It may not happen suddenly; it can smolder for years. 

It may not be shock and awe, but can still derail your company.

And it can happen in ANY organization (even schools, non-profits and charities). It can happen to YOUR organization. So… how exactly do you know whether your organization’s problem is a crisis or just an everyday bump in the road?

I use this definition, from the Institute for Crisis Management: a business crisis is “any problem which triggers negative stakeholder reactions...

With Father’s Day approaching, I’ve been reflecting on my Dad’s most valuable lessons. One of the best things he taught me, I believe, is the value of volunteering in service to others.

As I think back over a few decades, I’m surprised at just how many different things I have been a part of. I’ve volunteered for a number of non-profits, professional associations and service organizations. I’ve done everything from cleaning up roadside litter to filling the shoes of leadership. I coordinated...

I've been involved in countless organizational change initiatives over the years. In those that were successful, we learned and affirmed that the right communication strategy is pivotal to the effort. These are among the things I have found to be true about driving success with transformational change.

1. Transformation is not a panacea. No one knows what will happen that may impact change, like evolving global markets, government regulations, technology changes and customer demands that...

At some point, nearly every organization will experience a crisis. For many, unfortunately, their crisis planning strategy is denial: “That will never happen to our company.” Except that it just might. When all hell breaks loose, and management is freaking out, remind yourself of these “truths” of a crisis.

1. There will be short-term pain, there can be long-term gain. Try to stay calm and objective. There is no reason that short-term pain has to turn into long-term damage to the...

Every project, every position and organization in which I have served as a professional business communicator has yielded new ideas on ways to improve communications with employees. Here’s a few simple, low-or-no-cost ideas you can implement right away to improve your skills.

1. Have coffee with a co-worker. One of the fastest ways to learn what’s going on—your company’s challenges, goals, and strategies—is to spend a few minutes with a leader/manager from another department. Come prepared...