PodCatalyst: The Official Podcast of IABC

In the latest episode of PodCatalyst, Peter Finn sits down with friend of the podcast Chris Lee from Gallagher Communication.

In the latest episode of PodCatalyst, we speak with MergeGupta-Sunderji, a highly respected leadership expert. We dig into common misconceptions across generations, research that busts certain generalizations, ways to tap into certain strengths, advice to help bridge the gap without compromising quality, and more.

In the latest episode of PodCatalyst, IABC ExecutiveDirector Peter Finn returns as host, sitting down with Shane Hatton to talk all things company culture. From the critical role communicators play in shaping the language of the organization, to understanding Gen Z’s expectations, what this year’s Edelman Trust Barometer means for leaders, and more, this conversation covers some of the more pressing issues today’s workforce faces.  

This episode of PodCatalyst features guest host Kamyar Naficy, chair of the IABC International Executive Board, and Jessamyn Katz, CEO of Heyman Associates, a leading executive search firm focused on communications, corporate affairs, marketing, and investor relations.

Jessamyn has been with Heyman Associates for nearly two decades. Since 2019, she’s led the firm’s strategy and day-to-day operations. In January 2024, she stepped into the role of CEO.

Tune in as Jessamyn touches on the trends she’s seeing in national and global executive searches. As the role of the communicator evolves, the function only grows more important. Learn about the shifts she’s seeing in strategy, managing communications through political cycles, the emergence of comms “plus” roles, skills gaps and the evolution of AI, and more.

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As CEO of Heyman Associates, Jessamyn sets high standards for client work. She manages the overall success of the firm while also leading major national and global searches. After nearly a decade in New York, she built the firm’s West Coast presence and has developed close relationships across varying industries coast-to-coast and is a sought-after advisor.

Jessamyn’s intellectual curiosity and passion for getting to know people allow her to lead searches to fill myriad executive-level roles in strategic communications, investor relations, marketing, and other specialties within those functions. She advises clients across sectors, with an emphasis on technology, health care, financial services, nonprofits, and higher education. She is also an active member of the Arthur W. Page Society, is on the board of the Public Affairs Council, and was named one of PRWeek’s 2020 Women to Watch. 

Jessamyn developed a taste for public relations while still in college through internships at Abernathy MacGregor and Burson-Marsteller and knew she wanted to spend her career around people who build brands and protect their reputations. With two decades of experience in the function of communications, she’s a credible counselor to clients and candidates who keeps a close watch on where these functions are heading.

Jessamyn is a cum laude graduate of Bucknell University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and education. Having lived in Texas, Switzerland, New York, and California, she approaches work and life with a broad worldview. These days, she and her husband Nick, and the newest addition to their family – their daughter Grace – call California wine country home base. Her Papillons, Olivia and Marlowe, are very much enjoying life with a growing family.

In the latest episode of PodCatalyst, Matt Tidwell, member of the IABC International Executive Board, sits down with Fred Cook to discuss findings from “Communicating Culture During a Hybrid Revolution,” a joint report from IABC and the USC Center for Public Relations.

Tune in as they discuss how the shift to remote and hybrid work is impacting corporate culture, management employee dynamics, morale and the widening training gap for early career professionals.

In the latest episode of PodCatalyst, we sit down with Joe Spratt, expert, strategic communications and change, at McKinsey & Company. Tune in as we dig into the future of comms through the lens of the C-suite, based on a series of in-depth conversations, interviews, and survey results that McKinsey & Company conducted.

Joe walks us through key findings of the report, where the value of the communicator really shines, an outlook on what’s needed for upskilling and where the profession is going next.

Joe Spratt is an expert in McKinsey & Company’s Chicago Office. He is a leading member of the Strategic and Change Communications practice, working with clients to drive greater communications performance and impact in times of change. Spratt leads the practice’s work on comms function assessment and operating model design. He is dedicated to bringing out the best in people in client organizations. His expertise centers on organizational communications and change. Spratt counsels chief communications officers and other C-suite executives on strategic communications, as well as how to strengthen, streamline or reimagine the communications function.

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Earlier this summer, IABC hosted communicators from all over at its annual World Conference, held this year in Chicago. In this special edition of PodCatalyst, we catch up with attendees between sessions to get their aha moments.

From insights around how they’re are thinking about AI, to better practices for accessibility, rethinking hiring practices with cognitive biases in mind, training the next generation of comms pros and more, consider this episode a peek into the minds of your IABC peers.

In the latest episode of PodCatalyst, we sit down with Candace Denison, communications and engagement manager at Rocky View County, to discuss misinformation and the role of the communicator.

As we navigate the Wild West era of AI, allowing misinformation to spread easier than before, how can communicators come armed with facts? What tactics and strategies must be used, and in what instances does a wider network of experts need to be tapped into?

Tune in to this edition of In Under 10 to get Candace’s take — and a little good news — on how we can approach this complex topic.

Candace Denison's two-decade legacy in communications champions innovation, adaptability, and leadership. As she advances her Masters of Arts in Leadership, her thesis, "Strategies for Leaders to Counteract Misinformation," promises to be a cornerstone for contemporary managers. Denison’s dedication to the PR industry's evolution makes her a torchbearer in navigating the complexities of misinformation. Through her expertise, she facilitates genuine, trust-based connections in the ever-evolving communication landscape.

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In the latest episode of PodCatalyst, we sit down with Becca Chambers, chief communications officer at ControlUp. Her journey to the C-suite began with a role in sports PR and from there took a few twists and turns, including grad school and landing on her love of all things branding and communication.

Today, she remains a staunch advocate for communicators in the C-suite, advocating for a clear designation of the role that complements — not competes with — marketing and PR.

In her 20s, Becca learned she was neurodivergent. After time and research, she learned how to embrace the ways her mind worked and used it to her advantage. During this conversation, we learn more about addressing neurodivergence in the workplace and where the role of the communicator overlaps.

In the latest installment of In Under 10, we talk to Emily Caister about what communicators can learn from Taylor Swift’s marketing mastery. Whether you consider yourself a Swiftie or not, there’s something for everyone to learn. 

Tune in as we discuss the pop star’s approach to branding, as well as how dialing into pop culture more broadly can help communicators tap in to the human element of their work.

“Everybody wants to be heard, but not many people are interested in listening,” Julian Treasure, expert in sound and listening, says in the latest episode of PodCatalyst.

So when was the last time you listened to the world around you? Is a lack of listening harming your business or, worse, your well-being?    

Tune in as Julian shares how listening has become a lost skill and the ways we can practice it to improve relationships, increase customer/client satisfaction and ultimately help navigate an increasingly polarized world.

At the end of the day, Julian believes better listening leads to understanding — and that is a prize worth fighting for.

In today’s digital age, making sure your online presence meets basic accessibility standards isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s good for business, too.

In the latest installment of In Under 10, Matisse Hamel-Nelis walks us through the basics of understanding digital accessibility, recent examples of well-known brands that have gotten into hot water for not following standards, ways communicators can lead the charge by staying up on the latest regulations and more. 

What happens when your frontline employees are tired of apologizing on behalf of the company? When public perception isn’t in your favor? This was the reality Oscar Munoz faced when he took the role of CEO and chairman of United Airlines in 2015.

So he went back to basics, embarking on an extensive listening tour with thousands of employees — and in time, things turned for the better.

We sat down with Oscar to learn about that journey, what’s changed since and the value of deploying this strategy.

Oscar will lead a spotlight session at IABC World Conference 2024, “Leadership Is an Act of Extended Storytelling.” The format will be part fireside chat and part town hall, to which Oscar says in this episode: “Bring it!” Bring your best questions, ask him about failure and get ready for a refreshing way to kick off your time at World Conference.

In Under 10: Guiding Principles for the Ethical Use of AI

As a complement to the association’s Code of Ethics, IABC recently released Guiding Principles for the Ethical Use of AI by Communication Professionals.

In this first edition of “In Under 10,” Kristin Frankiewicz, IABC content manager, sits down with Simon Murphy, a member of the IABC Ethics Committee, to learn more about these principles.

Tune in as Murphy shares how the principles were created, the importance of the human-led element in these new guidelines, how they’re intended to be used and more. 

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Simon Murphy is head of business marketing for Edelman in Asia Pacific (APAC). An adept corporate affairs and communications specialist with over 25 years of international experience, Murphy brings hands-on commercial understanding of the many reputational issues faced by industry today.

In his current role, he focuses on delivering the strategy for integrating Edelman’s business to business offerings and programs across practices, sectors and client work in APAC. And as a senior client advisor he brings the best of Edelman’s B2B capabilities to Edelman’s clients whilst ensuring the highest level of commercial problem solving with impact.

Based in Melbourne, Simon is also presently Edelman’s international client lead for Microsoft Asia and has general responsibility for all aspects of regional client strategy and activity.

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When it comes to brand-building, the communicator is well-equipped to not only manage that of their organization or clients, but their own brand as well. So what does that look like in practice?

Miri Rodriguez, senior storyteller at Microsoft, offers her insight and sage advice to “date the brand and marry yourself.”

IABC Content Manager Kristin Frankiewicz sits down with Miri to learn more about her role at Microsoft, the journalistic approach she takes as storyteller, smart ways to use artificial intelligence while blending a human touch, why building your own brand matters and more. 

In the latest episode of PodCatalyst, Peter Finn, IABC executive director, sits down with Maliha Aqeel, IABC chair, Kamyar Naficy, IABC vice chair, and Danielle Bond, IABC past chair (2021-2022) to discuss the year ahead.

This conversation has something for everyone: how comms pros can wield influence in the C-suite and within their own teams, the importance of tapping into geopolitics, what it means to be a communicator in a post-truth world, influencers they’re following in the new year, a caveat against algorithms, Wordle vs. Connections — and so much more!

Tune in to this lively roundtable discussion and tap into just a few of the minds of IABC’s past and present leadership.

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In the latest episode of PodCatalyst, Peter Finn, IABC executive director, sits down with Mike Klein, founder of #WeLeadComms.

Mike is a seasoned comms pro and champion of the profession. In 2021, he created #WeLeadComms to recognize everyday achievement in the field. To date, he’s shone a light on more than 600 communication leaders.

Tune in as Mike shares what he’s learned through this work and the partnership between IABC and #WeLeadComms in 2024. Plus, get his take on megatrends for the new year and how communicators can set the agenda — from leveraging cost-effective and transformative approaches to technology, to finding alignment between communication and pressing issues like decarbonization and climate.

Mike Klein is a communication consultant, based in Iceland, who focuses on strategic communication, research, and measurement. He is also the founder of #WeLeadComms.

Josie Cox is a global journalist with a long held interest in business, power, workplace culture and gender. As author of the upcoming book, “Women Money Power” (March 2024), Josie sat down with IABC Executive Director Peter Finn to talk about the work she’s done to uncover the stories of women who have been instrumental in driving significant legal, social and political transformations in modern history.  

Tune in to learn more about Josie’s research on gender equality, her thoughts on addressing the current gender gap in workplace leadership, the impact on career advancement for working parents as remote work becomes the norm, the role communicators must play in influencing the narrative of financial empowerment and more.

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Linda Rutherford, chief administration and communications officer at Southwest Airlines, joins IABC Executive Director Peter Finn PodCatalyst to talk about her 30+ years with the company and the changes she’s seen in the field along the way.

After a pivot from journalism, Rutherford grew her PR career and climbed the ranks to where she is today. Tune in to learn how she’s watched tech become a disruptor in the field, helped lead Southwest’s years-long, intentional approach to creating a more inclusive culture, a closer look at how her team manages ESG, lessons learned from the 2022 holiday flight delays, her take on a watchful approach to artificial intelligence and more.  

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While AI excels at word predictions and learns from existing content, it lacks empathy, emotion and sometimes accuracy. This is where communicators shine, leveraging the technology as one tool in their toolbox rather than a one-stop solution.

Tune into this episode of PodCatalyst to hear from Jared Curtis, senior director of corporate communications at Maximus, Inc. as he sheds light on his team’s practical application of AI, backed by extensive research and surveys he recently conducted.

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Managing reputation in today’s polarized world is not unlike solving a Rubik’s Cube — each move is connected and one step impacts the next.

This is lens through which USC Annenberg viewed the findings of their 2023 Global Communication Report.

In this episode of PodCatalyst, Fred Cook, chairman emeritus at Golin and director of the USC Center for Public Relations, offers insight into the report. Learn how the landscape of reputation is changing rapidly for communicators, why being “woke” is interpreted by different audiences, ways the recommendation generation is creating a paradigm shift in endorsement strategies and more.

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Zaria Parvez, global social media manager at Duolingo, joins PodCatalyst host and IABC Executive Director Peter Finn to share her outstanding journey on TikTok. With her creative and interactive approach, Zaria has made Duolingo a prominent figure in the TikTok community, particularly among Gen Z and with over 6.7 million followers and counting.

This episode explores how creative freedom and trust have been instrumental in Duolingo's success, as Zaira's ability to connect with the platform's younger audience has propelled her to new heights and made her a role model for others.

Parvez will lead the session “Keep it Simple Stupid: Duolingo’s Guide to Calculated Risk on Social” at IABC World Conference 2023, 4-7 June in Toronto. Tune in today for a preview of this can’t-miss discussion.

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Can change bring joy? Ed Cook, co-founder of The Change Decision, believes so — and has years of experience and the data to back it up.

Tune in to the latest episode of PodCatalyst, where Ed discusses how change can drive energy, boost morale and make people feel more connected to their work.

Prior to co-founding The Change Decision, Ed worked at a major U.S. bank. In this episode, he shares how he found himself leading a project that was over budget and past deadline, but was able to use change management tactics to turn around morale and improve the company’s culture.

Today, Ed focuses on academic research to determine what joy at work means and helps companies implement it, whether they’re a team of three or 300.    

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Generative artificial intelligence (AI) remains one of the hottest topics of 2023 and is changing the way businesses think about content creation. Who better, Alex Sevigny argues, than the communicator to lead this charge?

Long before it was trending, Sevigny, an associate professor at McMaster University, has been interested in the power of AI and how communicators can harness its power. In this episode of PodCatalyst, he sits down with IABC Executive Director Peter Finn to discuss how AI can help PR scale, the power of quantifying a digital life, training opportunities and gaps left by AI, what the next generation of communicators need to learn and more.

Returning for a second year, Chris Lee shares insights from the 2023 Gallagher State of the Sector report. Tune in as he and IABC Executive Director Peter Finn discuss trends around belonging and culture, a results-only work environment, how communicators can retain their role as strategic partner and more.

Want to hear more from Chris? Join him at the IABC World Conference in Toronto, 4-7 June, as he and Pinaki Kathiari (CEO, Local Wisdom) present “Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Be Human at Work?”

As Twitter shifts under new leadership and platforms like TikTok continue to emerge, what is the state of social media for communicators? We spoke with Slma Shelbayah, chief marketing and communications officer at Yardstick Management, to gain her perspective on this evolving landscape.

Plus, learn how her seven-year tenure as a journalist at CNN helped laid a foundation for her role in the C-Suite, her strategic approach to helping clients achieve greater representation across diversity of thought and why she believes intentionality precedes everything.

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If you search ESG on Google, you’ll get about 436 million search results. The term (environmental social governance), while not new, has been gaining traction in recent years. We spoke with Kamyar Naficy, who’s been following this business framework for the better part of two decades. In this episode, he helps us unpack what ESG really means, opportunities for business communicators to lead the conversation, ways companies can strategically find their purpose within ESG and more.

Charlene SanJenko is a two-time Founder, Impact Producer, and Modern-Day Medicine Woman — and media is her medicine. She’s taken her background in impact investing and applied it to advertising, asking the question “What if we brokered impact media deals like we do any other business deal?” In other words, how can advertising dollars shift toward more progressive goals that do good for society?

Tune in as she sits down with IABC Executive Director Peter Finn to discuss her company, reGEN media, the role communicators can play in regenerative media and more.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This episode briefly discusses how companies might respond in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned, and was recorded prior the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to do so on June 24.

According to the USC Center for Public Relation’s 2022 Global Communication Report, “The Future of Corporate Activism,” 85% of PR professionals believe business can play a meaningful role in addressing the polarization that’s being experienced today.

IABC Executive Director Peter Finn sat down with Fred Cook, chair emeritus at Golin and director for the USC Center for Public Relations, to dive into this report. Tune in to learn more about what opportunities this affords communicators, Cook’s observations of the next generation based on his work at USC, strategies to meaningfully engage in corporate activism, companies that are setting the standard and more.

Holograms: a technology that was once a plot device in sci-fi movies is now more commonplace in business communications than the average person might think.

In this episode of PodCatalyst, IABC Executive Director Peter Finn sits down with Ziena Jalil and Natasha Meleisea, who are intimately familiar with using this emerging technology. Tune in for a preview of their World Conference session, “Connecting Via Technology to Address Covid, Climate Change and Conflict,” and learn how people across New Zealand and the Pacific came together via hologram at the height of the pandemic to strengthen their communities. Plus, get Ziena and Natasha’s insights on what the future of this technology holds for communicators.

The birth of the metaverse is offering communicators a new space to explore. What is there to look forward to? How can we prepare ourselves and our organizations? Do we all need VR headsets at our desks? These are some of the questions Jo Eyre will answer in her World Conference 2022 session, “The Communicator’s Guide to the Metaverse,” on Tuesday 28 June.

IABC Executive Director Peter Finn sat down with Jo for a preview of her session. Tune in to hear how she came to explore this emerging platform, ethical considerations for the metaverse, how to avoid shiny object syndrome and more.

Oscar Suris got his start in journalism, including time as a staff writer for The Wall Street Journal, and eventually transitioned to corporate communications. Over the course of 20 years, he has counseled like State Farm and Goodyear, and served in senior leadership roles at Ford Motor Company and an executive role at Wells Fargo. Today, he is the president of Edelman New York.

IABC Executive Director Peter Finn sat down with Suris to learn more about his career path, from how journalism laid a foundation for communications, to the ways in which he navigated crises in the auto industry and started his career at Wells Fargo on the heels of the housing market crash.

Tune in to learn from Suris’s storied career, plus his insights on societal acumen, the power of curiosity, the latest from the Edelman Trust Barometer and more.

Dr. Lilian Ajayi-Ore has had a rich, remarkable career that spans work with the United Nations, the creation of the award-winning Global Connections for Women Foundation (GC4W), teaching the next generation of communicators at Columbia and NYU, and so much more.

Frank Shaw started his career in the Marines, with aspirations to be a pilot. After a series of changes, he found himself at the intersection of communication and tech. Today he serves as the corporate vice president of communications at Microsoft and will be the opening keynote at the IABC World Conference 2022.

Tune in to learn more about this fascinating career journey, plus Frank’s thoughts on the power of authenticity, trends he’s seeing in the tech space, his advice for the next generation of communicators, how his team at Microsoft chooses to speak on social issues and more.

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In the latest episode of PodCatalyst, IABC Executive Director Peter Finn dives into the Gallagher’s State of the Sector 2022 report with Chris Lee, vice president of communications for Gallagher’s employee communication and experience practice.

Listen to this episode to learn more about:

• Key takeaways and insights from this year’s report, including how a full year of working within the era of COVID-19 impacted findings compared to years past
• Communicators’ top challenges (disengaged employees) and top priorities (engaging teams around purpose and strategy) for 2022, and the opportunity that leaves communicators
• The shift to rewarding employees based on outcomes rather than optics, and how that be an antidote to the effects of Great Resignation
• The value of communicators’ achieving strategic adviser status by building relationships with senior leaders

ABOUT THE EPISODE

In the latest episode of PodCatalyst, IABC Executive Director Peter Finn sat down with Zora Artis, CEO of Artis Advisory cofounder of The Alignment People and chair of the IABC World Conference 2022 Program Advisory Committee (PAC).

Listen to this episode to learn more about:

ABOUT THE EPISODE

In the latest episode of PodCatalyst, IABC Executive Director Peter Finn sat down with David Albritton, who has had an interesting and varied career path, from being in the Navy to working for Amazon Web Services and now leading Nineteen88 Strategies, an executive coaching business.

Listen to this episode to learn more about:

• Lessons David carried with him as he transitioned from the Navy to civilian life, including "developing a fearlessness" in your career
• Best practices for gaining new clients for a consulting business
• The value of mentorship and how to make the most of such a relationship

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In the latest episode of PodCatalyst, IABC Executive Director Peter Finn sat down with Roger Bolton, who has had a remarkable, varied and successful career — from his early days serving under President George H.W. Bush, to roles at IBM and Aetna, and now as president of the Arthur W. Page Society (Page).

Listen to this episode to learn more about:

• How Roger became more than “just a PR guy” in his role at Aetna, earning the trust of the CEO and leading a massive culture change that helped the company turn the corner in physician acceptance
• Current projects in the works at Page, from research and thought leadership to meaningful DEI efforts
• Advice for communicators looking to take their career to the executive level
• Insights as to how communicators are increasingly becoming senior strategic partners

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In this episode of PodCatalyst, IABC Executive Director Peter Finn sits down with CNN’s Fuzz Hogan, who currently serves as senior editor for The Row. Hogan discusses his career history with CNN and his commitment to ensuring stories meet high standards of storytelling, clarity, accuracy, quality, fairness and balance.

Listen to this episode to hear more about:

• The risks and rewards of publishing and engaging with audiences in real-time
• Best practices for communication strategists and media representatives
• Examples and strategies for maintaining ethical standards
• The greatest opportunities on the horizon for communicators

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In this episode of PodCatalyst, IABC Executive Director Peter Finn sits down with Barbara Puffer, MA, ABC, IABC Fellow. Puffer is a contributing author in IABC’s recently launched book, “The IABC Guide for Practical Business Communication: A Global Standard Primer.” Puffer’s chapter explores the role of ethics in business communication.

Listen to this episode to hear more about:

• The communicator’s responsibility to uphold ethics
• Foundational beliefs and skills communicators need for ethical business communication
• Future ethical communication challenges on the horizon and the tools available

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In this episode of PodCatalyst, IABC Executive Director Peter Finn sits down with Mark Schumann, ABC, IABC Fellow. Schumann, a past IABC IEB Chair, is a contributing author for IABC’s recently launched book, “The IABC Guide for Practical Business Communication: A Global Standard Primer.” Schumann’s chapter explores how communication skills can articulate brand value to establish and sustain consumer confidence.

Listen to this episode to hear more about:

• What it takes to create brand confidence
• Making brands stand out via courageous leadership
• Managing the socialization of a brand
• How this new book is a picture of the value of the communication profession

Plus, Schumann shares how New York City — home to the IABC World Conference 2022 — has gotten its branding right while emerging from the pandemic.