About this blog
I write about communication, leadership and change, drawing on a 30-year career in journalism, public relations and management.
-
Recent posts
Topics
Archives
Category Archives: Communications
10 demographic trends that are shaping our world
Demographic trends have always fascinated me, not just as factoids to be used in a clever infographic, but as vital intelligence that can help us better understand consumers, target markets and engage customers. A few weeks ago, the Pew Research Center published … Continue reading
Posted in Communications, Marketing
Tagged Demographic trends, diversity, Millennials, Pew Research Center, population, religion
Leave a comment
Make talking to your customers a learning experience
One of the things I like about my line of work is that I’m always learning something new. Over the past year, I’ve learned about cybersecurity, satellite technology, electric utilities and asset/liability management, to name a few of the topics … Continue reading
Posted in Communications, Marketing
Tagged interviewing, learning, talking to customers
Leave a comment
Credit unions rev up for auto loan growth
You might say that reports of the automobile industry’s demise are greatly exaggerated. Despite sales falling to as low as 10.4 million vehicles in 2009 (due to the recession and Americans postponing new-car purchases), light vehicle sales reached their highest level … Continue reading
Posted in Communications
Tagged auto loans, automobiles, Credit unions, NAFCU, The Federal Credit Union, vehicle sales
Leave a comment
Tips for making your writing plain, clear and scrupulous
The same year Congress passed Obamacare, another monumental piece of legislation made its way to the president’s desk: The Plain Writing Act of 2010. Okay, Okay, there were no floor fights over The Plain Writing Act, no demagoguing or name-calling, no … Continue reading
Posted in Communications
Tagged E.B. White, George Orwell, Paul Diederich, Plain Writing Act of 2010, style, Writing
Leave a comment
Convergence and the brave new world of PR and marketing
A few weeks ago, Phil Rabin and Paul Duning of Capitol Communicator spoke at an Independent Public Relations Alliance luncheon about trends they are seeing in the PR business. One development they mentioned is the convergence of public relations and … Continue reading
I see dead people…on Facebook
Facebook is very good about reminding me of my friends’ birthdays. Its notification feature automatically prompts me to post a birthday greeting, and I can do it without even visiting the friend’s page. All I have to do is type … Continue reading
What does a Millennial want?
What do Millennials want for Christmas? Or, put more broadly, what do they want, period? It’s a good question, given that my son is an older Millennial, and I’m still deciding what to buy him. Sigmund Freud famously admitted that after … Continue reading
Posted in Communications, Marketing, Technology
Tagged Accenture, Christmas shopping, consumer research, Goldman Sachs, Millennials
Leave a comment
Need to make an apology? Here’s how to do it right
“I’m sorry” and “excuse me” are words we hear on a daily basis. When used liberally and expressed sincerely, they go a long way towards preserving civility and smoothing over awkward moments. If I accidentally bumped into you on a crowded … Continue reading
Posted in Communications, Leadership
Tagged apology, character, make amends, relationships, restitution, sorry
Leave a comment
The Wayward Journey 