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How to Spot Your “Passenger-seat” Communications Consultant

October 20, 2017Lori Rohrbach

My family knows that when given the choice between driving or riding “shotgun” on an outing or trip in the car, I’ll choose the passenger seat every time. It’s not that I’m incapable of driving or daunted by it, I just prefer not to. My husband, on the other hand, actually enjoys being behind the wheel, so we’re a match made in heaven when it comes to car trips. From the front passenger seat, I navigate the best route, take phone calls, referee our children in the back seats, read my husband’s texts and e-mails, manage food and beverages, anticipate when new directions or rest stops will be needed, and find the closest Starbucks. With me actively multitasking in the passenger seat, my husband can stay focused on one thing: safely getting us to our destination.

If you’re running a communications department, having a consultant by your side can be effective in the same way a passenger-seat companion can support a driver. A consultant can help you navigate the communications landscape, provide new alternatives to communications challenges and tend to side projects so that you can stay focused on your main objective. But finding the right consultant to come along for the ride can be challenging. There are a lot of communications practitioners out there, many of whom are very competent and would love to have your business. So how will you know when you’ve met your match?

At a bare minimum, you should look for someone who is proven, who has experience in the areas where you need help, and the references to back it up. You’ll also want to carefully assess the consultant’s or firm’s technical skills and capabilities, from writing and editing to creative direction and multimedia production, to determine whether they can meet your needs. Finally, you’ll want to consider your gut feel: Would you actually enjoy working with the person or firm in question? Could you trust them to get the job done?

Aside from these basic requirements, maybe you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for in a communications consultant, but you’ll know it when you see it. Look for a partner who:

  • Asks questions and really listens to your answers. The best consultant is much more than an order-taker. He or she wants to learn about your business and understand your communications context and needs, not just rush in to provide a solution.
  • Brings ideas to the table. A good communications partner can recommend creative solutions and options you might not have considered that are outside of your realm of experience or way of thinking. Your consultant should be able to advise you based on best practices or strategies he or she has seen or implemented in other situations similar to yours.
  • Is proactive without being pushy. An effective partner doesn’t wait for his or her phone to ring, but instead stays in touch with you and proactively offers support, without seeming overbearing or overstepping boundaries.
  • Treats you as a partner. You want someone who will collaborate with you. Of course, as the client you are the driver’s seat, but you want a partner ensconced in the passenger seat actively helping you navigate the road ahead—not sitting mutely in the backseat while you take a wrong turn or miss an opportunity.

If the consultant or firm you’re considering checks all of these boxes, you might just have found your communications partner for the long haul.

Author: Kate Tomasco

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Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

Eight Work-From-Home Etiquette Tips

 

Whether telecommuting is old hat or something you’ve been forced into as part of the COVID-19 shutdown, here are a few tips to make the experience run smoothly for both employers and employees.

 

Managing expectations

Successful work-from-home strategies always begin with clearly communicated expectations. Make sure your employees have any necessary equipment, tools and resources.  Will they need to track their time? Participate in regularly scheduled meetings? Be available at certain times of day? For employees, know what you’re accountable for and clearly communicate any challenges you’re having.

 

Constant communication

Keep the lines of communication open and be accessible. Check in with employees regularly through apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts and Skype, or even an old-fashioned email or phone call. Be genuinely interested in how they’re doing but don’t overdo it. Foster a feeling of trust by not micromanaging.

 

Nine to five…ish

While having a daily schedule is ideal, it may not always be practical right now. Make sure your people know when you need them to be available and try to offer flexibility at other times. They may be juggling school schedules as well as work schedules and working at “off-shift” times may be necessary. Be mindful of employees in different time zones as well.

 

For employees, try to work when you’re at your best, and not when you’re exhausted by kindergarten playtime and fourth grade math. Make sure people know if you will be unavailable at certain times.

 

Taking a break

Getting up and moving clears the head and helps with creativity and problem-solving. Whether it’s a walk around the block or a break for lunch, make time to get away from your desk throughout the day.

 

Signing off

Working from home does not mean being available 24/7. Set an actual end to the workday if possible. Don’t send and respond to messages at all hours. Sign out of messaging apps and close work programs. Understand and respect these boundaries.

 

Location, location, location

When setting up a home office, think about where you will have the fewest distractions – for yourself and for those who may be seeing you and your background on a video conferencing platform. Try to avoid busy spots that may include semi-clad people walking behind you, barking dogs and kids vying for your attention.

 

Conferencing and calls

Be clear about whether you expect people to turn on their cameras during meetings. If so, be clear about how they should be dressed. During calls, mute your phone when you’re not talking to avoid background noise. Headphones can also help with call quality. When speaking, pause frequently so others can participate in the conversation.

 

Social engagement

It’s ok for managers and employees to have some down time together, which may help ward off feelings of isolation. Keep up your normal level of interaction, perhaps with a virtual coffee break or happy hour. Managers should set the tone for how casual to be. Let employees choose what they would like to share, and never pry into areas that were off-limits before.

 

 

Author: Erin Alderfer

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