What a difference a year makes.

Last September I was honored to receive the Page Society’s Distinguished Service Award for contributions to our profession. Page is the association for the communications industry’s senior executives. I focused my acceptance speech on the declining state of civil discourse and increase in polarization in our society.

In my remarks, I announced...

This summer, the mainstream news media discovered fan activism when a group of K-Pop (Korean popular music) fans hijacked the registration system for Donald Trump’s Tulsa rally, causing his campaign staff to grossly overestimate turnout. This was not the first time K-Pop fans had interjected themselves into contemporary political debates, whether helping boy band BTS raise several million...

Years ago, the role of the Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer (CIDO) was more figurehead than business head, a symbol of an intention versus a commitment. A placeholder for action that would begin as soon as other business priorities and investment dollars cleared up and could be reallocated to “nice to have” initiatives. Although corporations instinctively understood the need for a...

At the start of this year, never could anyone have imagined the drastic changes that would immediately affect all facets of life as we know it. As a young executive at a global communications agency, I have relished in the fact that there is so much more to learn. A global pandemic; however, was not one of those learning moments I had anticipated. I did not anticipate something that stops me...

Our recent Coronavirus Disruption Project is full of countless trends, insights and numbers.

One number stands out from the rest: 37%. That’s the percentage of Americans who — even after a vaccine is found and the pandemic fades away — plan to reduce their face-to-face contact with other people.

Once we feel safe (if we ever do) we may quickly revert back to old habits and...

When we were creating our 2025 business plan, our team decided we needed a rallying cry to articulate our continued aim to put people and purpose at the heart of everything we do. After some brainstorming, we landed on a message around the concept “WE is rising.”

This spring, when we unveiled our vision across the globe, the resounding feedback was positive. So, it took me by surprise...

The recent trend of brands engaging in purpose-driven conversations has been amplified by the events of 2020. From COVID-19 to #BlackLivesMatter to climate crisis, brands and organizations of any type are increasingly seizing the opportunity — but also feeling the pressure — to engage in complex conversations.

This makes many corporate executives and communicators nervous, as they’re...