The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.
We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.
Meghan, Harry And Buckingham Palace Provide Key Crisis Communication Lessons — As the royal family feud continues to unfold, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Buckingham Palace are providing key crisis communication lessons for all business executives. The latest lessons from the royals played out in the U.S. Sunday night in front of a national television audience when Oprah Winfrey interviewed Harry and Meghan in a two-hour special on CBS. The interview was must-see TV for many who have a role in preventing, responding to, managing, communicating amid or trying to recover from corporate crisis situations. This article from Forbes lays out the key takeaways.
The Art (Yes, Art) of Conversation — Everyone’s familiar with the sensation of being trapped in a conversation for too long – be that over the garden fence or by the office water cooler. On the other end of the spectrum, we’ve also experienced conversations that seem to end prematurely, leaving us dissatisfied and maybe even a little hurt. A new Harvard study has found this conversational disappointment may be incredibly common. The study found that less than 2% of conversations ended when both partners wanted them to. This figure was remarkably stable, irrespective of whether people were talking to a stranger or a loved one. This quick read explains why bad conversations happen and provides simple, sharp tips to improve conversation skills.
How to Polish Your Public Speaking — We all do it, and we all could do it better. Do you unknowingly touch your hair when you speak on Zoom? Do you speak with your hands when the movements have no value? Almost everyone uses unnecessary gestures, words or sounds (think: “uh huh,” “umm…”). We often tend to stop using them when appearing in front of an audience, but if a gesture supports your message, use it. It is part of you. It’s only when a gesture is repeated too frequently that it harms you and the message you’re conveying. Watch a recording of yourself or ask friends to identify repetitive tendencies you don’t easily recognize. Awareness is the first step. Later, practice speaking before an audience without them. A disciplined approach and this checklist will help you improve.
The Brutal Truth You Must Accept to Write Well, According to Jeff Bezos — You might be a tech genius, a gifted salesperson or analytic whiz, but to be truly successful in your career, you still need to learn how to write well. That’s the word from many experts, and it’s also clearly the belief of Jeff Bezos. The Amazon founder famously banned PowerPoint in favor of narrative six-page memos. Writing well means being able not only to communicate clearly, but also to think through complex problems. Writing, in short, makes you both more persuasive and smarter. You don’t have to spend much time searching to find tips and tricks to improve your writing. But to really improve – to take things to a higher level – there are two things you must do. This story from Inc. explains.
Case Study: A Nearly Perfect CEO Interview — Sonos CEO Patrick Spence joined CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” Wednesday to discuss the company’s stock price, which has surged 60% and the launch of Sonos’ first portable speaker. Take a look at this nearly flawless CEO interview. Some quick things to note:
- Spence is ready for the interview. He addresses each question and bridges to key messages he needs to deliver.
- He has great energy and speaks at a nice, appropriate pace.
- Spence’s enthusiasm/excitement for Sonos is palpable. He maintains steady eye contact, his facial expressions are optimistic and appropriate, and he addresses all three reporters by name.
- He is prepared for tough questions about software updates and other topics. He never repeats negative language. Rather, he welcomes each question and addresses it with confidence and empathy.
- He keeps Sonos’ story simple: The past (origin of the company and how it has changed home audio); the present (number of customers and homes they reach); and the future (where the company will go from here).
- Finally, Spence’s background is ideal. He has several Sonos products displayed subtly, and his lighting, camera and audio are perfect.
************************
What Were They Thinking?: Burger King Slammed for International Women’s Day Tweet
************************