Communication

Comms pros can help clients make the most informed decisions about leaving or not resuming operations in Russia.

And it is also not the time for businesses trying to sit on two chairs (example here being the Rockwool company, which sponsors regattas with its values of fair game, yet staying in Russia and waiting for the competitors to leave). In most places, business is seen as a source of accountability, stability, and leadership. The war illustrates vividly just how interconnected the world is - we are already discussing the looming hunger in different regions of the world and Russia’s willingness to put the world on the brink of a nuclear catastrophe. This is not the time for half-measures, for ducking the heads into the sand, going on holidays, postponing important decisions till the fall or end of the year — moreover, it’s not the time to coerce Ukrainians into any premature negotiations or concessions. It is, really, the “finest hour” for companies to lead with values and communicate with intent. Now is not the time for followers - companies that wait for real leaders in their industry to act first. This observation points to the broader interests and values at stake for business in the Russia-Ukraine war: support for that rules-based international order that can become the basis of a new corporate geopolitical responsibility. Money. But in times of transparency and public demand for business accountability, it is money that companies can lose if they choose to remain silent and continue operating in the country famous for waging unprovoked wars and killing thousands of civilians. In the spring we saw some statements from short-sighted business leaders already discussing resuming operations in Russia under the premise of so-called «cessation of hostilities». This was happening at the backdrop of the Ukrainian army enduring the highest number of casualties, and over 85% of Ukrainians saying they are not ready for any concessions to Russia. So, basically, not even a hinge of cessation in sight. While in fact the company is the Russian market leader in the categories of chocolate, sweets, and biscuits, and is also ranked second in the market in the chewing gum and lollipops categories. It is time for businesses to face the reality – their explanations are not only rare but also so poor in quality because there is really no good justification for it, and the only true reason is too “in-your-face” kind of reason, unsuitable for corporate communication. And this is where we see the second problem: the shadiness of justifications companies provide. This war has disrupted the lives of millions of people around the globe with world hunger in sight, recession on our doorstep, and the biggest refugee crisis since World War II. This is a heavy topic, no way around it.

Look up the skills that any business graduate will need, and “effective communication” will be at the top of every list. Aside from learned expertise in the ...

We do this in my classes at Columbia College and the days we engage in deliberate practice of networking are always the most fun. To get started, it is always OK to open a conversation with something very low-key like the weather. So, engage them in a conversation while you’re in the waiting room having your car’s oil changed, or at church when they are sitting in the pew next to you. An authentic engagement doesn’t feel phony or exploitative; it makes the “work” part of networking so much more enjoyable to be able to be “you.” We all know how hard it is to engage in conversations with people we don’t know. Just last week at a meeting in the business community, I heard a colleague talk about how recent graduates were unable to talk one-to-one to them.

By Dianna Booher—. Sitting in a strategic planning meeting, Bradley, senior marketing director, explained to the other executives about a promising ...

The day before the proposal was due to the client, I stopped by Susan’s office and insisted on seeing a copy of her “almost finished” proposal. I’ll get the final to you in a couple of days.” So at the proverbial “ninth hour,” I ended up doing an all-nighter to write the proposal myself rather than lose the client opportunity. For example, “Sure, Sanjay! Let’s all just do that—and the sooner the better!” Or: “Yeah, right, Gregory. Who needs marketing anyway? I’d like to see a draft now rather than wait until the absolute deadline when it needs to go out the door—just in case we need to tweak it a little.” “I don’t like to have my drafts reviewed until they are perfect. Or they send a substitute to the departmental meeting rather than encounter you there. Just doing what I was told.” Or: “I was just following precedent.” Or: “They gave me old information.” Or, . . . well, you understand how this game goes. Years ago, I mistakenly hired a habitual liar and suffered the consequences—repeatedly. A week later, I again probed, “How’s the proposal going? You check to see if they’re out sick or on vacation or are head-down on a critical project. You offer a suggestion about how to improve a process.

Amadeus is partnering with artificial intelligence and machine learning technology provider Aimendo to provide automated communication between travel ...

Agencies can configure the degree to which request processing is automated to reflect their own customer service standards, according to Amadeus. Requests that are more complicated automatically can be forwarded to the correct employee or department at the agency. The technology then can automate some agent tasks, freeing up agents to concentrate on more complex problems.

The chief creative officer is the cruise director of the agency, guiding the creative vision and team.