You're my commsHERO (CommsHero)

We kick off this season of the podcast with a #CommsHero speaker who has built her own legion of fans dubbed The Crown Jules. Jules Loveland (MCIPR) is currently a Communications Manager in the not-for-profit sector, with over 20 years experience in media and comms. A passionate advocate of the role of emotional intelligence in communications, Jules started her career in video production before segueing into website project management, allowing her to hone her writing skills for digital alongside developing her abilities in marketing & PR, leadership development and project management. Marrying strategy with storytelling, she is a content Queen, maximising digital outputs. 

 If Jules’ name sounds familiar, it’s likely you heard her session on mental health in the industry at CommsHero. No surprise then that​ Jules is also a trained mediator, and was previously a counsellor, with specialisms in trauma and conflict resolution.

 Jules sat down with our very own Asif Choudry to talk emotional intelligence, why it should be a priority for leaders, and the difference it makes to organisations, teams and communication. Does the term soft skills belie the importance of emotional intelligence? Is it another comms buzzword?

Follow Jules on Twitter and Linkedin 
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To join The Crown Jules, contact Carly Cook. Disclaimer: cool CommsHero-style merch not yet available.

You’ll find this podcast on Spotify, Apple and on our websitewww.commshero.com. Please leave a rating and review.

This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers. 

Kim Sklinar, a British-Ukranian, speakers with "You're my CommsHero" Podcast host Asif Choudry about the  situation which has been simmering for weeks. 

 Here are some tips and links on how to talk about and support this situation. Kim also covers what to be mindful of when communicating it, based on some of the things we're seeing - plus bonus language and history lessons too!

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This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers. For more details visit their website Joinblink.com. 

We Are Resource and CIPR’s live event ‘Who Runs the World’ gathered together five of the most respected names in the communications industry – former CIPR presidents Sarah Waddington CBE, Emma Leech, Jenni Field and Mandy Pearse and current President Rachel Roberts for a discussion about their experiences and advice to fellow communications professionals.

With collective experience in both agency and in-house and across the private, public and charity sectors we chatted about everything from what they were most proud of, to what they would do differently if they had their time again! Our panel answered questions relating to the important matters for our industry such as being truly inclusive and diverse and representing our stakeholders.

Our second guest of the season is seasoned #CommsHero, Stu Kaley, Associate Director of Customer Experience (CX) and Operations at The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).  

With a career that began in music retail and took him to London, Stu developed a passion for everything customer and operational customer-focus. He then moved into the food industry and worked on multi-brand (owned and franchised) customer experience strategy across the UK and Europe, developing his love of CX even further. 

He joined Asif - a CIM member since 1997 (wait…that can’t be right!) - to talk about changes afoot at The Chartered Institute of Marketing.

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 Fancy getting in the hot seat and sharing your CommsHero wisdom? Contact Asif Choudry

 You’ll find this podcast on Spotify, Apple and on our website www.commshero.com. Please leave a rating and review.

 This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers. 

In this episode, founder of Horizon Comms Dan Holden, talks about how when it comes to conferences and events, we still have a gap in representation even though the comms community is full of diverse voices. Having posted on LinkedIn after declining an event invitation due to a lack of representation on the speaker panel, it was clear from the supporting comments there is a need for us to be challenging event organisers to change. Where does this change start and what role can we play as individuals and organisations?

Social media:

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Fancy getting in the hot seat and sharing your CommsHero wisdom? Contact Asif Choudry

 You’ll find this podcast on Spotify, Apple and on our websitewww.commshero.com. Please leave a rating and review.

 This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers. 

So deeply entrenched in #CommsHero is our next guest, it is hard to believe that he isn’t on the Resource payroll! Having held roles in business associations, renewable energy, and higher education, Ed Thomas is now in the housing sector, leading all communications and marketing strategy and campaigns at The Wrekin Housing Group, a social housing and care provider that drives social value and makes a difference to people’s lives across Shropshire and Staffordshire.

 A storyteller, trust builder, reputation manager, communicator and marketer – he is also dyslexic.

 With ever increasing understanding of dyslexia, the traditional views are being dismissed. Dyslexic brains excel in critical thinking, emotional intelligence, creativity and communication, skills amongst the most in demand by employers for the 21st century workplace. In this episode Ed tells us about his journey with dyslexia and how he capitalises on his dyslexic superpowers. Cape optional, though he never leaves the house without his.

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Fancy getting in the hot seat and sharing your CommsHero wisdom? Contact Asif Choudry

You’ll find this podcast on Spotify, Apple and on our websitewww.commshero.com. Please leave a rating and review.

This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers.

Mentoring is one of the most underrated keys to nourishing one’s growth. For any young professional trying to enter the industry, a mentor can help open a number of doors they may not have known existed which can be even more crucial to people from underrepresented backgrounds.

 Our next guest in the podcast took part in a leadership mentoring programme for underrepresented women in the PR industry that she says ‘changed her life’. Shalini Gupta decided to pay it forward and has since been mentoring underrepresented PR graduates. She is passionate about helping develop the next generation of communicators and young leaders in the industry to help them fulfil their true potential.

In this episode Shalini is joined by one of her first mentees, burgeoning #CommsHero Ilyana Rajwani, an internal comms intern in the financial sector, to discuss all things mentoring: learnings; the importance of having diverse role models and how by bridging the gap early in the lives of underrepresented young professionals, it can really help them spread their wings and take flight.

Fancy getting in the hot seat and sharing your CommsHero wisdom? Contact Asif Choudry

 You’ll find this podcast on Spotify, Apple and on our website www.commshero.com. Please leave a rating and review.

 This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers. 

From dusty relics to post-modern pieces, our next guest works at the intersection where past meets present and future. Lisa Middleton is Head of Marketing and Brand at National Museums Liverpool, having joined the organisation in 2015.

In this episode, Lisa explores what it is like to be in arts marketing. Museum comms is more than exhibitions, and encompasses vast collections, amazing venues, and commercial offers such as shops and cafés. Don’t be surprised to see a Bridezilla on your next visit; museums also hold events, including weddings! Learning and participation activities are also a huge part of the museum proposition, which means knowing your audience and being agile is an essential part of the role.

Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn

Email Lisa

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Fancy getting in the hot seat and sharing your CommsHero wisdom? Contact Asif Choudry

You’ll find this podcast on Spotify, Apple and on our websitewww.commshero.com. Please leave a rating and review.

Michelle Okwudiafor leads internal communication and engagement at Total Energies. A member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, she holds a master’s degree in International Development from the University of Turin (ILO training centre) and a bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of London.  

 In this episode, she interrogates the events that have led to 2022 being described by many as ‘the year of the employee’. From the pandemic, to global racial protests, and the Great Resignation amongst others, these events have fertilised the ground for companies to begin to focus on the issues that matter most to the workforce. Issues including flexibility, improved employee experience, trust in leadership, diversity, and inclusion are high on the priority list of employees. Companies that fail to focus on their employees may be at the losing end of the table. But given this shift in power, what does an inclusive workplace look like and how can we as communicators help to drive the inclusion agenda in companies?

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 Fancy getting in the hot seat and sharing your CommsHero wisdom? Contact Asif Choudry

 You’ll find this podcast on Spotify, Apple and on our websitewww.commshero.com. Please leave a rating and review.

 This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers. 

In this podcast, like typical Yorkshire folk, we make the most of BOGOF, with not one, but two guests from Yorkshire Housing.
Our guests  this episode are:

Hannah Jowett MCIPR is Head of Communications and Brand at Yorkshire Housing. She’s passionate about building comms teams where people can thrive and bring their ideas and creativity to life. 

 Nick Atkin is a highly successful Chief Executive with a track record of leading organisations through transformational change and driving performance improvement, with a focus on maximising the untapped potential from businesses and people. Confident and energetic, the inspirational leader embraces technology to deliver customer centric innovative working practices and solutions.

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Fancy getting in the hot seat and sharing your CommsHero wisdom? Contact Asif Choudry

 You’ll find this podcast on Spotify, Apple and on our websitewww.commshero.com. Please leave a rating and review.

 This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers. 

 Tickets are now available for #CommsHero week, 19-23 September. The week-long virtual event with over 35 sessions live streamed and available on demand for a year. Great value at £180 and you can find out more HERE.

This episode developed over on LinkedIn, when Ally and Asif discovered a shared love of the tomes: Lost Connections and Stolen Focus, both written by Johann Hari. We know Asif loves a printed book! These books interrogate the impact of digitalisation and social media on our lives, and our ability to focus and make deep and meaningful connections. With a radical new way of thinking about depression and anxiety, what does this mean for marketers, and how can we use these lessons to build relationships with our stakeholders?

Ally Cook is an experienced and confident content creator, copywriter and communicator, with a demonstrable track record of working across print and digital publications to deliver strategic results. When Ally worked for the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), she managed the content & engagement team, she was responsible for delivering a content strategy that met the needs of the CIM’s 25,000+ members and the wider marketing community. She is now the Community Content Manager at WeAre8.

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Resources

Johann Hari - Lost Connections

Johann Hari - Stolen Focus 

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Fancy getting in the hot seat and sharing your CommsHero wisdom? Contact Asif Choudry

 You’ll find this podcast on Spotify, Apple and on our website www.commshero.com. Please leave a rating and review.

 This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers. 

 Tickets are now available for #CommsHero week, 19-23 September. The week-long virtual event with over 35 sessions live streamed and available on demand for a year. Great value at £180 and you can find out more HERE.

Nosheen Haque is a communications specialist based in Manchester. Nosheen has over 10 years’ experience of working with a variety of brands and organisations using PR and digital marketing to drive engagement, growth and brand value across a multitude of private and public sectors.

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Fancy getting in the hot seat and sharing your CommsHero wisdom? Contact Asif Choudry

 You’ll find this podcast on Spotify, Apple and on our website www.commshero.com. Please leave a rating and review.

 This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers. 

 Tickets are now available for #CommsHero week, 19-23 September. The week-long virtual event with over 35 sessions live streamed and available on demand for a year. Great value at £180 and you can find out more HERE.

Our next guest crossed over from the dark side. Former Sith Lord (slash journalist) Glenn Bowley began his communications career in a housing association in St Helens before moving to Lancashire Constabulary as a press and PR officer. In 2013, Glenn was seconded to the Home Office to manage the media on the criminal investigation into the Hillsborough disaster. His brief was extended further to incorporate some stakeholder management. In 2019, Glenn joined the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) as Head of Communications.

 The DBS - created in the merger of the Criminal Records Bureau and the Independent Safeguarding Authority - is approaching its 10th birthday. Glenn’s role entails having oversight and responsibility for internal, external and strategic comms, and DBS’ editorial and design function, as well as growing its public profile.

 In this episode, Glenn talks about the power of communication, community and how teams that #CommsHero together, stay together.

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 Fancy getting in the hot seat and sharing your CommsHero wisdom? Contact Asif Choudry

 You’ll find this podcast on Spotify, Apple and on our websitewww.commshero.com. Please leave a rating and review.

 This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers. 

 Tickets are now available for #CommsHero week, 19-23 September. The week-long virtual event with over 35 sessions live streamed and available on demand for a year. Great value at £180 and you can find out more at www.commshero.com

Our next guest will also be appearing as part of our stellar #CommsHeroWeek line-up. Katrina Wilcox is Head of Marketing and Communications at Housing 21, a leading not-for-profit provider of housing and care for older people. Katrina’s extensive experience in marketing and communications has been gained through a 20+ year career working across the healthcare, housing, education, manufacturing and publishing sectors. Her passion lies in working for purpose-led, not-for-profit organisations and she specialises in strategic planning, integrated campaign management, internal communications and employee engagement.

In this episode, we ask the question: what if we could inspire young people by sharing the multitude of options available in a comms career? With so many young people wanting a purpose driven career - one where they can really make a difference – working in not for profit, third sector or charity comms, or a career in comms in general, could be something to aspire to.

Follow Katrina on LinkedIn

Fancy getting in the hot seat and sharing your CommsHero wisdom? Contact Asif Choudry

 You’ll find this podcast on Spotify, Apple and on our websitewww.commshero.com. Please leave a rating and review.

 This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers. 

 Tickets are now available for #CommsHero week, 19-23 September. The week-long virtual event with over 35 sessions live streamed and available on demand for a year. Great value at £180 and you can find out more at www.commshero.com. 

If you’re a Digital PR pro, chances are you’ve learned a thing or two from our next guest who pretty much invented the internet. Andy Barr founder of 10 Yetis previously worked in-house on multi-media campaigns for the likes of AXA, Unilever, First Group, Whitbread and Midlands Electricity Board. His talents span effective crisis communications, award-winning media campaigns and creating highly engaging content across video, social media and PR. Our very own Mr. Worldwide has also advised the UK’s two largest political parties on digital campaigns and worked with Chinese government delegations on reviewing their approach to communications.

He has built a team of more than 25 skilled individuals at the agency and dedicates any time that he has to growing the business and delivering great results for clients. Andy is renowned for his hot takes on all things PR and communications and brightens up the industry with his daily GoGetEm morning tweets. In this episode, we chat to the Digital Demigod about all things Twitter. Is the Twitterverse as sinister as some make out or is it a beneficial tool for both communications and brand?

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Fancy getting in the hot seat and sharing your CommsHero wisdom? Contact Asif Choudry

 You’ll find this podcast on Spotify, Apple and on our websitewww.commshero.com. Please leave a rating and review.

 This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers. 

 Tickets are now available for #CommsHero week, 19-23 September. The week-long virtual event with over 35 sessions live streamed and available on demand for a year. Great value at £180 and you can find out more at www.commshero.com

Jan Fitzgerald is a communications and media specialist. For the last 12 years Jan has worked largely across internal communications for remote workforces in transport, retail and construction. 

She specialises in content production, channels strategy and development, print vs digital alignment and insights analysis. Jan’s particular interest is in how to overcome remote workforces and targeting the less engaged. She loves working in internal comms because of the diversity and variety that every day brings in terms of people and work. There’s never a dull moment!

In this episode, we hear about the Linkedin conversation, which sparked the reason behind this podcast. Jan posted a really interesting set of analysis from some research that she conducted about print and the use of print and internal comms. Jan is a huge advocate of print and explains that in this day and age, digital is not always the most sustainable or appropriate option for the audience. 

There’s also a CommsHero podcast first, but we’ll let you listen to Jan to announce her BIG news…

Follow Jan on social media:
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Tickets are now available for #CommsHero week, 19-23 September. The week long virtual event with over 35 sessions live streamed and available on demand for a year. Great value at £180 and you can find out more at www.commshero.com 

This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers. For more details visit their website Joinblink.com

After becoming a father in 2014, Frank quickly discovered how challenging it became to find time for exercise or afford the luxury of a gym membership and started focussing all his energy into providing a solution for clients to access Award Winning Personal Training anywhere in the world!

He's even trained Ruth Langsford for her appearance on BBC Strictly Come Dancing, and he's got a fantastic portfolio of celebrity and high profile clients. I might ask him later to namedrop a few, if he doesn't break any confidentiality agreements. Also, he's an award-winning trainer as well. And he's won awards for his great work, including most recently winner of Reigate & Banstead High Street Hero Award 2022, and 15 years experience in the health and fitness industry.

In this episode, CommsHero podcast host Asif Choudry and Frank Sinclair discuss the importance of exercising for your mental health, the challenges people face to keep motivated, how the pandemic has effected personal trainers and how Frank markets his personal training business.

Follow Frank on social media:
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And you can follow us on Twitter @CommsHero

If you're listening on Spotify and Apple, please do leave a rating and review.

This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Blink, the world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers and for more details, visit that website, join blink.com. 

Lewis Williams is a PR professional from South Wales, currently working in-house in local government.

 Lewis started his #CommsHero journey four years ago as a postgrad Masters in PR and Communication Management. He is now gearing up to start a new role as Senior Communications Officer for NHS Blood and Transplant, England’s blood and organ donation service.

 Having recently blogged for the U.K. Government Communication Service to reflect on his time as an intern as part of their diversity internship scheme, in this episode he talks about how important this was to his career to date.

Follow Lewis on social media:
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Tickets are now available for #CommsHero week, 19-23 September. The week long virtual event with over 35 sessions live streamed and available on demand for a year. Great value at £180 and you can find out more at www.commshero.com 

This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers. For more details visit their website Joinblink.com

At last they’ve got it! In this complex world, CEOs are turning to their public relations leaders more than ever. They know they need someone to protect their organisation and to challenge when there are risks and issues down the track. That someone is their public relations leader who hold up a mirror so that organisations see themselves as others see them. Someone who isn’t afraid to be truthful about what needs to be fixed and how to do it. These leaders are informed and bold, they ‘do’ communication superbly, they are networked and influential, but most of all they keep their organisations safe. Find out how in this podcast with Professor Emeritus Anne Gregory PhD, a former Chair of the Global Alliance (GA) for Public Relations and Communication Management and a past President of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), which she led to chartered status. A Board level appointee in public relations consultancy, for hospitals and Universities, she also runs her own consultancy, Practix Limited. 

 Professor Gregory is a member of the CIPR’s Board and #AI in PR Panel, leading work on the impact of AI on the profession.  She teaches and advises on public relations leadership, planning, ethics, evaluation and capability, including for the UK Government, the World Health Organisation in Australasia, Scandinavia, Asia, Africa and Europe.

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Gill is a career and mindset coach who has walked the walk when it comes to PR jobs. She helps PR and Comms professionals who are at a career crossroads with how they want the rest of their life to shape up.

 From crisis comms, TV publicity and tech PR during her 10 years at the BBC to consumer, charity and arts PR elsewhere, Gill has first hand knowledge of the pressures and peculiarities of the day job.

 And she knows just how the very attributes that have made you good at what you do can be the very things that start getting in your way as you head towards the leadership level.

 She says: “I believe when people are opened up to possibilities and start being kind to themselves they can make more progress. When people have their head down, just getting through it all, they don’t even notice how stuck they are until there’s a crisis of some ind.

 I want my clients to feel understood, listened to, depressurised, slowed down, more peaceful, capable and strong. I want them to feel confident about the career decisions they are making and recover from traumas they have experienced in their line of work.”

 Don’t stay stuck in Groundhog Day, and don’t blindly head into burnout just because you didn’t take the time to understand your situation a little better.

In this podcast, listen to Gill's own experience of 'Groundhog Day' and how you can help your employees who may be feeling stuck in a rut.

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If you like getting down with digits and sexy with the spreadsheets, our next podcast is for you. Darryl Sparey is MD and Co-Founder of Hard Numbers, the (AMEC, PR Moment, PRCA and UK Agency of the Year) award winning, performance-driven communications consultancy. Hard Numbers combines killer creative with commercial acumen to create campaigns that drive a demonstrable return on investment. 

In this episode, you’ll learn all about the hard numbers (see what we did there) of measurement and why these shouldn’t be forsaken for the fluffy elements of PR, comms and marketing.

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Fancy getting in the hot seat and sharing your CommsHero wisdom? Contact Asif Choudry

 You’ll find this podcast on Spotify, Apple and on our websitewww.commshero.com. Please leave a rating and review.

 This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for frontline workers. 

 Tickets for #CommsHeroWeek are now available from our website! Tell a friend!

Our next guest is Angharad Planells, Head of Business Development and Culture at Gloucester titan Radioactive. Former journalist Angharad found her way into PR after spells at the BBC, national media and commercial radio stations. Now with more than a decade in public relations.

 Moving from years of strategic comms roles into a leadership role is a bigger shift than many people anticipate. Many people, and it’s not unique to the comms industry, learn and hone the skills they need to be an effective leader while on the job, more often than not making mistakes along the way. 

 In this episode, Angharad Planells talks about the most valuable leadership lessons she’s learned (some the hard way!) during the last 18 months, why taking time to work on herself makes her a better leader, and why the best thing every leader can do is to get out of the way.

Follow on socials:
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Fancy getting in the hot seat and sharing your CommsHero wisdom? Contact Asif Choudry

 You’ll find this podcast on Spotify, Apple and on our websitewww.commshero.com. Please leave a rating and review.

 This episode is sponsored by Blink. The world's first enterprise app designed exclusively for 

Laura Sutherland is the Founder and Director of Aura. She is a senior communication and business consultant and a Chartered practitioner with 20+ years’ experience in integrated public relations and communication.

 Aura’s Synergy Framework was developed and launched as a way of helping businesses accelerate to a sustainable future by better integrating strategic communication and sustainable development.

 Her vast experience coupled with an enviable ‘toolbox’ have attracted clients from start-ups to a billion-dollar nuclear waste company.

In this episode, Laura speaks about her Synergy Framework, and how any business can use this to kick start their sustainable strategy.

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Clarissa Langham is an Internal Comms Professional who started her career in Journalism before discovering a passion for Internal Communications. She’s recently joined AQA’s Internal Comms team from the NHS, where she managed internal comms and engagement for the largest hospitals merger in the country and then during the pandemic.

As comms pros, we often promote wellbeing resources to our internal colleagues and wider audiences. Clarissa talks about the importance of resting and recharging for comms heroes, how taking breaks can actually be productive, and the ‘4 Cs’ – different types of rest she focusses on to rebalance.

Follow on social media:

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Clarissa
CommsHero

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Clarissa
CommsHero

In 2023 - its 75th anniversary - CIPR will be reasserting its founding purpose, to help improve society through effective, ethical communications. It also plans to prepare its Chartered Practitioners to take up positions as Board members and Trustees to have a greater role in the governance of organisations in future.

Our podcast guest on this episode is Steven Shepperson-Smith, President of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, as well as being a Fellow of the Institute and a Chartered PR Practitioner. Steven is Vodafone Group's PR lead for Africa, charged with raising the profile of its portfolio of telecom brands - including Vodacom and Safaricom - and products - including M-PESA, the continent's leading fintech platform - to the international community. Steven has also set up Vodafone Group's international reputation management programme. Steven has worked in PR for over two decades including senior management roles both in-house and in agency.   

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Can you communicate complex science when you’re not a scientist? How do you guard against greenwash? And is there any way you can work in climate change communications without becoming downhearted about the scale of the challenge at hand?

 Join the Science Based Targets initiative’s Luisa Pastore as she shares the secrets of successful climate change communications, talks about how to make the move into sustainability comms and reveals that even at the close of the hottest year on record, there’s still cause for hope. If you care about the planet – and that should be all of us – this episode is a must-listen.

Must-read resources:

• The whole truth and nothing but: how to accurately communicate your science-based targets - Science Based Targets
•  Green Claims Code – Check your environmental claims are genuine
•  Green Jobs Barometer - PwC UK

Follow Luisa on social:
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Adam is a junior marketer currently working in local government.

During stints in retail and then sales, Adam studied for his level 4 certificate for the Chartered Institute of Marketing before going on to work for them directly as a Content Coordinator.

 He now works for Bracknell Forest Council as a Communications Executive where he has led on such projects as Equalities, the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and the response to COVID-19. During this time he became a Chartered Marketer.

In this episode, Adam will discuss how learning and development helped him in his career, offers his tips for learning around a busy lifestyle and suggests why everyone has the ability to learn, and why businesses should encourage them.

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At a keynote at the PRCA conference in 2021, the most senior government communicator in the land called for a new breed of 'superhero communicators able to combine hard data analysis with brilliant story-telling and artistry'. But research suggests that a large portion of professionals don't yet feel comfortable using data in their roles. Alex Waddington started re-skilling himself in data two years ago, leading to a dramatic change of career direction. He talks about the ups and downs of his journey - and why he now wishes he'd paid more attention in maths lessons at school.
 
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Faizah Idris is a Marketing Executive at Johnsons Workwear, the UK’s number one workwear, protective wear and workplace hygiene services provider. 
 
 She has eight years of marketing experience, specifically in social media management and content creation, marketing campaign planning, digital marketing, influencer marketing, and internal communications.

Faizah has always been a creative person, and knew she wanted a career which lets her use her energy and enthusiasm – she actually wanted to be a kid’s TV presenter when she was younger!
 
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Katie Sandey is the communications and marketing manager for Cheltenham Borough Council and now, Cheltenham Borough Homes, as part of a new shared service.

In this episode, the tables are turned. Katie is the one asking Asif the questions.  Katie has never made a podcast, or done the interviewing, until now.  It was a ‘yikes’ moment for her, but also I realised for Asif.  He had never been in the hotseat.

In this special episode, we find out about Asif’s story, how it all began, some stand out moments for him and what he values the most about the community that he has grown.

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Katie:
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Asif:
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Passionate about brand, creativity and putting people first. Lynda is resolute on the need for true equality and diversity. Lynda has led Brand, Communications and Social Impact at family building and engineering company, Sir Robert McAlpine since 2017 as one of ten people on the business’s executive leadership team. She is the Executive sponsor for SRM’s Gender Equality, LGBT+ & Ability Network.

In this episode, Lynda and podcast host Asif Choudry discuss why communications work is seen as withcraft, how it feels to be a CommsHero in the construction industry and the strengths of comms professionals.

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Right now, social media represents an unprecedented growth opportunity. But tapping into this new paradigm won’t be easy, especially so for B2B businesses. B2B’s have historically been behind the curve and guilty of seeing social media as just another ‘channel’ to distribute their content.
 
 But, if B2B's want to power growth in this new era, this mindset needs to change.

The fastest-growing and most-loved businesses on the planet all have realised the transformative potential of social media, and it’s opening up a great divide between those that ‘get it’ and those that are still marketing like it’s 2012.

It’s time for B2B’s to cross the chasm to unleash the power of social media, to build trust, and create demand at a scale that’s never before been possible.

In this episode we are joined by Andy Lambert, who has over 12 years experience in creating markets, building profitable businesses, and leadership roles in industry-leading SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) organisations. In March 2022, Andy encapsulated his learnings from scaling start-up business in the best-selling book, SOCAIL 3.0.

Follow Andy on socials:
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Now in its 4th year with thousands of downloads, scarlettabbott is back with their annual World Changers report. From harnessing rebel voices to bring positive change, to acknowledging that employees are being asked to dig deep (again), to the keys to keeping employees sweet and everything in between, scarlettabbott expertly guides HR and IC pros through the 10 most important trends impacting the world of work this year.

Passionate about human behaviour, our guest this episode Lindsay Kohler, bridges the gap between academic theory and consultancy to create insights employers can actually use to increase engagement and drive meaningful change.

Connect with Lindsay on LinkedIn here.

How we work has changed significantly over the past few years, with most organisations moving from the office to remote working, and now to a hybrid model. These changes have meant we’ve had to work even harder as communicators to keep people connected, informed and engaged. 

 In this podcast Chloë delves into the concept of organisational belonging, why it’s important and the role of internal communicators in building it. She also discusses changes she led on at RHP Group to adapt their communication strategy to meet the needs of a hybrid workforce. The strategy has not only enabled people to stay connected and informed, but it’s also helped to foster a sense of belonging no matter where, when or how someone is working.

 Listen for some practical tips on how you can adapt your communications strategy for a hybrid world, and in turn help build organisational belonging. 

Being able to love what you do is a luxury and an honour. Working in comms – whether that’s being a jack of all trades, specialising in PR or marketing or digital – is an opportunity to be able to experience different sectors, meet incredible professionals and work on topics you’d never thought possible. No career is perfect, but it’s what you learn along the way that matters, from the first campaign fail or joining an organisation that was the wrong fit. It’s how we share that learning with others and how we must continue to invest in our own learning – comms doesn’t stand still, so why should our understanding of it?

Francesca is an award-winning, chartered PR practitioner, who has been working as a senior leader for eight years across public and private sector organisations. She has been working as a comms professional for 16 years. 

Do you think your customer base (either existing or prospective) have an outdated or incorrect viewpoint of your sector? If so, it can be holding back new business and leading to a sense of internal inertia. How does a organisation go about changing this though, especially if they’re a sector that’s regulated. This is where communications and marketing can help. In this conversation John shares his top tips and best practices that you can use, no matter how traditional your sector is, to stand out in a meaningful way and help push things forward not just for your organisation but your peers too and help benefit your bottom line and internal culture. 

It feels good to give something back, and as Comms practitioners, we have many transferable skills that can help other organisations. Volunteering your time can not only give you a warm feeling inside but also offer you an insight into how different sectors operate, as well as helping you to grow your professional connections.

Our guest, Damian Vizard is a Strategic Communications Business Partner at Tai Calon Community Housing in Wales. Damian is a communications and marketing professional with over a decade of experience working in the Housing Sector and a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR). He is passionate about change communication and is a visual communications expert. Before moving into the world of Housing, Damian ran his own business for three years, offering multimedia solutions. He is a Husband, a Dad of two, a drummer, a retro gaming nerd and an amateur barber.

🎙️ Welcome to the Threads vs. Twitter Debate! 📣

 In the fast-paced world of social media, communication professionals are constantly seeking new ways to engage with their audiences and deliver impactful messages. Today, we dive deep into a captivating debate that has been brewing in the digital sphere: Threads vs. Twitter.

 Join us on this thought-provoking podcast as we explore the pros, cons, and endless possibilities of these two powerful communication tools. We'll dissect the unique features, functionalities, and strategic advantages that Threads and Twitter bring to the table, all while catering to the interests and needs of comms, marketing, and PR professionals.

Matt Navarra is one of Europe’s most well-known and in-demand social media consultants. With 20+ years of industry experience. Matt has worked with some of the world's most popular brands including Meta, Google and United Nations. 

50 years of comms and better lives at NCHA (Nottingham Community Housing Association)

Nottingham Community Housing Association, known as NCHA, has been around since 1973. From small beginnings, they’ve grown organically and now house more than 20,000 people across the East Midlands. They provide over a million hours of care and support services a year, and have an ambitious development programme for new homes.

This year, it’s their 50th birthday, marking half a century of delivering better lives for local people. 

In this podcast, three guests from NCHA will be talking about how the role of the Communications and Engagement team has developed in third sector organisations. They’ll be covering what the priorities need to be to make sure these organisations thrive for another 50 years.

In this captivating podcast episode, we're introducing Sonya Gonzalez Mier, a talented brand strategist and the esteemed author behind the book mar·ket·ing. Together, we'll explore Sonya's path to becoming a TikTok Creator and her unwavering dedication to democratising marketing knowledge for everyone.

Join us as we delve into the perceptions of our industry from an outsider's perspective, shedding light on the key challenges that newcomers, clients, and entrepreneurs encounter in the realm of marketing. In this episode, we will discuss the hurdles marketing faces with today's generation and provide actionable solutions to attract and retain exceptional minds, nurturing the future generation of marketing experts.

Women in PR Northern Ireland was born out of a CIPR panel discussion in Belfast, organised by Sara, which explored the barriers affecting women working in the communications industry. It was clear there was an appetite for that conversation to continue. Michelle was on the panel and approached Sara afterwards. And so, the independent initiative that is now Women in PR was started. Research reveals that while women hold over 60% of all PR jobs, the majority of senior leaders continue to be men.  At the core of our vision is inspiration and aspiration - helping to promote the changes needed to support gender balance, nurturing female talent and supporting aspiring leaders. Our membership comes from across the public sector, in-house agencies, consultancies and independent practitioners. 

If you're trying to communicate with young people within your target audience, or are hoping to engage them within your work, this episode will help you understand how to better listen, engage and empower young people within your work. 

We speak with Rebecca Roberts, founder of Thread & Fable and specialist in youth audiences about her Engaging Youth insight reports and what top tips she has for better connecting with young people through marcomms. If you've read much in the media about youth audiences, you'll have been told they're hard to reach, have short attention spans and are snowflakes (even more so than Millennials were) - Rebecca tackles why stereotypes are not only untrue but are unhelpful in understanding the real context of what it's like growing up in the UK and how comms are well placed to improve the conversation. 

In this episode, Matt Geer Head of Communications and Marketing at West Kent Housing Association shares some thoughts and reflections on his career in communications. Matt talks more about how to ensure that you as a comms pro have a seat at the top table to support, influence and guide your organisations approach to strategic communications. Matt also shares some of his lived experience of being in the minority across the industry and how that has influenced and inspired his career direction.

Connect with our guest Matt Geer on Linkedin

Our industry is unhealthily obsessed with two words: best practice. You see them regularly on internal comms blogs, you hear it at internal comms conferences, those words come up frequently on LinkedIn. But a best practice approach only works for simple, non-complex work. The work we do as internal communicators is highly unpredictable and and complex, charged with human emotion and full of complexity. Joanna proposes that we instead talk about “good practices” and think about innovation as an antidote to best practice.

Joanna Parsons is the Founder and Director of The Curious Route, an internal communication consultancy practice. She helps organisations to create effective systems of internal communication. 

Joanna is a content creator and thought leader in internal communication with a following of more than 16k on LinkedIn and a new YouTube channel just launched. She has worked in internal comms for more than a decade and was previously Head of Internal Comms with the Irish national police force. She’s a Fellow of the Institute of Internal Communication and has won multiple communication awards for her work over the years. Joanna is also a Lecturer in Strategic Internal Communication with the Public Relations Institute of Ireland. 

She’s currently writing a book, “Innovative Internal Communication” which will be published by Kogan Page in the summer of 2024.

Growing up, Sonia thought that she wanted to be a lawyer. At the age of 18 this all changed. In this episode, Sonia opens up about the some of the challenges and pressures she’s faced growing up in an Indian/Asian community and how she’s worked through these to break into the world of comms. She shares some personal experiences of bias and how she’s worked hard, and how she feels she must continue to prove herself to progress her career as a woman of colour. In this episode be prepared to go on a true, personal journey of having to grow up very quickly and overcoming hurdles of bias.   

Join Olivia Hullah and Asif Chodury on this podcast episode as they share Olivia's incredible journey from a marketing apprentice to the Marketing Manager at Trust Electric Heating, all by the age of 22. The episode delves into the challenges and triumphs of marketing radiators ethically in a Net Zero landscape while making it exciting and personal.

Get ready for an insightful conversation that explores the unfiltered life of working in a small company, apprenticeships, the sustainable future, and the dynamic world of marketing.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that organisations are only ever one social media post away from a crisis. But social media is also an opportunity – to turn those crisis situations around, to learn what your customers think about you and to build relationships with the stakeholders that matter most.

In this podcast, James talks about how the social housing world, which is on the cusp of a new era of consumer regulation, is communicating with the residents the sector exists to serve. He then shares his top tips for organisations looking to turn those Facebook frowns upside down.

Earlier this year the CIPR published ground-breaking analysis of census data about PR practitioners, undertaking by Chalkstream. 

 This is the first study of its kind involving data from the 2021 census and the latest in a series of Chalkstream studies investigating the population of UK PRs. 

 It covers off all sorts of demographic information, including sex, age, religion, passports and even how many practitioners own second homes. 

 The results pose a significant challenge for PR, shedding new light on imbalances between genders.

Connect with Ben on LinkedIn here.

On average, we spend around 90,000 hours of our life working. Life is too short, and it is so important that we spend those hours in a job, and indeed a company, where we are happy. 

Getting to do what we love each day and being presented with lots of learning and development opportunities is key to us being fulfilled at work and making the most of our careers. Working in a business where I feel valued is incredibly important to me and I’m a big advocate for not staying in a job where you are not happy – I know this is easier said than done sometimes, but, trust me, there is always that perfect job out there for each person. I’m very lucky that I started my marketing career in such a business (Screwfix) and am now proud to have found ‘my place’ at Specsavers. 

‘Don’t be the magpie’ - how marketers need to avoid overlooking the essential elements of a plan for the sake of the quick fix. 

With the constant pressure to present value, busy marketing teams frequently fall victim to short term fixes leading to influences on a strategy that are subjective and poorly informed.

 It’s all too easy to lean on short term fixes at the expense of the essentials that make up the foundation of a good marketing strategy that will last into the long term. This is where the real value in marketing lies. It’s handy to take stock of the essentials often so we know that we’re still on the right track and avoid a marketing strategy with more holes than a Swiss cheese. 

 In this podcast, Jim runs through the thinking behind this and the essential components that he relies on to maintain a true course. 

Guest Biog: 

Jim is an award-winning Chartered Marketer specialising in digital marketing and marketing strategy with over 10 years of experience. Having cut his teeth in a range of agency and in-house positions, Jim is a keen believer in sharing his learnings and experiences (good and bad) so like-minded marketers can benefit in kind. Jim is currently serving as Head of Marketing at Onfigr - Interactive Inspiration Tools. On top of this, Jim curates the Marketing Meetup sessions in Leeds. 

In this episode, Anisah will talk about her ‘interesting’ journey into the magical world of PR and Communications- it certainly was never in her so -called plan of life- but with a little bit of confidence, some talent spotting and a bunch of incredible leaders in her corner. Anisah talks about how she now manages the PR, Communications, Marketing and Student Recruitment for the first ever established and fourth largest Sixth Form College in the country… all whilst trying to make a small difference in a very special town.

From a degree in Education and Philosophy from UCL, to starting her career off in the Student Recruitment field, Anisah fell into PR in your not-so traditional way. She is now Head of Student Experience and Corporate Communications for one of the oldest, largest and most academically successful sixth form colleges in the country. Call it luck, or fate but she couldn’t have chosen a more perfect career for herself. Anisah is the youngest female, ethnic minority Head of Department in the colleges history! 

Anisah is also a Trustee of Level Trust, Ambassador for Step Forward Luton and more recently won the Asian Women of Achievement Award for Young Achiever of the Year 2023.

"You're my CommsHero" is a brand new Podcast for CommsHero types, where we speak to people we're inspired by and discuss the comms work they do. In this episode we chat to Elaine Needham, Director of Marketing at Aspire Housing and discuss how internal and external comms have been delivered during this Covid-19 period.

"You're my CommsHero" is a brand new Podcast for CommsHero types, where we speak to people we're inspired by and discuss the comms work they do. In this episode we chat to Steve Hayes, Head of Communications at Citizen and discuss why sharing best practices amongst the CommsHero community is so important.

In this episode, host Asif Choudry asks Rachel about spottydog communications and where the name came from, along with what it’s like to be a business owner during the new normal. 

 As Rachel is the newly elected as CIPR President Elect for 2021, he asks why Rachel stood for this position and why people voted for her.

Rachel recently attended her first #CommsHero event and shares her insight on why she attended and what she got out of the week-long event.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpotRachel
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/spottydogcommunications

Emma shares her journey as a #CommsHero at Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust and how the last 18 months have seen comms playing an integral part of the business transformation.

Twitter: twitter.com/emjmidge
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/emma-midgley-acim-31417815

In this episode, Rebecca Sangster-Kelly shares her view on why we do campaigns. Awareness is a waste of time for campaigns and you should consider what do you want your customers to think, feel, do?

Twitter: twitter.com/rsangsterkelly
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rebeccasangsterkelly

In this episode, Lauren Millward shares her some insight in to a tweet that created plenty of discussion amongst #CommsHero types. See for yourself here: https://twitter.com/lmillward86/status/1332259370781077505?s=20

Twitter: twitter.com/lmillward86
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lauren-millward-heaton-0b8b874a

In this episode, Rachel Miller, Director of ALLthingsIC shares advice as her business approaches it’s 8th Birthday. There are lots of practical tips on what to look out for if you’re a comms consultant or an in-house communicator. Rachel gives some great advice for 2021 comms planning in the new normal including a change of mindset and skillset.

Twitter: twitter.com/AllthingsIC
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rachelmiller01

In this episode, Ed Thomas, Group Head of Marketing and Communications at The Wrekin Housing Group tells us about how and why he feels networking is important for your #CommsHero career. Networking isn’t always from behind a screen and getting out and about to meet comms colleagues, peers and local/regional/national events in person is an important part of your role too. Covid has changed this but what will networking life look like in the new normal? 

Twitter: twitter.com/ET_Comms
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/edward-thomas-7345036/

In this episode, Jenni Field, Business Communications Strategist and Founder of Redefining Communications shares her findings about trends for business and communications in 2021. Jenni carried out some research where she asked her network from the UK and USA what their specific views where on trends for 2021. 4 key themes stood out; Listening, Wellbeing and Community, Hybrid Working and AI Automation. Totally unrelated to the research, you’ll also find out if a Jaffa Cake is a biscuit or a cake.

Twitter: twitter.com/mrsjennifield
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jennifield
Website: redefiningcomms.com

Natasha Calder , is a PR professional in the public sector and has a blog title ‘Make this viral.’ This episode is from one of Natasha’s blog posts that talks about the anxiety many of us feel when pushed out of our comfort zone. Natasha shares some of her experiences of this anxiety and introduces us to her friend, Polly Panic. You’ll learn how she copes with this as well as explaining why this type of anxiety is a good sign.

Twitter: twitter.com/natashacalder92
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/natashacalder
Website: makethisviral.wordpress.com

Empathy Based Marketing:  EBM is about walking in your customer's shoes to understand their experience and how we can better help them get what they want. You don't want to think like the customer. You want to BE the customer. Provide your customers with what they want by understanding what motivates them. Amy shares the story behind the brave move to stop selling at the beginning of lockdown and change the messaging on all Aster Sales marketing campaigns to an empathy based approach ‘We’re Still here’.

Twitter: twitter.com/amynettleton1 
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/amy-nettleton-00865348
Website: amynettletonblog.wordpress.com

There is something reassuring about print; it creates an emotional reaction. It’s tangible and has a smell and feel that you can’t replicate. In this episode, Sarah Waddington tell us about her love of print and why it’s an important part of any campaign. It’s been around for longer and people trust print more. Print offers a nice way to disconnect from technology as there’s such a saturation of content online. So grab a brew, sit back and listen… and then grab a printed book and have a good old sniff.
 
Twitter: twitter.com/Mrs_Wadds
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/astutework

We chat to Mandy Pearse a month in to her year as President of CIPR. Find out more about why Mandy stood for President and what she plans to deliver in 2021. There’s also some great advice for future Presidents as Mandy shares her tips on what you can do to put yourself in the running for a winning Presidential election campaign.

Twitter: twitter.com/MandyPearse

Working in comms, you often get asked to do many weird and wonderful things. In this episode, our panel enjoy the therapy of banishing those requests in to Comms Room 101 with host Steve Hayes.

@SteveH_Citizen
@HelReynolds
@naomimgsmith
@lisabpotter
@sofiacann1
@kingsandcubs
@nickcullen1982

Working in comms, you often get asked to do many weird and wonderful things. In this episode, our panel enjoy the therapy of banishing those requests in to Comms Room 101 with host Steve Hayes.

@SteveH_Citizen
@EmilyLGComms
@gledslfc
@FlayPetty 

Claire Canning and Lauren Williams-Jones from United Welsh share their story of creating an engaging recruitment campaign using Tik Tok to showcase the creative culture of the organisation. This is a great insight in to seeing recruitment from both sides, the employer and candidate.

@ClaireMCanning
@LaurenWllms

In this episode, Jonathan Flay-Petty, Communications Champion at Valleys to Coast, tells us about this experience of delivering comms throughout Covid. You’ll hear about the ‘war room’ where key leadership teams (including comms hooray) planned the business strategy to deal with the crisis.

 @FlayPetty

In this CommsHero short, Rebecca Sangster-Kelly talks about the Stakeholder Matrix and how to prioritise your audiences.

@rsangsterkelly

In this CommsHero short, Rebecca Sangster-Kelly asks the question “is your audience pausing to read, or quickly skimming by?”

@rsangsterkelly

In this CommsHero short, Rebecca Sangster-Kelly talks about why you should layer your messaging, and ideas of how to do it.

@rsangsterkelly

In this CommsHero short, Rebecca Sangster-Kelly talks about why removing unnecessary details makes your comms more effective.

@rsangsterkelly

In this CommsHero short, Rebecca Sangster-Kelly talks about why filtering and testing your comms is important to the success of your messaging and content.

@rsangsterkelly

In this CommsHero short, Rebecca Sangster-Kelly talks about why you should prioritise picture quality and suitability.

@rsangsterkelly

Internal communications: informing, engaging and inspiring our colleagues

Keeping our colleagues engaged is one of the most important things communications professionals can do. So why is internal communication often unloved and how can we change this? CommsHero is proud to support the Comms Clinic. 

Host Steve Hayes is joined by Jon Reeves, Director of Communication at Longhurst, for the first ever episode of Comms Clinic.

@steveH_citizen
@jonrcomms
@comms_clinic

In this episode, Amy Nettleton, Assistant Development Director, Sales and Marketing at Aster Group shares her journey over the last five years to create a brand in a sector that is considered a leader. You’ll hear about the challenges faced and how Amy overcame them, how to bring a team with you on the journey and the rewards for continuously pushing boundaries.

Twitter: twitter.com/amynettleton1
CIM awards: cim.co.uk/marketing-excellence-awards
GLADDER takeover: youtube

Working in comms, you often get asked to do many weird and wonderful things. In this episode, our panel enjoy the therapy of banishing those requests in to Comms Room 101 with host Steve Hayes.

 @SteveH_Citizen
@NafisaShafiq
@KatieRua
@ET_Comms
@arnaud_pelle

In this episode, Stephen Waddington tells us how lockdown has been for him and how in the last 12 months he set up Wadds Inc, published a book and launched WaddsCon. You’ll hear more about some exciting projects Stephen is currently working on how Yorkshire and the North East is emerging as a powerhouse of PR.

Twitter: twitter.com/wadds
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stephenwaddington

In this episode, Cheryl Gibbens shares her journey from customer service in to marketing. Like many people, Cheryl ‘fell’ in to marketing after seeing an internal job advertised at Aster Group and in over 2 years has carried out a variety of activities in her role as Marketing Officer. She also talks about the benefit of professional qualifications to help fast forward learning as a newbie to comms and marketing.

 Twitter: twitter.com/Cheryl_aster

An insightful and fascinating conversation with Nafisa Shafiq who shares some of her experiences in her ten year comms journey so far. This covers diversity & inclusion and some sound advice for those new in to their comms career. Nafisa talks about how she didn’t choose a career in comms, it chose her. She also talks about the benefits and confidence gained from being part of the ‘a leader like me programme’ run by Advita Patel and Priya Bates. There’s also a mention of her favourite biscuit dunker – the rusk cake (worth a google if you’re in to #dunkability)

Twitter: @NafisaShafiq
Linkedin: Nafisa Ali Shafiq
Blog: Belonging in pr and comms; a tale of a polyglot

In this episode, Kristin Hancock, VP Community and Engagement for ICology, a Community Builder, Dynamic Presenter and the Most Fun Person You Know ;0) describes the landscape of associations and communities in internal comms. Kristin also shares her views on how 2020 changed our expectations of associations and sponsorships. You’ll hear about the evolution of ICology from a podcast in 2015 to a community in 2021. There may be some chat about astrological predictions and hot dogs in there too.

Twitter: @KristinAnneH
Linkedin: Kristin Hancock

Claire Seymour, ASB Service Manager at Aster Group is no stranger to communicating to a diverse audience of very sensitive subjects in her day job. However, Claire is involved in other campaigns outside the day job that demonstrate you don’t have to work in comms to be a #CommsHero  

Claire was involved with a local campaign in South West about sexual assaults and victim blaming that involved getting hundreds of pairs of shoes sent in from the public for a silent protest as part of #walkingintheirshoes #takingastand The campaign received local press and TV coverage as well as featuring in a German newspaper. https://twitter.com/claire_seymour2/status/1375727948939022336?s=20 

Claire is also on the campaign trail for her bid to become the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner. She shares her advice on campaign tactic and key points including:

Be human
Change your message to engage with different audiences on the various social media platforms
Ask the direct question. Consider your Call To Action (CTA)

Claire tells us about her inspirations including her sister Helen Addis who is the author of the amazing blog ‘The Titty Gritty’ When life takes your right boob and drops the Cancer Bomb on family life… (thetittygritty.com)

Twitter: @claire_seymour2
Linkedin: Claire Seymour

In this episode, we meet Ryan Dempsey (CEO) and Gemma Sutcliffe (Head of Marketing and Communications) to hear about the rebrand of TCW. What are the stages you go through when rebranding and how can the CEO and Marketing & Comms work together. We’ll also talk about how you contain the CEO’s excitement ahead of the official brand launch date ;0) 

Ryan and Gemma will give their view on what is the value of marketing and comms to their organisation.

Twitter: @Ryan_Demp
Linkedin: Ryan Dempsey

Twitter: @GemmaSutcliffe2
Linkedin: Gemma Sutcliffe

Would you feel better if life was predictable, familiar and easy to control? For some it might feel calming to have a predicable life and for others it might feel suffocating.

Change is constant, heard that before? But change is also uncomfortable, how you see that discomfort is the key to embracing change.

How do you feel about change? Excited? Anxious? Or something in-between?

In this podcast, Chaya Mistry shares some of her experiences of stepping outside of your comfort zone and how to deal with the discomfort of change. She also reveals her Starbucks name, which isn’t what you’d expect.

Twitter: @ChayaMistry
Linkedin: Chaya Mistry

As communicators move up through the ranks in their career, they are often told they need to be more strategic, or they worry about going for that next promotion because they don’t feel strategic enough. Hear more about how you can focus on ‘being strategic’.

In this 2 Minute Mentor session with Carrie-Ann Wade, founder of Cat’s Pajamas Communications Ltd and director of communications and engagement, shares her thinking on what it means to be strategic.

Twitter: @catspjs_uk and @crayoncw
Insta: @catspjs_uk
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/company/catspjsuk 

As communications professionals we are assumed to be the best at communicating but sometimes even we need a helping hand when it comes to having difficult conversations. 

Carrie-Ann Wade, founder of Cat’s Pajamas Communications Ltd shares some top tips and advice for dealing with difficult conversations in this episode of 2 Minute Mentor.

Twitter: @catspjs_uk and @crayoncw
Insta: @catspjs_uk
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/company/catspjsuk 

There will always be times in our communications careers when we feel like we have failed. It’s ok not to feel ok about that but it’s also a good opportunity to reframe failure and focus on learning.

Carrie-Ann Wade, founder of Cat’s Pajamas Communications Ltd, shares some tips on how you can reflect and take some positives from those occasions when you might think you have failed.

Twitter: @catspjs_uk and @crayoncw
Insta: @catspjs_uk
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/company/catspjsuk 

As communicators it is often our role to share the successes of others through PR, awards, socials. And sometimes we feel awkward about sharing our own successes.

Carrie-Ann Wade, founder of Cat’s Pajamas Communications Ltd, knows that if we don’t share our successes nobody else will. Check out some tips about how you can do just that.

Twitter: @catspjs_uk and @crayoncw
Insta: @catspjs_uk
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/company/catspjsuk 

In this episode, returning guest, Jenni Field talks about her book ‘Influential Internal Communication’. Jenni shares her journey whilst doing the research, the writing, publishing, and promoting. This is an amazing accomplishment whilst running a successful comms consultancy, podcast series and many speaking engagements. Jenni talks about the two parts to the book, Foundations (including her own Field Model) and applying this model in practice.

Use the discount code AMK20 on the Kogan Page website to receive 20% off the book!

Twitter: @mrsjennifield
LinkedIn: Jenni Field

In this episode, Carrie-Ann Wade, Director of Communications and Engagement and Lauren Smith, Communications and Engagement Manager from North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) tell us about their experience of putting on a virtual awards event to celebrate the amazing work done by the #NHSheroes at NELFT. They give an insight in to choosing the right event partner, how to set up as a comms team for your first virtual event and creating engagement pre-event and making a physical connection using personalised print. You’ll also find out how to get the Exec Team on board, what are the benefits to hosting a virtual event and see if a virtual event can really create engagement on a par with the traditional in-person event.

Watch the heartwarming video they mention HERE.
Twitter: @CrayonCW
LinkedIn: Carrie-Ann Wade

Twitter: @theLaurenSmithy
LinkedIn: Lauren Smith

Working in comms, you often get asked to do many weird and wonderful things. In this episode, our panel enjoy the therapy of banishing those requests in to Comms Room 101 with host Steve Hayes.

@SteveH_Citizen
@sofiacann1
@NafisaShafiq
@JosephBaldwin
@HelenMajor

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), and the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) have announced a cross-industry collaboration to address the industry’s mental health challenges.

The professional bodies have launched a new survey – in partnership with Opinium – to gather insight on the mental wellbeing of PR professionals. Opinium, pro-bono, and in support of the PR Industry, will make use of their proprietary Workplace Mental Wellbeing Framework. The organisations have agreed to use the results to inform a joint programme of activity over the summer aimed at improving the mental wellbeing of PR professionals.

Fill in the survey HERE. 

Twitter: @KorComms
LinkedIn: Koray Camgoz

Twitter: @RachRoyall
LinkedIn: Rachel Royall

Introducing the 2021 #CommsHero weeks chair! In this BONUS episode, Annique Simpson spills all about what we can expect at the week-long virtual event, including over 40 sessions covering all things comms related! Find out about the unmissable networking events AND a secret is revealed that you don’t want to miss!

Read more about #CommsHero week HERE.
Book your tickets HERE.

Twitter: @annique_simpson
LinkedIn: Annique Simpson

In this episode, Paul Fawcett, Head of PR & Communications at Futures Housing Group shares his love of print and the sensory experience it brings to a communications campaign. In this world of over saturation of digital content, physical can provoke sensations that stand out from the e-background noise. Paul talks about the psychology of memories being reinforced by different stimuli using all the senses.

LinkedIn: Paul Fawcett

In this episode, Amrit Nijjar, Inclusion & Belonging Manager at Tarmac talks about her career path from internal comms to inclusion & diversity and tells us about the similarities between them. Amrit shares some practical advice for IC teams on tackling I&D subjects. We also explore privilege and people who shy away from the term and what support there is for women who work in construction.

Twitter: @amritknijjar
LinkedIn: Amrit Nijjar 

In this episode, PR and Communications students, Sophie and Katie, speak about the current job market for graduates and how important it is to get your name out there through networking on Twitter and LinkedIn in preparation for the big job hunt post degree.

Twitter: @sophiersmith19
LinkedIn: Sophie Smith

Twitter: @KatieHullPR
LinkedIn: Katie Hull

Episode 7: Penny Haslam's motivational podcast - Look back in awe. Boost your confidence by looking back at your life, business or career achievements.

Twitter: @PennyHaslam
LinkedIn: Penny Haslam

https://pennyhaslam.co.uk/podcast 

Copyright is Bit Famous Ltd 2021

Poor communication is the top cause of stress for employees in the UK. In this episode, Andy Bounds explains how getting away from your desk, having shorter but more frequent team meetings and knowing how your team are feeling are all key to eliminating stress amongst employees.

See more of Andy's content over on his website:  www.andybounds.com and check out Andy's book for more communications knowledge and expertise: The Jelly Effect, The Snowball Effect and Top Dog.

LinkedIn: Andy Bounds

Who's on your bus?

Episode 9: Penny Haslam's motivational podcast - Who's on your bus? Are there passengers in your life that add nothing to your happiness or success?  Kick them off the bus.

Twitter: @PennyHaslam
LinkedIn: Penny Haslam

https://pennyhaslam.co.uk/podcast 

Copyright is Bit Famous Ltd 2021

In this episode, award-winning Chartered Marketer and Fellow CIM, Abigail (Abby) Dixon shares the story and some of the content behind her book ‘The Whole Marketer’. You’ll hear about why Abby wrote this book and what readers can expect to gain from it.

 As marketing roles continue to evolve, expand and embrace the complexities of the modern world of business, marketers are under increasing pressure to perform as individuals and teams. The Whole Marketer argues that now is the time to take stock of technical skills required, examine the latest thinking, identify capability gaps and discover how to be fulfilled in a professional context and as a human. Abigail Dixon looks at functions of a marketing team through a lens of personal development. Her rich experience comes from leading marketing teams, and training hundreds of marketers at varied stages of their career to achieve formal qualifications. She is passionate to help marketers to be a better version of themselves tomorrow.

LinkedIn: Abigail Dixon
Instagram: @thewholemarketer

Visit The Whole Marketer website here.
Visit Labyrinth Marketer website here.