OK, so the you-know-what has hit the fan.

The CEO is agitated. The General Counsel has already called the outside law firm. C-suite leaders are whispering in the hallway.

You are in the first moments of a real crisis.

As a communications leader, what do you do?

I’ve worked for many years with leaders on challenging situations like lawsuits, regulatory actions, layoffs, acquisitions, divestitures, workplace violence and the 9/11 attack.

Every crisis is unique.

There is never a...

‘Tis the season. Who doesn’t love to receive beautifully wrapped presents from family and friends?

It’s EASY to be thankful for those.

But as we celebrate the holidays, I’m most grateful for things that I didn’t see as a gift. Some of these gifts without wrapping seemed tough and even painful in the moment. With time to reflect, they are some of the most valuable gifts I’ve ever received.

Here is a short list of my favorite unwrapped gifts:

- Parents who say no. My folks gave our family...

Everyone, from project managers to CEOs, are suddenly being asked to be TV performers.

Calendars are filled with more Zoom, Skype, Webex and GoTo Meetings than ever.

There is so much more to manage in an online meeting than in person. In addition to the subject, you have to worry about lighting, sound, and distractions.

Let me share from my experience in both TV news and video conferences. These are practical tips to maintain your presence, even when you’re not present in person.

1. Get...

Leaders and communicators face an extraordinary set of fast-moving challenges today. If you haven’t learned any lessons about leadership during the storms of 2020, then you’re not paying attention.

We still have a long way to go in 2020, but here are ideas to inspire and inform.

1) Be Flexible and Keep Moving – Remember all those carefully laid strategic plans for 2020? The pandemic put them on ice. The best leaders made swift decisions to move major events online, and keep employees and...