Monica (Lawton) Khol

CALIFORNIA

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#MediaMentions Hey internal comms peeps, pros, and practitioners, how valuable are media mentions to colleagues? (I mean, all employees.) I know which teams need to know about media mentions, and I know that some specific media mentions will delight (or horrify) colleagues across the org, but how valuable is it to publish all media mentions internally? #InternalComms #EmployeeComms #intranet #PR #MR #MediaRelations

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PERSPECTIVES WANTED: Ragan Communications and PR Daily have teamed up with Ruder Finn to conduct a survey gauging where senior and executive-level comms professionals stand on AI, how they’re currently using it, how (and if) they plan to use it in the future and their hopes and concerns for the changes it will bring.  Take a look!

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Crisis Communications is one of my "favorites." . . . Sharing that fact with people outside of the communications industry is scary, but the reality is crisis communications pumps my adrenaline and sharpens my focus. Anticipating potential consequences and planning several steps ahead to mitigate risks and capitalize on opportunities is exciting for me. What aspect of your career gives you that same adrenaline rush and keeps you focused? I'd love to hear your experiences. #CrisisCommunications #PublicRelations #StrategicThinkers

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My mid-year work resolution is to STAY PRESENT in meetings. I'll be the first to admit my duel screens and alert pings pull my attention away from 1:1s and group meetings, and it's not OK. When I am presenting or chatting with someone and I see their eyes wander to another screen, it throws me off. Connection is immediately lost. So I am posting visual cues around my workspace to remind myself of the kind of colleague I want to be and the type of focused energy I want to bring to every meeting I accept or schedule. What will you work on in the second half of 2024? (I love a mid-year resolution)

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This is for my PR/Crisis Comms friends: Regarding my career, I've "grown up" in corporations. In my 19 years, I've had the opportunity to work for three nationwide corporations. When it comes to PR, this has made creating relationships with local news reporters difficult. I may not have touched a market for a year, and by that time, the newsroom has turned over. Yet, relationships in PR, and especially crisis communications, are SO important. Establishing a trustworthy rapport with a reporter is critical. It can make or break a story hitting the news. So, how do you do it? Glad you asked! Here are some of my strategies for establishing a relationship with reporters quickly: ✅ Show Genuine Empathy: Demonstrate sincere concern for the reporter's perspective and the gravity of the crisis. I've done my best to share, "Hey, I know you have a job to do, and so do I. How can we make this work?" ✅ Transparency Is Key: Be upfront about any limitations or constraints you may face, while still striving to provide valuable insights. For example, you could say, "While I can't disclose certain details due to privacy concerns, I will do what I ca to share what I can to address your questions or more importantly, doubts you may have." ✅ Listen First, Speak Second: Take the time to actively listen to the reporter's questions and concerns before formulating your response. This demonstrates respect for their perspective and encourages open dialogue. You might say, "I hear your concerns about the impact of this situation on your audience. Let's work together to ensure we provide accurate and helpful information." ✅ Offer Solutions: Instead of focusing solely on the problem at hand, propose practical solutions or steps forward. For instance, you could say, "Here are some proactive measures we're implementing to address the issue and prevent similar incidents in the future. I'd love to hear your thoughts on how we can best communicate these efforts to the public." ✅ Clear Communication Is Vital: Use straightforward language and avoid jargon to ensure your message is easily understood. This helps to avoid confusion and misinterpretation. For example, you could say, "Let me break down the key points for you so we're on the same page." ✅ Follow Up Promptly: Stay responsive and proactive in your communication, providing timely updates and addressing any additional questions or concerns that arise. This shows your commitment to keeping the lines of communication open. You might say, "I'll make sure to keep you updated as we progress and address any new developments promptly." I'm telling you, if you do these things - it will help you exponentially. You may not gain total trust, but you will gain credibility and it will get you so far.

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I’ve been thinking about how a simple therapy block on a work calendar can do more to promote mental health at work than many over-wrought corporate initiatives. When I started at Mission North five years ago (!), my then-manager Lauren Scherr had a block on her calendar for therapy during the workday. It kind of blew my mind. That block told me 3 things:  — Acknowledging mental health at work is not only tolerated but accepted. — Setting self-care boundaries at work is okay. — I could talk to my manager about mental health if I needed to. Lauren and other colleagues who blocked off time for therapy gave me permission to do the same. It’s hard enough to find a therapist without having to squeeze appointments in before or after work hours. Doing therapy during the workday (in my case, at the end of the day when I’m not distracted by deadlines) gave me the flexibility to find a stellar therapist. This also wouldn’t be possible without remote work options. The work I’ve done in therapy has undoubtedly made me a stronger teammate and leader. (Let’s be clear: this is not the goal of mental health care but certainly a side benefit). The patterns I get stuck on in my personal life show up in similar ways at work. For leaders looking to build a positive mental health culture at their companies, consider: —Putting a therapy block on your calendar— it signals “we’re all in this together.” —Giving people the flexibility and grace to prioritize their mental health at work, whatever that looks like. #mentalhealthawarenessmonth  

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You may groan when you read this, buuuuut trust: You need to write your holiday blogs now, not in November. If you have (or work for) a company that sells anything, especially more things around the holidays, get those blogs done now + pinned on Pinterest. You’ll thank me when that search volume ratchets up in Q3-4. It’s also exactly what I did when I wrote + pinned this blog: https://lnkd.in/gpmSRCGA. #contentwriting #holidaycontent #companyblog #holidayblog #organicsearch

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I threw myself into work was burnt out: Here’s how I’m slowing down for more impact in May 1. Pausing new 1:1 clients 2. Reusing my existing writing 3. Finding ways to automate 4. Make better use of what I already have 5. New offers must use my existing assets 6. Concentrating on Career Pivot Pro cohorts 7. Exploring helping people in shorter group offerings (1-2 months) I’ve looked at the stuff that is giving the most reward - the good old 80:20 rule. Sometimes lots of activity feels great but lacks focus. You can spend lots of time on stuff that doesn’t give great return. When you create space you can have a better overview and make better decisions. Back to number 5. I realised I had written my Ultimate DIY Career Pivot Blueprint to share with a friend a few months ago. But I’d not done anything with it. So I wrote it up and tested it out. 21 clear steps to help people to think and take action like an entrepreneur to build the career they want and create opportunities. JA loved it and got back to me. They sent a screen shot of how they’d used the Blueprint to help them plan what they want a successful career looks like for them. For the next 6 days it’s in a special offer bundle with the Ultimate DIY Career Pivot Checklist a you can easily tick off your progress. There’s a video in the link where I show you what you are getting if you are interested. Link in comments. 👇🏾 ———————————/———— Embrace freedom. Hi I’m Iesha I’m a comms professional with a side hustle I help you build your career like an entrepreneur . Engineer → Assistant headteacher →Head of Comms + Business owner ———

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The evolution of influence - how is public relations changing? The new Notified/PRWeek report examines this very question. We surveyed 155 leading PR pros to learn how to build stronger trust with stakeholders, the best ways to combat misinformation and how corporate storytellers feel about AI in 2024.   Get the findings now: https://lnkd.in/gayFpq9J #PublicRelations #PR #AI

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THIS! Editor-in-chief, storyteller, roving reporter - these are just a few of the many hats I wear (and love!). Developing an internal content strategy to celebrate, inform, and recognize the people, teams, accomplishments, and innovations increases pride and emotional connection to the company. Usually I see comms jobs with these responsibilities as 'a nice to have,' with the main focus on exec comms. So happy to see it as a new component of #internalcomms that's actually central to the role. ➡"A major factor is that workplaces have become the new metaphorical town squares – a key place where people congregate. And the rise of employee activism means that people now demand more of companies, expecting them to communicate their stance on major key issues. Enter content." ➡ “Employees can be thought of as thought leaders." ➡"Increasingly, employees want to work in environments where they feel seen and heard." #storytelling #rovingreporter #edcalendar

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🔎 Job hunting: 👾 Endless doom scroll or regimented and balanced? ⚖️ If you don’t have a job, looking for a job is probably your job. It can feel tempting to spend the entire day searching and refreshing and perfecting and editing and whateverelseing. If you’re constantly in motion, it feels like you’re doing something. You’re not taking this lying down. 💪 You’re working harder. But then, what about working smarter? Is there a way to do your job hunting stuff on a regular basis while also finding ways to actually enjoy this time without a job? To get out to the beach or go for a walk or to experience some local museum or event you have been meaning to check out. To let life continue to happen. To be enriched by the downtime. To come back to the job hunt refreshed with fresh perspective and inspiration. ✨ If this reads as a post that’s about to give you some advice, I apologize for misleading you. I was just throwing out some ideas that sounded cool. 🤣 This post is actually me looking for suggestions from you. 😬 So, I wondered if anyone wouldn’t mind sharing their job search routines— ones that include time and space for life to happen outside of the doom scrolling refresh of death to which I feel so predisposed. 🤔 What do you do to maintain a work-life balance when job hunting is your job? Sending love and hope and respectable job offers to all. 🏆

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*** Warning: Very Real Talk *** Today in the lobby of an office, waiting for a meeting, I heard two men bemoaning Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in their workplace. Specifically, they didn't like how they thought it affected hiring choices. I just couldn't help myself. I pressed them for some specifics. It got interesting. Is it disabled people? Perhaps someone is in a wheelchair, or lost a limb, or is hard of hearing. Don't they need more consideration and accommodation? "Of course," they said. They were adamant that disabilities weren't the issue. "Surely, it can't be about hiring women," I said. It's 2024. Equal pay remains an issue, but surely it's not about hiring qualified women. Is it? "Oh, of course not," they assured me. Their wives and sisters both work. "So, what *exactly* is it about DEI and hiring that bothers you?" I asked. "Please be specific, fellas." They both kind of looked at each other. Neither wanted to say it out loud. So I did it for them. "Is it the hiring of minorities and gay people? Is that what bothers you so much?" They both had red faces. At that point, it was uncomfortable. I said - "So it's just run-of-the-mill racism and homophobia. Wow. Do better." The Moral of the Story: It's not enough to just make better policy. Habits, opinions, and bias can die hard. When you see and hear wrong, you have to call it out, especially when you have the advantages I have as a middle aged white man. #DEI #Inclusiveness #Hiring

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"Can we chat about internal communications?" When Shareen Pathak asked me if I could chat with her about internal comms, I jumped at the opportunity. Internal communications—or, employee communications, as I prefer to call it— is the underappreciated backbone of the comms and marketing team. I'm so glad to see more attention paid to this topic and this vital role. Employee communications can't be an afterthought. It's not a "nice to have" (though it's almost always treated as such, especially in smaller organizations), and it's incredibly strategic. Shout out to my internal communicators! I see you, I know your importance, and I will keep singing your praises as long as I have breath in my lungs. Check out this Toolkits.com article for more.👇 ## Does your company have a dedicated employee comms team, or is it part of another role (aka an afterthought)?

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Such an important aspect to keep in mind for social media management.

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🥹 Here are some reasons why: ❌ Your event isn't newsworthy ❌ Bad targeting: You're sending your release to the wrong media outlets ❌ You're being overly promotional... sounds like an advertisement ❌ Your headline is weak ❌ Your press release is confusing and not clear the the point ❌ Poor writing ❌ Lack of supporting elements: Images, infographics, and video can make your press release more appealing ❌You don’t follow up Hope this helps! :) #publicrelations #mediarelations

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CALIFORNIA

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I was talking with a client the other day, and realized how rarely we think of internal comms the same way we think of external comms. Why is that? Your colleagues process information, make decisions and take action the same way as reporters, customers, investors, thought partners. The same tools should apply. * Just like sales, structure your internal content as a funnel - that informs, then engages and eventually leads to a specific action you need them to take. * Just like earned media, find the hook - make sure the content you send your internal team ties to topics they’re already interested in or are top of mind. * Just like investor relations, use messaging that surprises, challenges existing mental models, and helps reframe an issue. Every person in your organization is swimming in the attention economy - pulled in a thousand different directions at every moment - and if you’re not using the latest communications tools to reach them, don’t be surprised when your next all staff email gets crickets in response. Maybe I’ll write more on this, or just a passing thought. (We’ll see what grabs my attention next.)

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