The trouble with work is sometimes the trouble with working out — when they’re not any fun. Do you drag yourself into the office every day, see your angry boss and glass-eyed coworkers hunched over laptops? Do you wonder why it has to be such a drag? Are you the angry boss? Are you desperately[…]
Fitness, nutrition and well-being are endlessly rich topics for content, communications and business. We all want to live better, right? And many U.S. companies have wellness programs, some even hire a personal trainer for employers if they want one! They help reduce insurance premiums and sick days while boosting productivity and retention of top workers.[…]
“Reinvent yourself” is a modern mantra for countless Americans. In the years since digital disruption and the economic recession, we still see proof all around us. So many Americans are having to reinvent themselves to keep their careers going, to find a new one, or just to make a living. That’s why most businesses decide[…]
All professional communicators face difficult interviews sometimes, with people who can’t or won’t give you what you need. How do you respond? Do you get tough with your questions like a reporter or a prosecutor? Do you smile and nod and hope that you can somehow make sense of this later? And then do you[…]
For cartoonist Paige Braddock, the “Peanuts” gang means spreading sweet bliss every day of the year. She is the creative director at Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates in Northern California. Paige oversees the visual and editorial direction for all “Peanuts” licensed products all over the world. A cartoonist herself, she has drawn several “Peanuts” books,[…]
In recognition of Independent Bookstores Day (Saturday, May 29), I’m republishing this profile of Atlanta’s indomitable A Cappella Books, a real treasure, from a couple of years ago. Like newspapers and the music business, bookstores everywhere have taken an evolutionary hit in the digital age. Many have folded up, including all the Borders chain and[…]
The phrase “media training” can strike fear in anyone not used to talking to reporters. But it doesn’t have to. An interview with a reporter can stir some common anxiety — and, just as dangerously, a dismissive arrogance. That’s the same from the C-suite to public relations agencies, from town halls to small businesses.[…]
Creative thinking gets fired up by exercise. Want proof? Michael, a corporate attorney, solves his complicated work problems while swimming. Todd, who manages PR for a large communications firm, likes to have one-on-one meetings with his direct reports at the company gym. And Lyndsey, a photographer, cleared her head to open her own business while[…]
How do you come up with writing and content ideas? I’ve been asked that throughout my career as a writer and content director. We all sometimes struggle with it. And the question can keep would-be writers and even seasoned content teams from getting started. It’s the same even if you don’t consider yourself a writer,[…]
In the digital age, is print dead for business and corporate communications? Imagine you produce an employee magazine, brochure or other print product as part of a recurring campaign. You regularly must assess whether to continue printing or abandon it and its negative associations: costs tree-killing old-fogeyness You manage expenses and distribution responsibly. Surveys find[…]