courses, many of which are free. Some of the resources they’ve put together include the following:
Exercise and Health
- Don’t read too much news. Get an update on the information you need and then move on, otherwise you may find yourself getting overwhelmed and wound up.
- Participate in an online exercise class. Many fitness and yoga studios are offering classes for free. For instance, CorePower offers a variety of pre-recorded flows and has promised to add new classes each week. A good list can be found in this article.
- Go for a walk or run. Even in cities or states with mandates to shelter in place, running and walking are still permitted as long as you maintain the appropriate social distance. As a reminder, the benefits of walking and running include improved cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness, reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, better management of high blood pressure, cholesterol, and more. In my experience, a nice long walk also helps improve my mood.
- Meditate. With the help of Audible, I have recently begun to meditate and have downloaded “Everyday Meditation,” a free audio program from Aaptiv offering 20 days of guided mediations. During this time of uncertainty and change, it has been very helpful to focus on calmness, mindfulness and positivity.
Keeping the Faith
- Several religious institutions are offering worship services online. In Seattle, you can find online church services listed here. Many other community news outlets have compiled similar list for their area.
For more positive updates on COVID-19, please check out this article from the Good News Network.
I hope this list of resources is helpful for you as you #StayAtHome, doing your part to stop the spread of this virus and flatten the curve.
COVID-19 is dominating all conversations. Like me, I’m sure most people are lucky if they make it a full hour without talking or reading about COVID-19.
Though my PR career isn’t decades long, I can’t think of another time when something has so clearly dominated the news and for such a long time – with no end in sight. Additionally, because the situation is constantly evolving and varies largely by country, county or even city, there is always new information to report.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve assisted with building several new press lists for organizations in different industries, targeting very different sets of reporters, yet nearly every single reporter I looked at had covered COVID-19 in some capacity.
So, it’s left me and my colleagues wondering: What does this mean for all other news and activity? Do we halt other activity? Will other news even be heard?
In one of our virtual team meetings this week, we discussed this topic and how to best navigate it on behalf of our clients. Below is an overview of our PR approach during this unprecedented time.
Evaluate Each Announcement and Pitch
It is important to evaluate each pitch and announcement on a case-by-case basis. For example, when there is an announcement that’s been in the works for weeks, maybe even months, it likely doesn’t make sense to hold the story. Chances are, it’s a bigger business move that can’t go on hold for an indefinite amount of time. In that case, it probably makes sense to distribute the announcement, just know it may not have the results you were initially planning on securing.
With proactive pitches, it may be the time to hold. With proactive pitches, we’re often trying to spark a particular conversation in the news, shed light on a new trend, or share our clients’ expert opinion or unique perspective on a popular topic. Currently, the only topic making headlines is COVID-19. Developing and distributing a proactive pitch that doesn’t relate to COVID-19 in some capacity would likely make little to no impact.
Set Expectations
With announcements that you can’t push, recognize that it may not have the same impact or secure the same amount of coverage it would have three weeks ago. It’s important to have conversations with all involved that set expectations around what is realistic given the current climate. We’re in uncharted territory. While I would venture to guess that traditional news and stories unrelated to COVID-19 are not going to have much of an impact, maybe some reporters are looking for a welcomed break.
Look to the Future
While the future looks somewhat bleak and there appears to be no end in sight, there will be an end to COVID-19. Begin to think of creative ways to weave messages from announcements that will be overshadowed by the current news cycle into future activity, such as proactive pitches, bylines or blogs. Consider how you can leverage it in a larger story arc or future campaign.
These are uncertain and unprecedented times for everyone. All we can do is our best and take it day by day. Stay safe and wash your hands!
With COVID-19 in full swing, everyone is feeling the impact. And those of us fortunate enough to be able to work remotely are balancing being productive without losing our sanity from isolation. As I write this, I am sitting in my makeshift home office – which, thankfully is a quiet space secluded from my 3-year old, with dual monitors and an endless supply of coffee.
There are many unknowns with COVID-19 – from a health to an economic perspective – but if you’re stuck inside and still need to do your job, it’s important to setup a productive shop. Here are six tips I’ve gathered from work-from-home veterans and workplace experts.
Location, location, location
Having a separate workspace is a bonus, but not always feasible. It doesn’t have to be a dedicated office with a door that closes, but it should be an area that mentally prepares you for work mode, whether it’s a separate room, a small desk setup in a corner of the living room, or a laptop at the end of the kitchen table. If a separate space is not an option, map out an area that can be clear of clutter, or at least allows it to be out of sight. This may mean sitting at a specific chair in your dining room, so you don’t see the chaos in the kitchen, or pulling out a folding table in your bedroom, if it’s the cleanest spot in the house.
Put your pants (or a bra) on
While Instagram memes glorify the ability to answer emails in your robe all day, being overly comfortable will tempt you back into your bed, or to your couch. It’s important to still do your morning routine as you usually would if you were commuting into the office, since it signals to your brain that it’s time to work – not to lounge. While a three-piece suit and fully done hair/makeup is not necessary, the simple stuff makes a difference. Several work-from-home veterans have cited this tip as the one that has had the biggest impact on their ability to work effectively.
Focus on output
As a PR pro who is accountable to billable hours, utilization rates and results, this is a no brainer. However, for the average person working from home it can be challenging to maintain productivity – especially when working remotely for a few weeks, or more.
As Kari DePhillips, the fully remote CEO of The Content Factory and cohost of the Workationing podcast explains, many people will try to hide from their deliverables since they don’t feel accountable in the same way. But, she says, it’s not enough just to “be at work” with a body warming up a seat. “In a remote work environment, you’re entirely judged by the volume, quality, and timeliness of your output. In this way, remote work is a great equalizer, and you may find it gives you an opportunity to shine—and snag that next raise or promotion,” she says.
Establish a routine
It’s an all too easy habit to adopt sleeping in longer than usual and making up for lost time by working later. The issue is the tone you set for the day, and thus, your productivity. As leadership development and career expert Elizabeth Whittaker-Walker explains, when you’re away from the office, it’s more important than ever to set specific hours—and stick to them. One way to ensure you stay on track is to create time blocks, which Whittaker-Walker says could look something like this: checking email during the first and last blocks of the day, only holding calls between certain windows, and managing the hours when you feel the most alert. “If your freshest thinking is before noon, save meetings or intense work periods for the first part of the day. Cross off the day’s objectives as you complete them for an intrinsic motivation boost,” she says.
Repurpose your commute
One of my favorite perks about working from home is ditching the commute. That said, it doesn’t mean your workday should start earlier. “Use your commute time in the morning for self-renewal or family time, not work,” said Julie Morgenstern, an organization and productivity consultant and author of “Organizing from the Inside Out.”
Schedule more check-ins with your team
One of the hardest parts of being a leader – whether face-to-face or not – is managing your team. There is an added layer of complexity when you can’t walk over to their desk and check in on a project, ask a question, assign a task, or be sure they have the resources they need. Luckily, technology provides us with ample opportunities to bridge this gap. With Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype, etc., these apps provide another channel for connection. Quick messages feel more authentic than formal emails, and video calls are a bonus to see and hear your colleagues and help avoid the isolating feeling of working remotely.