Hello and welcome to KEEWest Associates. I am so excited that you can join me in celebrating a personal win during such challenging times. I’ve become the sole proprietor of a boutique PR agency. I know crazy right, especially during a pandemic!
It took a little less than a year of hard work, collaborations, set backs and frustrations and yet I haven’t felt personally challenged and energized in such a meaningful way. This journey has renewed my appreciation of random acts of kindness whether it be an introduction in a coffee shop leading to a mentor on business planning, a random phone conversation about digital portfolios morphing into the benefits of entrepreneurship or close friends simply saying, “Go for it. I think you’ll regret if you don’t and I’ll help in anyway I can .” So, here I am launching a business.
With 25+ years of public relations experience, I’ve been blessed and humbled to work for outstanding organizations that are at the top of their game including Kaiser Permanente and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. So, what I have learned about leadership communications that may help during challenging times like these? Steady, thoughtful leadership that is empathetic and approachable along with a visionary strategic plan are invaluable, but they are only half the equation. If your road map to success isn’t clear to your employees or key audience, then you will fail in execution. Messaging during challenging times must have at least these seven crucial keys to authentic leadership communication:
Provide clear factual information: People don’t relate to a bunch of data points but they do relate to facts that effect them personally. If you must give data to illustrate a point then explain why they should care.
Be authentic and no, you can’t fake it: The bottom line is that people know when they are being lied to, manipulated or being told a blatantly slanted view. Do NOT lie, it just compounds into another, another and another. You can’t win.
Show passion and commitment to doing the right thing: People respond to others who are trying to do the right thing. They know you’re human and are often more tolerant of those who say they don’t have all the answers but we’re in this together and we’ll figure it out or here’s the best approach given the data we have so far….
Create a dialogue instead of a monologue: In other words, be “up close and personal” and invite people to be a part of a solution-based conversation People want to relate and help so let them. Let them ask you questions and be a part of the solution.
Replace ego with empathy: It is not about you, it’s about your audience! When honesty is communicated with empathy and caring and not the self-centeredness of an over inflated ego good things begin to happen. The average person doesn’t respond to a false persona but rather a down to earth authenticity.
Be accurate: It seems like a small thing, but if you get the facts wrong when it counts, people will lose faith and go elsewhere for information. Therefore, always have a strong command of your subject-matter. A crisis is not the time “fake it ’til you make it.”
These are just a few things I’ve learned along the way. I’ve also learned I have a burning passion for organizations trying their best to elevate the human condition, make a difference in their communities and leave the world in a little better place then where they found it. Furthermore, the bigger the challenge, crisis or project the better. I admit I’m an introverted adrenaline junkie who thrives on making the impossible possible and working through multi-faceted communications.
That is why I want to support authentic real conversations and communications in communities around the topics that I feel are integral to better communities: Clean energy technologies, healthcare, real estate and basic infrastructure. If you need a communication and public relations expert passionate about your work in these areas then by all means let’s collaborate. You can find a list of all my services at https://keewestassociates.com/what-we-do/services/ or you can reach me at info@keewestassociates.com.
