Rena:

Hello and welcome to the arena. I’m Rena Lewis, founder and chief strategy advisor at signature intentions and host of the arena podcast. In today’s episode, I am super delighted to have, as my guest, a champion warrior, Chris, a heroine who has over 30 years of experience in corporate communications and reputation management, standing on the front lines of both crisis and opportunity. She began her impressive career as a news reporter and anchor and has led communications, public affairs and philanthropy teams. Most notably at Lowe’s and food lion during which she managed a 24 seven news cycle on the steps of a federal courthouse and represented the company on a 90 minute Nightline broadcast, opposite renowned journalist, Diane Sawyer, and 60 minutes creator. Don Hewitt, Chris then turned her passion for the community and nonprofit work into a job when she served as CEO of our towns habitat for humanity. And she was recently named to the board of habitat for humanity of North Carolina. She is also currently consulting as the founder of Chris, a Hearn strategic communications, focusing on corporate and crisis communications, as well as corporate philanthropy and as a partner at anticipate crisis strategies, which helps companies identify risks, craft plans, and then exercise them. Personally. I had the pleasure of meeting Chris when we both, when we were both panelists on an ethical decision-making round table, hosted by the public relations society of America here in Charlotte, we just instantly connected, got together over zoom. And since then I have been learning from her wisdom and pressed with her grace and enjoying her spirit of joy that she brings to every interaction. So as a continuum on that journey, let me start by saying hello, Chris, and welcome to the arena.

Chris:

Hi Rena. And thank you for such a kind introduction.

Rena:

Thank you for joining me here in the arena. So what more can you tell us about your career journey and what got you hooked on communications as your profession? 

Chris:

Well, you know, it’s funny you think you’re going one direction and then something else will pop up. I went to journalism school and thought that that was just a stepping stone to a career as an attorney. And it was just too much fun. So, I stuck with journalism there and really enjoyed my time as a newspaper reporter and, you know, being sent out on, you know, crazy news stories and breaking news and really enjoyed that part of my career. But you know, like so many people and women in particularly think sometimes when you have children, your perspective changes a little bit. And my husband and I were both in television news and when our first child was born, you know, we couldn’t go out and, you know, stay indefinite periods of time at hostage situation. Somebody had to pick up the baby from daycare. So I tried to look for a career that would allow me to use my communication skills. And so public relations was sort of a natural transition there. So I started out in healthcare, public relations at a major hospital chain. And then you know, I worked in wholesale distribution with supermarket retail and wholesale company in Oklahoma. Then I came to North Carolina with food lion and then stayed with Lowe’s and habitat for humanity, as you have mentioned. So, you know, it’s a twisting and turning path, but you know, I’m one of those people. I always like wherever I am, I enjoy the times that I had previously, but I don’t look back. And so it’s always fun to enjoy the space you’re in right now.

Rena:

Well, it’s been a very impressive half. Is there someone in particular who inspired you most during your career?

Chris:

You know, that was a really tough question. I have had the privilege to work with so many amazing people, you know, with mentors who helped me navigate that corporate culture and, you know, be bold enough to try and make changes. You know, I’d say, there are a couple of folks that I met first as young staff members who really challenged me to think outside my comfort zone, you know, I would have in mind the way I thought that we should take traditional PR and solve a problem. They would come up with some crazy idea and they were usually right. And if I could just get out of their way, you know, we would have great success and I would learn from their enthusiasm and creative ideas. So, it’s hard to pick just one person, but I really appreciate the tenacity and the creativity of young staff, people that I’ve had just the pure blessing to work with throughout my career because they pushed me to be better.

Rena:

I agree it well, first of all, it’s so important to have mentors to help us understand those not to lobbyist corporate cultural nuances and driving and communicating major change initiatives. And I’m right there with you on just loving, being challenged by our younger generation of colleagues. I’ve become a huge fan of reverse mentorship as part of our responsibility for nurturing future leaders while learning so very much from them. Okay. So I’m wondering whether from a mentee or mentor, what’s been the best advice you’ve received?

Chris:

Well, this is going to sound crazy, but the advice was put on your Tahiti socks. I had a colleague I worked with at one time who, uh, anytime things were getting tough, she would pull out these crazy socks that were tropical and fun. And she said, you know, if you put on your Tahiti socks, you can do anything. And so, I don’t have actual Tahiti socks, but I do have some crazy socks. And, I find also that going to the store and buying new pens and fun colors will kind of get me through too. But, you know, it’s amazing the little things that stick with you over the years. And my mentor Cynthia Arcia, NACO, I’ll give her a little shout out in Oklahoma, said put on your Tahiti socks and that stuck with me.

Rena:

I love that pragmatic approach needs to happen. You certainly have had a very successful career in the for-profit world. Why and how did you make the transition to the non-profit arena?

Chris:

You know, it was really a process. I loved the work that I had done and in the corporate world and just thrived on that. And when I had the opportunity to just kind of stop and take a breath and decide what I wanted to do next. I really evaluated and I want to go back into another corporate job or did I want to work with the community a little bit more directly. I had managed the company foundation for years and enjoyed the opportunity to give money away and had, um, to really partner with some key nonprofit organizations, but I didn’t have as much time to volunteer as I would like, and didn’t feel like I could put my whole self into the community. So, you know, I was going through this reflective process and the job at habitat for humanity in my local area popped up. And so I didn’t jump at it immediately. I, you know, sort of started interviewing people who were in nonprofit roles and talking to folks that I knew through habitat for humanity around the country to decide if this was really the right thing for me. And, I got the job and, I felt what was really beneficial about it is it gave me an opportunity to take what I learned in business and apply it to a nonprofit I cared a lot about. So I really liked habitat for humanity because of the dignity that is just inherent in the organization. Everybody who is working to have their first home is putting sweat equity into it and taking financial classes. So whether you’re a volunteer or a homeowner in process or a donor, everybody has some skin in the game. And so I really loved the ability to work with habitat and take some of those business skills and transition them and, you know, try to make sure that that an organization I cared about could be sustainable long-term.

Rena:

Did you experience or notice any distinctive organizational, cultural differences?

Chris:

I think when you work in nonprofit, everybody who works with you shares a passion and that’s really refreshing when you work in a corporate environment. You know, people are out to do their very best job, but they are, their passions may lie in different areas. But I think I loved that passion that every single person in the organization shared whether they were working in construction or in, development, or whatever part of the organization, they were a part of.You know, one of the things that’s certainly very different is staffing, you know, everything is slim working on slim budgets and with fewer people than you might like to work with. As I mentioned, I did a lot of homework before I took on the habitat job and one great nonprofit leader I spoke with told me that, you know, she was trying to make sure I had a really realistic view of what day-to-day might be like. And she said, okay, if you’re the CEO, sometimes it’s up to you to run out for more toilet paper to change the paper towel roll and the break room, and you just need to know that that’s part of the job. So I found that she was exactly right, but the, the one thing that absolutely drove me crazy was I had no it department and I was, you know, I had become so spoiled by being able to just pick up the phone and call, you know, the technology folks. If I had trouble with my computer and nonprofit, you don’t have that, unfortunately. So, you know, that, that was certainly an obstacle we could get over and, you know, if the computer went down, you’d just reboot it and try again.

Rena:

It sounds like combining your passion and purpose towards sort of impacting the needs of the communities through the work and that work that you’re doing could be everything from soup to nuts, from strategic to tactical, to the little things that just need to get done. So combination of all those things, and I can see where they can be, that can be very environment. You also mentioned the application of your leadership skills, what specific leadership skills did you find most transferable or helpful in the nonprofit world?

Chris:

Well, I think that inclusiveness and respect probably, um, really, you know, when, when you go into a small nonprofit and you come from a corporate environment, people aren’t really sure what to expect from you. And, you know, if you’re going to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty or not. So I think I’ve always been kind of a collaborative leader and that’s especially helpful working with the nonprofit. So I think one of the skills I brought to the table was just that penchant for making sure everybody knew that their good ideas mattered as well. You know, because as I said, people don’t really work in nonprofits for, for the money. You know, they they’ve got a passion and they feel like they’ve got to feel like their work has meaning and that their ideas are valuable. And so I think that that was one of those leadership skills that really helped me bring that team together and help us work really effectively as a team. You know, nonprofits have silos just like corporations have silos and to be able to break those down a little bit, I think we, we were able to do some really good things. You’ve got to be transparent in everything that you do when you’re in nonprofit, particularly in a leadership role, you’re always on. And you’re working with other people’s money and they’re donating, you know, their hard earned money. So you’ve got to be really honest about the way the organization is going and sharing your vision about where you’re going. And if there, you know, if there are glitches that need to be fixed, you need to be honest about it.

Rena:

Yeah. And I imagine leveraging additional things that you do so well, Chris likes strategic planning, managing, and especially influencing other people and multiple stakeholder relationships along with, um, you know, having limited budgets and resources to do more with less were also very helpful.

Chris:

Yeah, absolutely. And I think that, you know, when you’re a nonprofit, you’ve got to be a great communicator. You have to be able to tell the organization story externally, and you have to be able to bring your team together internally and make sure everybody feels valued all the way around. Because if you, if you can’t tell your story articulately, then you’re going to have a hard time bringing in those dollars. That’s going to keep the organization afloat.

Rena:

You know, we have that responsibility to tell on both sides, from a for-profit or nonprofit, it’s all about storytelling. And the way we tell those stories, internally and externally, I think serves both areas very well. So really, really good point. You know, like Chris, we hear the designation nonprofit, and not-for-profit often used interchangeably, but they are indeed different help us understand the key differences between those two types of organizations.

Chris:

I’m not sure I’m a complete expert on that, but, you know, I think people do use the mineral interchangeably and, um, you know, there are a lot of, not for profit corporations that, you know, are putting, you know, I’ve worked for the hospital group at one point, that was a not-for-profit and, you know, they would pour the earnings back into the organization where, you know, I think of a nonprofit more as that 501C3 organization that is doing everything it can to benefit the community. And so that would be my definition. I’m not sure if, if Webster’s would agree.

Rena:

No, thank you for that clarity around it. It’s a common misconception and I appreciate the clarity. We talked earlier about an organization’s purpose. How are you seeing nonprofits lean into their purpose these days, specifically the last 12 months and counting, unfortunately with COVID-19 and the impact that it’s having on these organizations?

Chris:

I think it has been such a difficult time for everyone, of course, for small business as well, but nonprofits are really having to be agile in what they do every day. And, you know, I’m seeing, non-profit organizations across the board look at how can they take their programming remote. For example, the Charlotte Mecklenburg library has taken all of their, all of their programs, uh, remote, including storytelling. And the side benefit of that is like their children’s story. Time is now getting listened to by people around the globe, instead of just folks who might attend at the library, for example, um, there are a couple of organizations in the community who provide social services, health services, and food banks and things like that. And both mental health and physical health. There are a lot of organizations that are using telehealth right now and doing things remotely. And, they’re finding that with tele-health they have fewer no-shows than when people were actually coming to their building to meet with a doctor or a nurse practitioner, which I think is really interesting. So I think some of those things are going to carry on and, you know, curbside food pickup, I’ve seen organizations that, you know, maybe had an after-school program that are now doing a remote learning pods, where they can sub support and oversee children who were learning at home or learning remotely so that their parents can go to work and keep the economy going for their family. So I’ve been really impressed with what nonprofits are doing to, you know, to not, they’re more relevant than ever, but to, to stay afloat and even trying to do fundraisers, you know, so many organizations would have events or galas that would bring people out and you can’t gather. So, you know, they’re trying to have  that same sort of fundraiser by zoom or some other remote method. And I’ve seen some nonprofits that have really struggled with that. And some that have been pretty successful because they, you know, they’ve still got those sponsors or big donors that are seeing the need, but, you know, it’s, it’s still expensive to put on events remotely because you need additional technology that your average zoom or Microsoft teams call, you know, can’t give you, um, but it’s, it’s tougher to get the dollars to come in. I just, you know, so it’s, I feel for those organizations, I think on the one hand folks are seeing that there, the need is greater than ever, and maybe, you know, likely to write a slightly bigger check, but, particularly some of the, um, events that were in person and have gone online, you know, if it’s on a weekend, it’s hard to set aside time to do a zoom call on a Saturday night. So hopefully their creativity will prevail and they’ll come up with other, other ways to raise funds. And hopefully we can get back to the point at some sometime where we can, where we can have events and celebrate those successes together. Um, as, as we all get out our checkbooks to try to, um, keep that community engine running.

Rena:

Hmm. Good point. Thank you for that. Are there any specific trends or examples happening today that you think will stick beyond the pandemic or due to it?

Chris:

I think so. I think social media has been helpful. Um, as a matter of fact, I, I saw a friend on social media today. Um, a local nonprofit is doing a Valentine’s sweets contest, and so restaurants and individuals are posting their recipes and you, you vote. And, um, so you know, it, it got me to do a little, um, contribution online to support a friend who had what looked like a fabulous chocolate pie recipe that I may be trying for Valentine’s day. I think some of those things have been, have been pretty creative. And, uh, so hopefully the combination of the lessons learned through social media are gonna help those nonprofit development officers, um, you know, be strong in an additional way to maybe some of the more traditional fundraising they’ve done previously

Rena:

And we do agree that I think a few of them are finding that they could be even more productive. Uh, then you know, now that they’re forced to use these new digital channels or social media channels and organizations are finding like, this is wow, this is, you know, a really valuable added communication channel for us to, to engage and connect with our communities, uh, in ways that perhaps we didn’t think of before, but we’re now forced to do that because of the pandemic.

Chris:

Well, and I think that the benefit is that it takes your reach beyond your local community. So where you might’ve only had, you know, 200 people at your event unit and just from the local community. Now you’re, you’re getting support from a much broader geographic range as well. And I think that, that, um, you know, people have that passion. I think that that social media can be very helpful long-term in that way.

Rena:

Yeah. I agree. Have you seen or experienced any diversity, equity, and inclusion related activities or imperatives been being impacted or developed? And if so, how?

Chris:

I think everybody’s really looking hard at that these days. And I think some of the situations that have happened throughout 2020 have made people stop and take a look at the organizations unit inside and out. I mean, 2020 was kind of the perfect storm for folks. I think that organizations, both corporations, as well as nonprofit organizations are  placing a higher priority on equity. For example, you know, whether they have internal experts who are helping them chart that course, or I know some, some nonprofit organizations have set up task forces or committees of the board to look at what they’re doing and what they should be doing differently to ensure that there’s fair play and inclusion across the board. It’s just such an interesting time because there was a time, and I’ll probably date myself 10, 15 years ago anyway, where, you know, companies want to be wanted to be discovered doing something good. And they were careful not to toot their own horn too much. Now consumer sentiment has really shifted dramatically, and there’ve been a couple of studies out here just in the last six months that show individuals expect companies to jump into the mix and to be leaders. Employees are expecting the companies they work for to take a stand, um, instead of staying neutral, um, the Edelman trust barometer that comes out every year has shown that businesses are actually some of the most trusted organizations these days where, you know, before government used to be more trusted than businesses, I think is just really interesting. And, um, there was a brand and politics report out, oh gosh, before the election. And it wasn’t about, you know, the specific politics of the election, but a lot about consumer sentiment and what, what people were looking for. And they’re expecting corporations to be influencers and to take action on key issues. So where many times CEOs of publicly traded companies in particular have wanted be Switzerland, they wanted to stay neutral until because they didn’t, you might have shareholders on both sides of an issue. And so you want to be sure that you’re speaking to, you’re welcoming to all your consumers and all your shareholders, regardless of what they think, but that paradigm has really shifted. And, and it’s interesting that, you know, whether it’s looking at economic realities, they want companies to weigh in on driving social change and climate change is a big one too. So I know there’s been a lot of movement on socially responsible investing in the last five or 10 years. And I think that that’s elevating right now as well.

Rena:

Yeah. I think those are all really good points. And I totally agree with you, Chris. I do believe that consulting companies are really taking their consumers view of society and issues around them into account when planning their activities and then taking that stand and really standing for something. I think employees are also expecting that of the employers. They want to be attached to an organization who is aligned with their values and doing something meaningful towards that. I think really is showing up a great deal these days. And I think smart organizations are really aligning those, you know, the issues with, what they do and what they offer so that it can be presented in a way that is authentic. And, you know, as they’re telling, we were talking about storytelling earlier, how are you telling your story in a way that’s not tone deaf, that is in alignment or our communications that are in, that are in alignment the reality of what we are all facing today and I think that’s also really important. Empathy comes up a lot compassion. I think smart organizations are recognizing that it really is that human to human or that human centered approach to all of their communication strategies, both internally and externally.

Chris:

You make such a great point about authenticity, Rena, that I think you can’t just make a donation and call it good, you know, because consumers and employees are looking at not only where are companies giving their money and what organizations are they supporting from a social standpoint, but what are they actually doing? And is it aligned with the business? And is it real? And, you know, it’s tough to find good talent these days. The younger generation, they choose, companies don’t choose them. They choose the companies that stand for something that they believe in and that these young employees want to feel good about where they work. So, again, it’s a paradigm shift.

Rena:

Also, we talked a little bit earlier about that in terms of the first mentorship really it’s what they’re getting is that transparency, you know, all the data shows that that’s what our millennials and gen Z are really looking for in an organization or business that they join. You know, how transparent are we being? How aligned they are, is this disorganization with my values and what can I contribute in a meaningful way to that? So I think those are really important and I hope that they continue and stay, because I think that that’s a really good thing going forward. So what tried and true strategies have you counted on to help executives or community leaders understand the value of communications? And have you noticed any differences in that regard between four and nonprofit organizations?

Chris:

I’ve been pretty fortunate to work for organizations that get it, who understands, you know, I think some of the organizations I’ve worked for have had some small crises or little blips before they hired me. So they knew when I walked in the door that they needed to have a strategy and they needed to have crisp communication, that made sense, and that could help promote that positive reputation for the company. But I think that you still have to build your case if, you know, once you’re in, you still have to build your case. And I think that one of the best things that I learned throughout my career was you have to understand the business and have to understand the operations so that you can make your case in the language that the decision makers or the C-suite executives understand. And that in a way is what’s valuable to them. I’ve known a lot of public relations professionals over the years who are always saying, well, we need to see that on the table. When you have to earn that seat at the table by demonstrating your worth day in and day out, nobody’s going to just hand you that role. So I think once you have demonstrated your value and you’ve built your case, for whatever the changes that you want to do, or whatever, a corporate initiative or position that you want the company to adopt, you know, once you’ve got that seat at the table, you’ve got to use it and speak up and not be shy about having an alternate point of view than people of maybe a higher rank than you. You’ve got to be able to speak to that truth to power, and sometimes that’s uncomfortable, but that’s what makes a good public relations professional valuable is being that honest feedback for the company to say, yes, that’s one strategy, but let’s think all the way through it and what the consequences might be. And let’s look at, you know, maybe there’s another way. So I think that that’s really valuable, but I think one of the best lessons I learned throughout my career is, you know, build your support for it before you ever walk into the room. So, I used to call it friend raising. So, if I had something that I wanted, you know, really wanted to put forward and it may or may not have been popular with everybody, you know, a few coffee meetings. And just being able to explain one-on-one to people who are likely to be in that room or to be influencers when the time comes to make the decision on your proposal, you can have the opportunity to allay any fears they have or answer any questions they have, and you get really great feedback that maybe helps you hone that proposal and make it even stronger before it gets in the room to that final decision-making moment. So I think that being able to, you know, kind of to build your case and, and get your supporters in line of before you actually need them is something that transcends all kinds of organizations. I think it’s equally important with corporations and nonprofits.

Rena:

Mm. I love that. I love your friend raising. Friend-raising Monica. I love that. I think practically getting those advocates on board with you before you walk in the room is such a great strategy. And you mentioned, you know, the value of not only earning your seat at the table, but having a voice and I agree that’s how we become those tests, those advisors. And I would say even conversely, when you’re not sure it’s okay to say, you know, I’d like to check on a couple of things, give this some more thought and come back with a recommendation. I think that also builds trust because they know you’re not going to just say something just to be saying it, but you’re also going to be mindful and thoughtful about the recommendations that you make. And that also goes a long way. But also I would add, if you agree, because making sure that the impact metrics that you use to define what you’re contributing to the business is in those same terms. So often we use vanity metrics and things that folks at the executive table really don’t understand, but they do understate. So, being able to speak their language in when it comes to performance metrics as well, I think is also really important. 

Chris:

Yeah. And I think you’re also gaining trust at that same time, but the fact that you’re thinking about those metrics and often doing exactly what you said gets you the next opportunity down the road as well. I had a situation where I wanted my company to work with a nonprofit that I thought was perfectly aligned with the company’s giving strategy and with the business the company was in. And so I went in looking for a three-year commitment to this organization and they said, no, we’ll give you a one-year commitment and see how it goes. And so, you know, my team that worked with the foundation and worked with the community relations department, worked with this nonprofit, and we said, okay, this is going to be approved that year. And so we set out to prove that exactly what we were doing was the perfect fit. Just like we thought it was, but we had those metrics from consumer feedback and, and marketing results and public relations metrics as well. We were able to actually tie it to sales in the business because, you know, this particular nonprofit was also a customer. And so being able to have that prove that year meant that not only did we get three years, but now those two organizations have been together for 15 and it’s been a multimillion dollar relationship that has paid off for both organizations. So I think you, you know, you’ve got to be able to state your worth in terms the business understands and that’s metrics.

Rena:

Absolutely, absolutely. What have been some of the other key lessons that you’ve earned and learned along the way?

Chris:

I think perspective is a big one and you know, that’s not something I think people think of right away, but you know, a lot of my career has been managing one, and because there’s always something that’s going to come up, but I think when you do something really hard, it gives you the perspective that, well, if I could do that, then this next thing can’t be nearly that hard. So I actually had the opportunity when I was at food lion, in the late nineties, there was an expo say on prime time live and the company took ABC news to court and actually won in federal court and found that the network had faked some of the video and things that they were doing well, you know, when you challenge the folks who own the broadcast airwaves, then they do another show. So, I was on, they did a Nightline program looking at hidden camera investigations and then use the food lion investigation as the poster child for examination there. And so it was definitely a memorable experience to say the least. And it was one of those situations where it was up to me to go do it. And there wasn’t really a choice. And so I just had to do my homework and I had some great coaching. I’m very thankful for the investment the company made to make sure I was fully prepared for this really tough job. But thankfully that the night went well. But I think anything that happens after a situation like that if I could do that hard thing, I can do this thing. That’s going to be a little less hard and it’s going to be okay. So I think that perspective of, you know, the clouds may be rolling in and the storm is brewing, but if you can just take a step back and say, all right, this looks really tough, but, you know, what have I done before that is going to give me some context here or some confidence here to tackle the next challenge. Now, I think perspective is definitely one of those lessons learned. And then the other one is you’ve got to listen and engage. And I think, you know, active listening, we’ve talked about that a lot where you’re not just listening to come up with your next response, but you’re really listening to understand the person that you’re talking with and to find common ground listening, and then engaging, especially when it’s hard to engage. Um, and I have had a few situations here where, you know, my company had consumers who were upset or NGOs who were upset or groups that were upset with the company. And you couldn’t just put out a statement or just to fix it, but to call the person who’s yelling at you, the loudest, and really listened to them. It’s so hard to make that phone call, but I have just seen engaging when it’s hard pay off more than many, many things I’ve done in my career. And, you know, there was a situation where Lowe’s had a clever marketing tag about Christmas trees. And I don’t think they were trying to be politically correct, but anyway, there were signs that said holiday trees. Well, there were some Christian organizations who were trying to make their point about keeping Christ in Christmas. And so they, they use the holiday tree snafu as the thing that we’re going to hold up as an example of how companies were not keeping Christ in Christmas and were secularizing the whole holiday. And so, you know, we had made a mistake and putting out a note was not going to fix it. And we had thousands of people online berating the company, and we had it literally closed down all the phone lines in customer care and was closing down executives emails, because the emails were coming in just faster than people could deal with them. So I just gave the organization a call and said, I’m so sorry, we made a mistake and let’s talk about this. And it ended up turning into, not only did we solve the problem at hand, but they ended up being a great sounding board and a great partner for other issues that would come up, whether they were advertising related issues, or, you know, if the company was thinking about making a statement, you know, on one side or another of an issue, we would get their point of view. And it’s all because we had that initial conversation during a time that was really difficult.

Rena:

Yeah. Listening to you. Thank you for sharing all those stories and experiences. I’m reminded of something that you alluded to in terms of rising up to challenges. There’s no growth. You know, you can’t learn, you can’t grow if you’re never challenged, if you never make a mistake. And so using those as arrows in your quiver, so that when something easier comes along or something more challenging or tougher or difficult to handle comes along. You have that you have those perspectives, you have that experience and you have that learning. And to me, it’s just an iterative process of continuing to, you know, do the best you can, based on the perspective and the experiences and the expertise that you have for continuous improvement and to tackle the next situation in those situations may be preparing you for that next challenge. You never know, in a way that helps you become better. So I really, I really appreciated listening to those, thank you.

Chris:

Well, I’m a huge believer in the power of the post-mortem. We can learn from every single thing we do, and I have made more mistakes than I can count, but that was a huge success. You can still find things that could have been better or things you could do differently next time. And I think that’s what keeps life interesting and what keeps us growing.

Rena:

Absolutely. I always say I’d rather fail with a plan than succeed without one, you know, if you know what you did wrong, you can say, okay, now I know what not to do in the future, but if you’re just spraying and praying and, and really focusing on what it is that you’re doing, you can’t learn. If you have a success, you’re really not learning from it because you really don’t know what it was that really defined that success. So what are the kinds of advice would you give to up and coming or experienced communications professionals around driving more value in becoming indispensable or their organizations?

Chris:

Well, you need to know your business and always be sharpening the sauce for your chosen career. I think that communications professionals particularly need to be well-read, you’ve got to be able to walk in the door every morning, knowing at least something about what’s going on, not only in your company, but what’s going on in your community and your industry and the world. And, you know, you don’t always have time for a deep dive every morning, unless you’re going to get up at four o’clock in the morning. And I did not do that. But at least if you can have a good scan of the news and then you can be informed enough to then go find out more about what you really need to dig a little deeper on. I think you’ve got to be well-read. I think you’ve got to speak up. As we talked about a little bit earlier, you have to use your voice. You’ve got to be diplomatic about it, but you have to have to use your voice because what we say matters, and once a company’s words are out, you can’t take them back. So it’s better to be thoughtful ahead of time and really think all the way through that situation as best you can. And the other thing is, I think you have to stay humble. You know, if you’re humble, then you’re open to hear those other ideas from those creative young professionals or that outside the box thinker that you have the opportunity to work with. And I think we always just need to remember that everyone you will ever meet will know something that you don’t. 

Rena:

And they may know someone you should know. That’s really important. Speaking of being well-read, what are some of your favorite go-to resources that keeps you informed and battle ready?

Chris:

I’m definitely a scanner versus the deep diver, for better or worse. So, you know, I read the newspaper, I at least am scanning the local paper. I liked some of the online news aggregators like Flipboard, five 38 is kind of politically focused, but is also very statistics based, which I like that.

Rena:

I haven’t heard of that one, five 38.

Chris:

They have a sports version as well. And frankly, I can’t remember who’s behind it. I started listening to it or watching for the daily email when I was in charge of government affairs. And so a lot of it was political polling and things like that. They look at a lot of different issues and again, it’s all statistics. So not a lot of spin there, which I like that. The New York Times has a really good daily email. That’s just sort of what comes out in a day as well as Wednesday today, five things you need to know today. If you don’t have time to do anything else, you can read the five things you need to know today. And then, you know, you walk in the door and you find that, gosh, that was not one of the things I learned today. So let me dig into that, but at least you have a broad feel for what’s going on in the world right now. 

Rena:

Anything else, any others?

Chris:

I do like trade organizations and professional organizations like PRS, for example, the next thing is tremendous and there’s some great courses and articles there that really helped keep me abreast of what’s going on in my chosen industry. I love the things that people post on LinkedIn as well, because there’s such a wide variety of articles. I like the things that make me think and the things that make me challenge what I think, I believe being focused with a public relations society, it’s going to be, you know, very communication focused on something like LinkedIn, you’re going to get lots of points of view about all subjects. And so, a good scan of my LinkedIn feed a couple of times a day is, is a great way to keep my mind sharp.

Rena:

Terrific. Terrific. I also love the HBR articles. I know you do as well, right? 

Chris:

Great leadership there that, you know, one of the things I really learned at Lowe’s and appreciate the investment that the company made in its leaders was how to be a better leader, because so often in our careers, you get promoted because of your skills and you are building larger and larger teams, but they don’t really teach you how to manage well, and Lowe’s did that. So I’m very appreciative.

Rena:

Yes. And Kellogg insight is also good for leadership articles, podcasts. Yeah. Very similar to HBR. And PRS, as you mentioned, has an actual, a specific nonprofit communications community. That seems to be pretty robust. And there’s the communications network, which is also a member of base net association, specifically for nonprofit communications professionals, for those who are interested in making that transition, you know, they have some good stuff. They have some good stuff as well. So now my final question for today for you is in the spirit of Brené Brown’s daring greatly book. And I know we both love, admire and continually learn from, so tell us about a time when you chose courage over comfort when you risked failure or rejection, but showed up anyway.

Chris:

Well, I think it’s got to be, um, I mean, there’ve been a lot of times where I just would hold my breath and take that step forward. But I think, you know, probably that pivotal moment was that Nightline broadcast. It was one of those things where, you know, I didn’t really have a choice or didn’t feel that I had a choice. You just find that confidence wherever you can summon it up. I go to a little bagel shop about once a week here, near my house. And they have little quotes on the wall. And my favorite one, which is kind of in keeping with the Brené Brown philosophy is that you don’t know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice. And I think that is so true because, you know, whether it’s a work issue or a career opportunity or an illness, or whatever, any challenge that you face in your life, that mountain looks high, but you don’t know how strong you are until that’s your only choice and you can climb it. You can do it. I think that would certainly be one thing. I also talked about the investment that Lowe’s made and its leadership in the last few years that I was there. And, you know, one of the things we talked a lot about was vulnerability. We were working on becoming a company that was purpose based. And so you can’t just say, okay, we’re going to be a purpose-based company. Now you have to live that mantra before you can actually perpetuate it throughout the organization and what that means to you. And so, you know, you learn to define leadership in a different way, being comfortable talking about your fears and the uncertainties that you have as a leader. And, you know, sometimes it’s tougher than you think to tell your coworkers your story. If you tell the whole thing about not what only motivates you or drives you, but also the insecurities that you have. I was surprised at how hard that was because I kind of talked for a living. But it was so amazing the change that it made and the dynamic between me and my teammates, being vulnerable really shifts that relationship. And it builds trust. That goes both ways, because if you are willing to be vulnerable with the people that you work with, they’re more willing to be vulnerable and honest with you. And that trust is just invaluable. So, it was just a huge, huge lesson and one that, you know, I try to carry with me everywhere. 

Rena:

Very well said. And thank you for sharing that. It has been such a great pleasure chatting with learning from, and being inspired by you. Thank you for the gift of this experience.

Chris:

Well, thank you so much, Rena, and I love the fact that you are sharing great wisdom and humor and insights from the communicators that you’ve been interviewing on the arena. I’ve enjoyed listening to them and I’m anxious to hear the ones that you do next. So thank you for bringing us this wonderful gift. 

Rena:

Well, you have added tremendous value, and I appreciate you always into our audience. Thanks so much for listening. I hope you found this episode worthy of your time. If so, please feel free to share it with someone who might also benefit from our discussion and please comment like, and, or follow us on our signature intention social media channels for alerts on new episodes. Finally, know that you are never alone in the professional challenges and opportunities we’re facing today, because you’re always welcome to join me and my proven guests warriors, like Chris, right here in the arena.