Sharon McIntosh, Author at FIR Podcast Network

Episode #43 – Andy Gilman on Coronavirus Crisis Communications

March 3, 2020 by Sharon McIntosh and Sharon Phillips Leave a Comment

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Talk of COVID-19, or Coronavirus, is dominating the headlines, your timeline ― and probably your headspace. On top of your own family’s health and wellbeing, you have your business, customers and employees to worry about.

As you navigate the fine line between information-sharing and fear mongering, what’s the right message to send? Andy Gilman – a well-known crisis comms expert — has the answers in today’s episode of EE Voice – in less than 15 minutes. (As anyone can now tell you, that’s equivalent to time spent on about 45 hand-washings).

Whether you are adapting an existing crisis communications plan or starting from scratch, you’ll want to tune in for Andy’s expertise. You can learn more about Andy and his company at CommCore Consulting.

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Episode #42: EE Voice Clip – How can I create the best videos with my iPhone?

February 28, 2020 by Sharon McIntosh and Sharon Phillips Leave a Comment

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If you’re like most people, you have a high-tech video camera right at your fingertips ― and you’re not making the most of it. Why let that potential go to waste?

Grab your smartphone and take in these recording tips from our video maestro, EE production manager Ed Gilbert, who shares his deep audio/visual expertise for our latest EE Voice Clip.

In less time than it takes to download the typical iPhone update, Ed covers advice from how to hold your phone to improving lighting and audio. It’s like an eight-minute master class in smartphone recording.

Whether you’re considering video as a way to capture that employee interview or you want to feature an executive, this EE Voice Clip is well worth a listen.
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Episode #41: EE Voice CLIP – How can I create an effective 2020 employee comms strategy?

January 15, 2020 by Sharon McIntosh and Sharon Phillips Leave a Comment

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Welcome to our second EE Voice CLIP – our Quora for communicators — where we answer a listener’s question in less than 8 minutes.

Today’s question is: How can I create an effective 2020 employee comms strategy?

Sharon and I are always surprised how many companies we speak to don’t have a full year communications plan – and it’s critical. A solid strategy gives you the journey map to success – both personally as a leader and for your employees — and done right – ultimately to drive business success.

So here are some quick tips and tricks to start or improve upon your 2020 comms plan … wrapped up in just 5 minutes.
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Episode #40: Go global (and local) with employee comms in 2020

December 17, 2019 by Sharon McIntosh and Sharon Phillips Leave a Comment

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Strengthening relationships with employees in global settings is a topic near and dear to my heart, as I spent many years at PepsiCo working with our regional teams. For communicators, launching a global initiative can be an exciting career opportunity. Yet, despite advances in technology, significant gaps still exist that can hinder your success.

To help us better understand some of these challenges and get real-world solutions—we (well, Sharon did, since I was with a client) hosted Ray Walsh, a communications consultant for multinational companies, on the latest episode of the EE Voice Podcast. Based in Prague, Ray has deep expertise in helping global organizations with communications and content. In addition, Ray’s experience living and working in Europe both in-house and as a consultant provides valuable insight and perspective for communicators looking to increase their global acumen in 2020.
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Episode #39: EE Voice CLIP – How can I spice up my CEO’s end-of-year letter?

December 4, 2019 by Sharon McIntosh and Sharon Phillips Leave a Comment

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We thought we’d end the year with a little twist – a new, abbreviated format which we hope you’ll find easy to fit into your busy day. With EE Voice Clip we aim to answer — in under 8 minutes – a question that employee comms pros have on their minds. Sort of like a Quora for Comms.

Our first question we answer is: How can I spice up my CEO’s end-of-year letter. Sharon and I offer some ideas to consider – some creative, some more traditional. And all in six minutes.
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Episode #38: The future of employee advocacy (with Glenn Gaudet)

November 2, 2019 by Sharon McIntosh and Sharon Phillips Leave a Comment

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“What you’re trying to do is not just have employees be an amplification for the company. You’re trying to help them engage with people digitally. And you’re trying to create an engagement – so they can create a relationship.” – Glenn Gaudet

After a long summer break (which somehow eked into fall), Sharon and I are back! And we’re delighted to welcome a friend and employee advocacy expert Glenn Gaudet.

As CEO of GaggleAMP, Glenn leads a team that helps companies transform their workforce into a social media powerhouse. Sharon and I worked with Glenn when we launched PepsiCo’s award-winning ambassador program, and we learned much from him then. And of course, in this conversation, we learn more, including:

How employee advocacy has evolved in the past 10 years – and where it’s headed next (pssst: It’s about employee engagement)
Why employee advocacy is so powerful for brand building
Hot-off-the-press findings from a new survey, “Building the Case for an Employee Advocacy Program,” which showcases what makes for a successful program – and how communicators can help. Some survey findings that surprised even Glenn
And so much more.

Glenn pulled together the following resource for our EE Voice listeners, which includes links and downloads to the survey, how to get started with employee advocacy and a great case study about Carbon Black.
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Episode #37: Employee activism: A new labor movement on the rise?

July 14, 2019 by Sharon McIntosh and Sharon Phillips Leave a Comment

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In our April 2018 EE Voice podcast, Sharon and I asked our listeners: Are you ready for the employee activist?

Because if you weren’t prepared last year, you better brace yourself for what’s coming. In the last year, we’ve seen #GoogleWalkout, #WayfairWalkout and most recently, #AmazonWalkout.

In this episode of EE Voice, we dive back into the fascinating topic of employee activism with two comms experts:

Terry Hart, a corporate comms expert in B2B marketing, corporate communications and change management and
Mike Klein, principal of Changing the Terms and a well-known voice on employee communications based in the Netherlands.

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EPISODE #36: CEO ACTIVISM AND THE ACTIVE ROLE OF COMMUNICATORS

June 1, 2019 by Sharon McIntosh and Sharon Phillips Leave a Comment

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In today’s highly charged sociopolitical environment, corporate leaders can feel the impulse to take a stand just like any of us. They’re only human, after all.

As communicators, it’s our job to help them understand when and how to speak out on issues that live outside the business realm. What are the expectations around CEO activism? What are the ramifications of taking a stand on a highly charged issue? Which CEOs are doing it right?

In this episode of EE Voice, we’ll explore this sensitive topic and the critical role internal communications teams play in keeping their leaders on point, on brand and on a path toward making a truly positive impact.
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Episode #35: Hey, Internal Comms: Marketing needs you

April 17, 2019 by Sharon McIntosh and Sharon Phillips Leave a Comment

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Douglas Spencer knows brand strategy. The former VP Global Brand Management for Thomson Reuters and founder of Boston-based consultancy Spencer Brenneman has spent two decades traversing the globe to work with brands in every sector from financial services to nonprofits.

He has the same advice for all of them: Embrace brand strategy as “your business’ very best friend – part coach, conscience, parent, partner, judge, jury, conductor and station agent.”

The same advice applies to internal communicators. And in this episode of EE Voice, you’ll hear why.

Tune in as we talk with Douglas about the many ways internal comms can support the brand.
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Episode #34: 2019 EDELMAN TRUST BAROMETER: WHY THE EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE CONTRACT MATTERS MORE THAN EVER

March 11, 2019 by Sharon McIntosh and Sharon Phillips Leave a Comment

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Since 2000, the Edelman Trust Barometer^® has measured attitudes about the state of trust and credibility in business, government, NGOs and the media worldwide.

The annual Edelman survey’s results often confirm, sometimes surprise and always motivate us as internal communicators – and this year is no different. The 2019 report shows profound changes in the perception of employer-employee contracts, a finding that holds special significance for internal communicators.

In this episode of EE Voice, we talk with Tamara Snyder, who heads up Edelman’s Employee Experience Team, about the shift in employee mindsets revealed in their latest report. (Tamara’s a bit of a rock star in our EE Voice podcast world, as this was the third time she’s been on the show.)
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