Manisha Seewal 

Aug 22, 2025 

Dear Rebels of the Comfort Zone, 

When I look back on my career—spanning insurtech, marketplaces, startups, and banking—one thread stands out: growth begins at the edge of what feels safe. It was the 1991 opening of India’s economy, with global brands flooding TV screens, that first stoked my curiosity about what drives human behavior. That curiosity led me to pursue an MBA in Marketing at IIM Bangalore—and set me on the path where I am today. 

That curiosity morphed into conviction and action. I left a comfortable leadership position at Tokio Marine to join Carro—a Series A startup. It meant a pay cut, a giant leap into uncertainty… and even selling my Rolex because it felt out of place in a lean, early-stage company. But I believed one thing more than my fears: if you stop growing, you’re done. That leap helped Carro reach unicorn status in three years. 

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Later, I took another bold step—relocating to Australia to lead digital transformation across Gumtree, CarsGuide, and Autotrader under eBay. That leap tested me in new ways—but it also confirmed that disruption starts with intentional movement. 

Mentorship: The Anchor on Your Journey 

Early in my career, I believed that dedication alone would lead to recognition. I was wrong. We must be intentional and own our trajectories—not wait for someone else to hand us a tiara. 

That’s why mentors have meant so much to me. They helped me define and reach for goals, rather than assume success would find me. Today, I’ve been honored to mentor women from underprivileged backgrounds and train over 1,000 individuals in social and digital marketing through Singapore’s SkillsFuture program. 

From Redhill’s Rise to Inclusive Leadership 

Joining Redhill first as a Senior Advisor in 2022—and now as President—has been both a privilege and urgent opportunity. My mandate: unify our recently acquired capabilities into a full-stack communications powerhouse with intentionality. 

At Redhill, “walking the talk” is non-negotiable. In 2024, we launched an Employee Stock Ownership Program open to all full-time staff with three+ years tenure—equity, regardless of rank. We overhauled pay structures to center skills and experience, not past salaries. And today, women hold over 70% of our senior leadership roles—long before many asked us to do so. 

The Future: Powered by Purpose and Creativity 

What excites me most now is AI—not just for its shiny interfaces, but for how creativity meets necessity. Think of the “AI Granny” tool that confounds voice-scam attempts. It’s unconventional, smart, and profoundly human. 

What doesn’t excite me? The idea of “micro-retirements.” To me, true fulfillment doesn’t come from escaping work—it comes from leaning into meaningful challenges and leaving behind impact. 

PressOffice.ai: The Next Leap for PR 

Speaking of challenges and opportunities, I’m thrilled to share that we’ve just launched PressOffice.ai—a first-of-its-kind platform that brings AI-powered PR agents to life. From streamlining media outreach to generating impactful narratives, PressOffice.ai will revolutionise the way communications is done—making it faster, smarter, and more effective. And because you’re friends of Redhill, here’s a special gift link for you to try it out for free and see the future of PR for yourself. 

Final Thoughts 

Here are my guiding beliefs: 

• Discomfort isn’t a setback—it’s the signal that you’re not done learning. 

• Success isn’t delivered—you pursue it proactively, with clarity. 

• Leadership isn’t an achievement—it’s about lifting others through action and equity. 

• And the work that lasts is work that cares—for people, potential, and purpose. 

I recently shared some of these reflections in my interview with The Peak Magazine and on the Marketing Interactive podcast. My thanks to both platforms for giving me the space to tell my story and hopefully inspire others on their journeys. 

I’d love to continue this conversation with you. If these reflections resonate, let’s connect—drop me a note, get in touch, or even grab a coffee. Because the best ideas are rarely born in isolation—they’re sparked in dialogue. 

With purpose, 
Manisha 

The post The Future of PR Is Here—and It’s Powered by AI appeared first on Redhill | Global Communications Agency.

As a global communications agency, Redhill has cornered the niche in the market of bridging the Asia to Europe (and Asia to US) divide. This isn’t a common area of expertise that agencies offer and we talk to clients all the time about navigating this cultural divide. We often get clients that are based in Germany and who want to get insight on and expand into Singapore or other parts of Asia.

With local teams in both regions, there’s always an expert to help navigate the landscape on either side. But there’s nothing like first-hand experience, and as soon as I heard about Redhill’s Live and Learn Immersion Programme, I knew that it’d be the perfect opportunity for me to get just that.

There were a few reasons why I wanted to join this programme. I wanted to connect more with the teams in Asia, who sometimes felt a world away (what an impact a six-hour time difference makes!), as well as to better understand what exactly clients are looking for in that part of the world.

First, I had to get approved for a spot. One video (featuring several costume changes) and a personal essay (which laminated my dread for the impending grey of Berlin winters) later, my application to spend a month in Bangkok, Thailand was accepted.

I was about to find out what it was like to cross the bridge. Bangkok, here I come!

First impressions

After a 17-hour flight, I touched down at the airport and my first thought was how busy it all was…that, and that it felt like I was walking to the other end of the earth to get from my gate to immigration. Airports are busy, bustling buildings – this is well known – but I felt a buzzing energy that I hadn’t felt anywhere else before.

This feeling only intensified once I stepped outside and immediately started sweating. With people everywhere, cars everywhere and whistles blowing everywhere, I didn’t know where to look or what to listen to. I later realised this was a common feeling I’d experience in Bangkok. With so much going on, I often felt there was a sensory overload. In fact, it took me weeks to notice massive billboards or certain shops because there was so much else to look at.

One thing that consumed a lot of my attention was the food. It quickly became apparent that unlike in Germany or the UK, life revolves around food in Bangkok. Food is a big part of every country’s culture, but this was on another level. There were street vendors taking up the pavements selling chicken, fish, noodles, curries and even grasshoppers. You name it, they had it!

There were vending machines that created Oreo smoothies for you (a fantastic discovery that quickly became my new favourite thing) and robots that would deliver food to you in restaurants. Every meal I had was different, an explosion of flavours I’d never had before.

I’d also often find that whilst some flavours were familiar, each was as though on steroids – the coffees were so sweet I thought I was drinking spoons of pure sugar, and most dishes were so spicy I finished with a red face, runny nose and tears rolling down my cheeks, much to the amusement of my local team members. I very quickly learned to ask for the “tourist version”. Every food experience was an adventure, one which locals take immense pride in – and rightfully so.

A culture of giving

Coming from the two most stereotypically emotionally conservative cultures, I was continuously blown away by the generosity and care of the people in Bangkok. It was obvious in even just the little things, from everyone wearing masks on the streets despite no mask mandates, to giving money to beggars, to sharing food.

I found that this principle of giving was highly valued and appreciated – extending beyond even personal interactions into business interactions. For instance, in Redhill’s Bangkok office, I found that there were massive boxes hidden under desks and in the corners of the rooms. These boxes contained items for journalist gift baskets, thoughtfully handpicked by Redhill’s Thai team to reflect their clients.

This is just one of the many ways culture impacts interactions. Within the German team, we’ve always talked about the different journalist expectations between the West and the East. However, you only understand just how different it is and why it matters when you witness things like these firsthand.

As an example, our colleagues in Asia often tell us in Germany to just ‘call the journalist’. This always makes us laugh because we know full well that a) the journalist won’t pick up, and b) it’s usually a direct route to getting both your and your agency’s names on a blacklist. But when I was in Thailand, I immediately understood why we were being told to do this – because here, a phone call is the only way to build a relationship with journalists. No second thoughts about it.

These might seem like small things, but difference can translate into bigger actions. In Germany, we can’t even buy a journalist a coffee because it might be seen as a form of bribery. However, in Thailand, I learned that gift-giving is seen as a sign of respect. Journalist gifts aren’t just given to promote client events or a new media angle – they’re also sent to celebrate just about any special day, ranging from national holidays to a journalist’s birthday or their first day on the job.

A more united environment

When a global company grows as quickly as Redhill has, building and maintaining relationships between the different offices can often fall to the wayside and be neglected. Focused on our own regions and clients, we can get stuck in the patterns of how things are typically done where we are because there is little cause to do things differently.

Being sat in Germany, I’ve often felt that we exist in our own little bubble, only working with other teams on occasional clients. Consequently, I’d never worked directly with the Thai team before. Through this programme, I learned a lot about the nuanced differences in PR between Thailand and Germany, as well as the struggles that the team faced with media and clients in Thailand. Overall, I felt that my relationship with the Thai team became a lot deeper.

There will always be cultural differences – the running joke in the office while I was in Bangkok was that I would walk everywhere in the city, which is highly unusual there as everyone either gets public transport or taxis – but there are so many similarities that tie us together within the same company. Recognising and appreciating this opens the door to being more receptive to new ideas, new structures and how other places do things.

Initiatives like Redhill’s Live and Learn Immersion Programme can have such a significant impact on the cohesion within a company, ultimately making us all both stronger teams globally and regionally. It can inspire creativity, flexibility and maybe even a little boundary-pushing to always go above and beyond – both for the company, and most importantly, for our clients.

The post Bridging the East-West gap through travel appeared first on Redhill | Global Communications Agency.

Cartoons and animations have been a fixture of my childhood and, I’m unashamed to admit, even in my adulthood today. From the smart use of colours to exaggerated expressive styles, animation has always been able to grab my attention and evoke emotions in me that seem 100 times more dramatic than even live-action movies with a wealth of visual effects.

The vibrancy of animation is the key trait that has continued to entertain me all these years. For example, the blue-tinged lines shading a character’s forehead immediately communicate anguish to me, while over-the-top facial contortions effectively convey the discomfort that a character is experiencing.

Realising the potential of animation in communications

While my love for animation has never diminished, I began to see it as more than just a form of entertainment when I started working in the communications field. Part of my job as a content writer and researcher is to observe the different mediums that can effectively communicate a brand’s marketing and public relations initiatives. I found myself naturally drawn to animation-based campaigns, which opened my eyes to the potential of animation as an ideal medium for communications.

I read several studies that delved into how humans behave when watching animated content and became increasingly fascinated by the physical and psychological reactions that animation can evoke. For example, studies have found that based on the animation’s gestures, colours, and intensity, viewers can experience heightened cognitive functions, such as their comprehension, spatial ability and more. This enhanced cognitive simulation can even improve attentiveness and memory, allowing viewers to retain information displayed in an animation for longer periods of time.

Of course, one can argue that live-action campaigns can also produce these effects, given that many live-action adverts or movies can also be engaging. However, the virtual nature of animation means it is not subject to the limitations of live-action and can seamlessly integrate with advanced digital technologies such as virtual and hybrid reality. This opens up a wealth of creative possibilities for brands in their communication strategies, especially with an increasingly digital future ahead.

Creating heightened levels of audience immersion

“Animation can explain whatever the mind of Man can conceive,” – Walt Disney

Brands must establish a strong connection with their target audiences to effectively communicate their messages. However, this is easier said than done, and this is where the customisability of animation can help.

Brands can select various animation styles and sceneries to create eye-catching visuals to first hook the audience, draw them in with exciting narratives, then emphasise action and decision-making with immersive call-to-actions via characters that use the emphatic gestures and tones common in animation.

Moreover, studies have shown that animation can help forge deeper emotional connections with audiences through three core components:

1. Art design can help lay out the context of the animation from background scenery to the character’s facial expression.
2. An engaging storyline establishes the narrative for audiences to follow.
3. Lastly, background sound or music sets the mood and tone for the entire animation.

Driving viewer participation

As mentioned, animation does not face the same physical limitations as live action, meaning that there are nearly endless possibilities for creators to come up with narratives, scenes and concepts to draw the audience in. When used in interactive apps and programs, it also enables extensive possibilities for customisation and control by the users themselves, greatly increasing engagement.

For instance, game developers have long recognised the value of animation in engaging players – be it through stunning graphics, compelling storylines and intricate missions. They have been so successful at creating engagement that even corporates have begun to leverage games in their advertising strategies, and playable animated ads have emerged as one of the most popular forms. These animated games-slash-ads get viewers interacting with the ad, stimulating their attention and creating a lasting impact on consumer perception – potentially even leading to more leads.

Additionally, there is a natural synergy between animation and augmented reality (AR), which have become a trend among brands – especially tech brands – in driving user engagement. Snapchat’s Cartoon animated lens effectively Disney- or Pixar-fies user appearances, becoming so popular that the concept was even co-opted by TikTok users. These filters could allow users to look like they have magical superpowers, look like they’re somewhere else, and much more – further sparking their imagination and creating organic engagement. 

Facilitating more diversity in communication styles

Besides AR, animation can be used in various other forms depending on what would be most effective to convey a brand’s messaging. Motion graphics, for example, is an animation style that presents information using narration voiceovers, animated texts, and even graphical illustrations. This may be a simple and engaging way to deliver information while emphasising branding; Headspace, a meditation and mindfulness app, released a 90-second motion graphics animation that taught users how to use the app, which was created in the brand’s design language and colours.

Additionally, brands can also apply tutorial-style messaging for concepts that are difficult to describe using mechanical animation. For instance, the world-renowned razor brand, Gillette, famously uses mechanical animation to communicate the inner workings of its latest razor products. Their detailed animation breaks down the technical aspects of the razor’s design and how these prioritise personal safety – inspiring viewer confidence and doubling down on Gillette’s key messaging of providing audiences with safe-to-use grooming tools.  

Harnessing that main character energy

Some of the most memorable movies and series of all time have been animated – such as The Lion King, Family Guy, and SpongeBob SquarePants. Part of this success is due to the animated characters and their personalities. They have a unique ability to captivate audiences of all ages worldwide with their exaggerated expressions, outlandish antics and gravity-defying physics, which are difficult – if not impossible – to portray in live action. As such, the use of animated characters in ad campaigns can be a great pull for brand engagement – more so than even live actors.

For example, Tony the Tiger is an animated tiger that has become synonymous with Kellogg’s Frosties cereal. From his smiley demeanour to his signature “G-r-r-r-eat!” catchphrase, the animated mascot cemented the cereal’s global appeal as a family-friendly product for all ages through ads and campaigns. The character also elevated brand recognition as its unique features ensured that people recognise Kellogg’s Frosties from any supermarket shelf. Building on Tony’s loyal following, Kellogg’s even unveiled him as a Twitch streamer in 2022 to optimise fan engagement!

Plan to win with animated campaigns

As with all tech-driven initiatives, high-quality animation requires high-quality expertise to deploy successfully. Even the best animated work requires effective planning to become an effective communications campaign; for instance, brands must know their target audiences’ viewing preferences as these tastes can influence their acceptance and decision-making when exposed to an advertisement. Animation may not be optimal for all audiences or products.  

Brands must also optimise their budgets and resources to ensure any animated project can be completed to a high standard. The financial resources required to create an animation campaign can be significant because the funds must cover video editing, special effects and, depending on the animation style, voiceover fees or motion capture expenses. As a result, brands must be willing and disciplined enough to explore different animated styles that match their time and resource bandwidth.

Above all else, my lifelong love for animation has given me a deep appreciation for the creativity it unlocks, and that is what I am most hoping to see flourish from animation in communication campaigns. As more and more brands worldwide begin to tap into the potential of animation, I look forward to seeing them also push their creativity further to bring us a more exciting, inspiring and memorable world of communications.

The post Bringing communications to life with animation appeared first on Redhill | Global Communications Agency.

A version of this story first appeared in PRmoment India. Click here to read it.

According to the news, it’s gloomy days ahead on the economic front with ongoing geopolitical turbulence, supply chain disruptions, rising inflation and the very real possibility of a global recession in the next 12 months. A scenario like this usually leads to Indian businesses – especially cost-conscious startups – reducing their public relations (PR) spending to cut costs. Ironically, this is the time when good PR is most needed as it can create the positive impact that brands need to weather the storm.

Staying top-of-mind by being consistent

In 2021, India displaced the UK to rank third in the list of countries that produced the most unicorns in the world, underscoring just how competitive its startup ecosystem is. But with the volatile global markets causing a slowdown in venture capital for Indian startups, the competition for funding is fiercer than ever with a shrinking pool of funds and over 65,000 startups now recognised in the country. One way for startups to distinguish themselves is by sustaining a consistently positive public narrative.

Among venture capitalists and investors, part of their due diligence process is to research whether a prospect has a legitimate offering and a good reputation, as well as whether the founders or the founding team are thought leaders in their respective spaces.

Having a solid media presence – especially in top-tier media – supports a startup’s legitimacy as it implies that the media has done an initial round of profiling and found the company both credible and newsworthy. Regular media appearances further bolster this reputation and help the startup increase their share of voice, maintain top of mind recall vis-à-vis competitors, and ultimately own the spaces they are in.

Many startups also think that PR is only necessary on an ad hoc basis for events like funding rounds or partnership announcements. But PR is ultimately about reputation management, and maintaining a good reputation requires sustaining a consistent, authentic, and visible narrative.

Every time a business stops PR engagement, they lose the momentum they have built for their brand in the public eye, as well as the relationships they have built with the media – which will take time and energy to rebuild.

Attracting key talent and partnerships

Funding aside, a good PR strategy can help startups in India and beyond solve the age-old talent conundrum. Making the right hires with the right mindset and skillsets not only saves time and energy in hiring and training, but also forms a stable core that the business can depend on to see it through economic turbulence. Half the battle is won if startups can cultivate a reputation that best represents themselves and their goals. People tend to apply to – and stay in – companies that they resonate with.

There are many ways to tell different stories for a startup, especially as it evolves. A startup that has just closed its first Series A round may focus on introducing its founders and product to the public, which could attract experienced talent looking for new challenges. Meanwhile, more established startups may choose to highlight their company culture and career progression opportunities, which could be pivotal to attract high-calibre talent to accelerate growth, overcome funding hurdles and scale the business.

Beyond in-house talent, PR engagement can also open the door to new partnership opportunities for startups, which can lead to fruitful outcomes. For instance, appearing on interviews and speaking at panel sessions gives a startup more exposure and may attract new business and collaborations with other companies, which are especially valuable when competition is stiff.

The more active and visible a startup is, the more likely it is to be sought out – both by the media and by other companies.

Managing a crisis within a crisis

The last thing any startup wants to have to handle amid a recession is a reputational crisis, especially given how important reputation is to a young startup.

A mishandled crisis can lead to employee and business loss, as well as a drop in consumer or investor confidence, which can ultimately lead to a startup’s downfall if it happens during tough economic times. That is why it is crucial to have a sound crisis strategy on standby – both of which are part of the PR remit – in case the worst happens.

In 2019, one of our clients was the subject of an article in a leading global publication that carried a negative sentiment against the company, suggesting it did not live up to its stated expertise.

To counter this, we coordinated exclusive interviews with other key publications and thoroughly addressed the pain points raised in the original article by pitching opinion pieces by the CEO, as well as having him appear on podcasts and profiles. Ultimately, we were successful in correcting the narrative and further cementing the client’s reputation as a proven thought leader in its space.

In India, our client once launched a campaign that sparked suggestions of legal action from a large brand and ignited significant media and public interest. Making the wrong choice in this David vs Goliath situation could have meant disaster for our client, but we were able to conceive a strategy that helped them avoid pitfalls and convince the media to carry their side of the story.

This ultimately kept overall sentiment as neutral to positive and averted a reputational fallout without being aggressive or hostile to the other brand, which would have severed any chance of a future relationship.

Adopting a multi-market approach

Startups tend to first build a solid foundation at home before making the leap overseas, but there is no doubt that international expansion is a critical component of many overall growth strategies.

Besides expanding a company’s reach, this diversification can also mitigate the risk of decline in the domestic market during leaner periods. But while global expansion is always exciting, it can be tricky as different markets may require a tailored approach, alternate messaging, and a relevant narrative.

More and more tech startups pioneering technology-led global offerings are receiving funding, which increases their capacity for growth. As a result, many are now looking to expand across borders to find new customers in untapped markets.

Leveraging PR to devise and execute a multi-market communication strategy to achieve goals such as increasing product or brand awareness, collecting market intelligence or strengthening share of voice thus becomes a business imperative; the role of PR engagements in laying the groundwork for a smooth expansion journey cannot be understated.

For many years, we have been the lead agency for a technology startup based in India. They have witnessed rapid multi-market growth and now have offices in the United Kingdom, the Americas and Southeast Asia among others.

As their global lead agency, we streamline their overall global communications strategies and messaging, ranging from managing some of their regional agencies in international markets to showcasing their products and company updates via different media channels. Our efforts have contributed to them achieving positive brand visibility by appearing in top-tier global media titles, which has led to renewed investor confidence and strong funding rounds.  

The show must go on

Traditionally, PR was often an afterthought for startups as it was seen as an optional enhancement. But rapidly changing forms of engagement have changed the way that brands tell stories, and consistent authentic messaging can give a new company the head start it needs to be a success story.

Economic winters do not mean that startups should stop telling stories. Instead, it is an opportunity for the most interesting, creative, and relevant stories to shine brightly in dark times.

The post Why startups still need PR during an economic downturn appeared first on Redhill | Global Communications Agency.

I first encountered the concepts of ‘Ask Culture’ and ‘Guess Culture’ through a reshared post five years ago (thanks, Facebook Memories).

The origin story goes like this: in 2007, a user on Ask MetaFilter, a Reddit-style Q&A site, asked for help rejecting a friend that continuously self-invited themselves to stay with them. They’d tried to stave her off with vague excuses before, but it wasn’t working any more and they needed a solution. To make matters more difficult, the poster’s wife also felt bad outright rejecting the person.

The responses to the post varied from creative (‘say that you’re fostering a ferret in the spare bedroom and the door has to remain shut’) to straightforward (‘why don’t you just say no?’). But the real epiphany came about 10 hours later from writer Andrea Donderi (username tangerine).

Their post deserves to be read in its entirety, so I’ll share it here:

Understanding Ask vs Guess

There’s a lot to unpack in this short summary. As a general overview, Donderi broadly defines Ask Culture as a very direct communication style. Ask Culture people aren’t shy to ask for what they want and need. In turn, they’re also used to more direct answers. A yes is a yes. A no is a no.

Guess Culture is much more nuanced because it seeks to minimise the chance of potentially relationship-damaging rejection (very reminiscent of the ‘saving face’ culture predominant in Asia). So, Guess Culture people may try to nudge a person towards the outcome they want with leading sentences instead of a direct request. Ideally, notes Donderi, the Guess Culture person hopes for an offer without having to ask at all.

If Ask and Ask meet, and Guess and Guess meet, then everything is fine and dandy. But when Ask meets Guess, that’s when the problems start.

Direct Ask requests often come across as the communication equivalent of backing people into a corner, which Guess people are likely to take as presumptuous and feel put out. Conversely, Ask people may see Guess’s vague hints and veiled remarks as passive aggressive, and be irritated at having to interpret whether a yes is a yes or actually a no.

For instance, a typical Ask request might look like “Hey, I need your help with this project. Can you help me?” A Guess request, on the other hand, might not sound like one at all: “I have this really difficult project that I’m not sure how to start…”

One is straightforward but requires a hard yes or no answer. The other disguises itself as a statement to avoid appearing an imposition, but implies an expectation for help to be offered — which can often lead to hurt feelings if missed or misunderstood.

Difference shouldn’t be disdained, but bridged

In the Ask MetaFilter thread, half the people decried the self-inviting friend for putting the original poster (OP) on the spot, while the other half said OP was rude because they could’ve just said no instead of wasting the friend’s time with excuses.

Objectively speaking, neither view is wrong. It’s just different communication styles, which naturally results in a clash of perspectives. Bridging this divide requires some communication basics — starting with self-awareness and compromise.

First, know where you stand on the Ask-Guess spectrum. I believe that few people are only one or the other, but most are likely to tend towards one side. If you have a blunt style of talking, prefer honesty and get impatient with waffling, there’s a high chance you tend towards Ask Culture.

But if you have difficulty asking people outright for help, dislike conflict and often worry about imposing on people, then you’re very likely to identify with Guess Culture. (Guesser here, if anyone was wondering.)

Guess people are likely to take direct Ask requests as presumptuous and feel put out. Conversely, Ask people are likely to see Guess’s vague hints and veiled remarks as passive aggressive.

Once you’re more aware of how you communicate, it’s easier to recognise and understand difference — and thus to compromise. Effective communication isn’t about us pushing our views on others and forcing them to accept. It’s making sure both sides are heard. We must be aware not just of how we communicate but also how others might communicate — then build in allowances for both styles.

Guessers, for example, can try to be firmer and more direct in their language instead of putting the onus on Askers to pick up their signs. It’s okay — really — to ask directly for help or to say no. Even if the answer isn’t taken well initially, in the long run, this places less pressure on both sides to get it ‘right’ and prevents further disappointment and frustration. Setting healthy boundaries also won’t ruin any relationships worth having.

Meanwhile, Askers can be more thoughtful. Guessers spend a lot of time and mental energy trying to devise win-win interactions to minimise conflict, but they need time to do that. Depriving them of that space can lead to resentment because of “the agony involved in saying no”. If Askers show more consideration in their requests, Guessers will be more comfortable telling them what they really think.

Vanishing context in a digital world

The above practices apply to both in-person and digital communications — especially the latter. As digital communication becomes faster and more ubiquitous, face-to-face interaction is slipping far down the pecking order, creating a contextual gap that further amplifies the Ask vs Guess conflict.

A 2018 survey of US teenagers revealed that over half preferred to keep in touch with their friends digitally (largely texts), while less than one-third preferred face-to-face meetings. With the COVID-19 pandemic preventing and discouraging in-person interactions over the past two years, I’m sure the balance is even more heavily tilted in digital’s favour.

This is a problem because non-verbal gestures and cues are an indispensable part of effective communication. A lot of nuance is contained in tone, expression and body language, which punctuation and emojis are poor substitutes for. Add the speed of digital communication and hurdles such as jargon and abbreviation, and there are fewer contextual clues than ever but far more chances to misunderstand a message — especially through texting.

It’s very difficult for anyone — Asker or Guesser — to interpret intent purely through words on a screen. Guessers are likely to spend more time thinking about and crafting the perfect sentence, as well as overanalysing responses to them. Askers, meanwhile, will find Guess communication even more opaque because they can’t pick up on tonal cues or read body language to unpack layered meanings. More often than not, everyone’s going to get it wrong a lot.

Technology made communication faster and easier — but not necessarily more effective. With more communication happening in the digital space than ever, minimising ambiguity is critical to preserve harmony in relationships.

It’s our responsibility to work harder by putting more thought into our word choices, communication frequency, and even choice of medium. I give as much context as I can when asking for something, and if it’s too difficult to explain in a text, I pick up the phone and call. More conscientious communication will go a long way towards mitigating the Ask vs Guess conflict.

A bit of both worlds

The idea of ‘Ask Culture vs Guess Culture’ created a big stir when it first surfaced and remains relevant even today, 15 years later. That tells me that our communication styles and thought processes haven’t changed much through the years. However, our mediums have, and so we must adapt to overcome the additional hurdles they pose towards effective communications.

It’s easy to surmise that Ask vs Guess Cultures are diametrically opposed in nature and therefore co-existence is difficult. But we mustn’t forget that they are also each other’s counterbalances. The tact and empathy of Guess softens the more confrontational Ask methods. In contrast, Ask’s directness provides clarity and efficiency amidst Guess’s elaborate layers and nuances.

Maybe the first step isn’t to think of this as ‘Ask Culture vs Guess Culture’, but rather ‘Ask Culture and Guess Culture’ (read more on adaptable thinking here by my brilliant colleague Shirani Alfreds). We may tend towards one or the other, but we resonate with elements of both to varying degrees. Despite being a Guesser by nature, I actively strive to be more of an Asker at work because directness is just more efficient when everyone’s busy.

More crucially, we don’t have to choose to be either/or. Culture is constantly evolving, and so are we. Our ability to understand and learn from difference means that we can take the best parts of both Ask and Guess and evolve into something better — if we are willing to put in the effort.

The post Navigating ‘Ask’ and ‘Guess’ Cultures in a modern world appeared first on Redhill | Global Communications Agency.

Upon graduating from university, I felt obliged to read renowned sociologist Anthony Giddens’ book — The Third Way — as it had just been published, and he was a lecturer at my alma mater. The book talked about greater egalitarianism by distributing skills and capacities rather than income.

I liked that it tried to reconcile ‘left’ (socialist) philosophies with ‘right’ (capitalist) politics by synthesising economic platforms with social policies. It wasn’t an either/or position, but a sort of ‘middle ground’ postulation of a new way of thinking about society and politics. Supporters of the theory included Tony Blair, then Prime Minister of Britain, who incorporated aspects of it into his New Labour manifesto.

However, the thing about middle grounds is that there are always critics at either end of the spectrum. Everyone from capitalists to anarchists objected to this way of thought, and both Blair and Giddens were accused of being ‘sell-outs’. With my fresh graduate’s optimism, I wondered why people were so incensed at the mere postulation (Giddens) and experimental application (Blair) of a new idea.

Why couldn’t there be Third, Fourth, even Fifth ‘ways’ of doing things? Wasn’t that admirable?

Whilst nothing has exacerbated the proliferation of new thinking and ‘ways’ more than the COVID-19 pandemic, new and adaptive thinking should be the norm, not the novelty. The current and rapid turn of world events not only makes this a necessity to survive, but agile, adaptable thought is also an identified core skill for the future and an essential soft skill to thrive in the long term.

However, to enable agile and adaptive thinking, we must first develop metacognition.

What is ‘metacognition’ and why is it important?

Metacognition is an awareness of your default mindset, and the ability to critically assess the processes used to plan, monitor, and assess understanding and performance. It is essentially ‘thinking about thinking’ and being so aware of thought processes that we can alter and adapt them for different situations to problem solve. Only by being aware can we meaningfully adapt our actions for the survival and betterment of ourselves and those around us.

One example is switching between types of thinking like linear or lateral. For instance, if you know you rely a lot on logic and ‘evidence’ (linear thinking) but are not getting anywhere in solving a problem, you might choose to switch to less process-driven, but more creative thoughts (lateral thinking).

Another example is, if you know you are a visual learner and are bad at remembering people’s names — you might decide to write the names down in advance of encountering them the next time – so that by actively visualising the written names, you remember better.

Metacognition is essentially ‘thinking about thinking’ and being so aware of thought processes that we can alter and adapt them for different situations to problem solve.

Metacognition differs from a growth mindset, as the latter focuses more on effort and learning from mistakes. However, it can operate hand-in-hand with a growth mindset, or be a precursor, empowering us to break out of ‘comfort zone’ thought patterns and reap the maximum benefits of a growth mindset.

This is important for the current zeitgeist because whilst people often refer to the COVID-19 pandemic and the current endemic phase as a period of ‘unprecedented change’ – in reality, almost every stage of human history has exemplified this.

From the building of civilisations to the eruption of wars, the permutations of industrial revolutions and the proliferation of natural disasters, and even other pandemics in times past — humans have always had to quickly ‘adapt or die’ in a bid to survive.

The thing which is different now is the catalysed pace. Technology will account for more changes in the next 10 years than the past 100, and we need to match that speed if we are not only to survive but thrive. If we want to ‘pivot’ and act quickly—we also have to think quickly, and metacognition can help us unlock the key skills of mental agility and continual adaptability necessary for a resilient future.

The ‘and’ of things, not the ‘or’

Twentieth-century scholar and philosopher Wittgenstein wrote, “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” Those who speak different languages would easily attest to this, and nowadays, ‘reframing’ has become a popular technique to problem-solve as by expressing a problem with different ‘frames’ of parameters, this can stimulate and create a different perspective and solution.

However, I have found that the simplest of linguistic tweaks can be as powerful and effective. For instance, I once read that successful people think in terms of ‘and’, not ‘or’. Upon trying it, I was surprised to find myself subconsciously optimising and engineering my circumstances to incorporate more ‘and’ activities into my life, instead of the more limiting ‘or’.

As an example — due to my job and circumstances at the time, my default thinking was ‘I can be hands-on raising children or enjoy my job’. However, when I altered this to ‘I can be hands-on raising children and enjoy my job’— I then set about finding a new job that was more conducive (timewise) to both activities. This helped me overcome the ‘tyranny’ of my default binary thinking and belief that I had to keep to the job I academically and professionally trained for or be a stay-at-home parent.

Another example could be ‘I can learn to play the piano or the violin’ versus ‘I can learn to play the piano and the violin’. As learning instruments is time-consuming, the default thinking might be needing to choose between the two — however, if I think in terms of ‘and’, I am then more predisposed to altering my behaviour and setting aside time to practice both.

‘And’ thinking can help overcome the limiting pitfalls of binary thought, empower the accomplishment of things previously thought impossible, and unlock the potential for better application of growth mindset principles. These things can be tremendously beneficial for us to thrive not just personally, but also in the workplace.

‘Reframing’ has become a popular technique to problem-solve as by expressing a problem with different ‘frames’ of parameters, this can stimulate and create a different perspective and solution.

The power of ‘and’ in building a resilient workforce

Recently, there has been an overwhelming focus on redesigning the work environment for a resilient and more inclusive post-pandemic future. This doesn’t just mean providing options for hybrid working, but also leveraging the honing of skills rather than business functions.

Given an estimated 25 percent of the global workforce are shifting occupations and 100 million in Asia are transiting jobs — both upskilling and reskilling are proving essential focuses to future-proof both employees and organisations. It is also being propounded that the future of work belongs to generalists over specialists as this maximises employee versatility.

Whilst this might appear to make ‘traditional’ qualifications (whereby we are trained in a discipline and therefore need to pursue a consequent career) seem outmoded or irrelevant — there is a ‘third way’ to think about this, using the power of ‘and’.

Perhaps a ‘middle ground’ approach could be to identify employee transferable skills whilst fostering an environment that encourages their agile and adaptable application. Employees could then fulfill multiple roles, and be the multifunctional workplace equivalent of a Swiss knife.

‘And’ thinking can help overcome the limiting pitfalls of binary thought, empower the accomplishment of things previously thought impossible, and unlock the potential for better application of growth mindset principles.

For instance, someone with a degree in accountancy could also be very good at research given the attention to detail that the former demands. They do not have to be hired for an open accountancy ‘or’ research position — it can be ‘and’.

People in IT, legal, or finance could have overlapping ‘and’ roles in compliance, perhaps heading varying components. A human resources person often performs multi-functionally in any case — with various skills ranging from accounting to counselling to hiring.

In this way, specialists could also be generalists and vice versa, with the more pertinent overall ‘skill’ being adaptability. This is aligned with a ‘re-architecting of work’ talent approach, which maximises combinations of human skills and strengths. It has been identified as one that can help maneuver an organisation from merely surviving to thriving.

This, in itself might require a mindset shift as “surviving” views disruptions as short-term crises to be addressed with the expectation that the organisation will revert to “business as usual” once over. “Thriving”, however, reimagines new norms and possibilities, recognising that disruption is continuous.

A 2021 Global Human Capital Trends report found that the organisations “very prepared” for the COVID-19 pandemic were the ones that were three times more ready to leverage worker adaptability and mobility to navigate disruptions.

As such, if both employer and employee are agreeable to eking out the best of diverse backgrounds, thinking, and skill-sets — with clear terms and boundaries as to which skills to employ when suiting various ‘Swiss-knife’ roles — both parties can stand to gain by future-proofing individual employability as well as organisational resilience.

The future ‘ways’

There is no doubt that as the world debates the future of work, resilience, surviving and thriving — our agility and adaptability in not just action, but thought, are important. Whilst shifting mindsets and constantly adapting and being aware of thought processes can be tiring and challenging, this is arguably countered by the benefits it brings in unlocking opportunities and new ways of problem-solving.

Over time, as using the tools of metacognition and language become second nature, not only can they enable us to keep pace with current rates of change, they can also be the reason we thrive (especially given metacognition has also been proven to enhance overall wellbeing).

As Michelle Obama reminds us in her book ‘Becoming’ — it is a mystery as to why we ever saw ourselves in functional and static positions of jobs or careers as we are always constantly evolving and “becoming” as human beings. With a skills-based future on the horizon to re-affirm this, we now all have the carte blanche to constantly think and experiment in new and adaptable Third, Fourth, and even Fifth ‘ways’ of doing things.

And even then — why stop there?

The post ‘The Third Way’ and adaptable thinking appeared first on Redhill | Global Communications Agency.

As 2022 starts with renewed ‘intentions’ (replacing the more traditional notion of ‘resolutions’), there is no better time for businesses to ‘intentionally’ think through their compliance strategies for the year ahead.

This is especially given various headline-making, high-profile breaches in 2021, ranging from the mismanaged risks of financial services heavyweight Credit Suisse, to the misuse of data by Amazon Europe, and the ethical breaches of Meta (formerly known as ‘Facebook’).

The above range of breaches displays how compliance has transitioned from hard law offences to including more values and ethics-based transgressions. Organisations are consequently modifying their compliance approaches from being rules-based to integrity-based, which also enables building culture.

Yet, there are still breaches, indicating something is missing. This could well be the lack of an intentional communications strategy which:

(i) internally stipulates and streamlines behavioural expectations of an organisational ‘code’ of ethics, values, and principles (a ‘code’); and

(ii) externally reaffirms the same code to clients, investors, and other stakeholders creating accountability.

It is essentially no longer enough to hope that an organisational playbook with vague notions of ‘integrity’, and management murmurings of ‘walking the talk’ can create a robust and ethical culture. The code must be consistently reinforced and affirmed via a communications strategy that simultaneously reduces corporate and organisational risks, and builds positive culture.

Distinguishing between rules-based and integrity-based codes

Understanding the difference between rules and integrity-based codes is fundamental to creating a strategy, given their very different premises.

The former ensures good behaviour by avoiding legal sanctions, and usually involves external measures in preventing, detecting, and punishing non-compliance. The latter is more self-policing, relying on individual integrity (defined as ‘the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles’) to govern appropriate action and behaviour.

Organisations are increasingly adopting the latter approach as it encourages greater independent thought and autonomy. For example instead of stipulating ‘if you engage in bribery, you will go to prison’, or ‘those who sexually harass will be fired’, an organisation would say ‘we value transparency in business transactions’ or ‘we believe in diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI).

This also empowers individual ethical behaviour which stands a greater chance of adherence than a rules-based code. This is because a rules-based code can easily be abused with people attempting to find loopholes in the letter of the law, instead of trying to abide by its spirit.

An integrity-based approach can also be more easily applied across various departments and types of breaches. For example, from information technology and human resources to supply chain management – stipulating DEI as a value can address hiring bias, harassment problems, or pay gaps.

This additionally builds positive culture by placing the onus on both employers and employees to evaluate and moderate their ethics and values which govern workplace behaviour. It empowers the challenging of undesirable status-quos and any subsequent modification if policies are found to be unabiding by their own code.

An integrity-based approach can also be more easily applied across various departments and types of breaches.

Identifying hurdles

Although an integrity-based code is more adaptable and encompassing, it can also be tougher to inculcate and follow given its nebulous nature. This is where communications are crucial, and being mindful of hurdles in understanding can help formulate a more effective strategy.

One hurdle is that ‘integrity’ is relative as everyone is brought up with different values, ethics, and priorities that may or may not be representative of their backgrounds. They could therefore have very different notions of what it means.

This could be further complicated by people who compartmentalise their lives applying varying ‘codes’ and ethics to different contexts. Some might think, for example, that personal ethics and values have nothing to do with the workplace and that lying to get a promotion is acceptable, for example, but lying in an intimate relationship is ‘different’.

Integrity can also be culturally informed, and organisations with offices and employees around the world may face challenges in formulating a code applying across geographies.

Different cultures might have different understandings of what is or is not acceptable as a matter of norm or practice, or what is legally permissible. A ‘grey area’ in some parts of the world could be a ‘black and white’ one in others (such as paying to receive more expedient services over others). Some actions might be culturally acceptable even if illegal, as laws aren’t enforced.

Understanding these complexities across individuals, offices, and regions requires sensitivity and dedication of thought to eke out what an organisation truly stands for, defines as representative of its code, and which is translatable across regions. This can then be honed for different geographies if necessary, before embarking on a communications strategy.

Communicating internally with clarity and reinforcement

As an organisation and its policies can only be as compliant as the people it comprises, ensuring every employee understands expected standards of behaviour is vitally important.

After a code is identified, it might be expressed with explicit statements (such as) ‘we value transparency and honesty.’ There could also be further statements inculcating wider priorities to build culture such as stipulating ‘open-door policies’, ‘flat management’ or ‘flexible work arrangements.’ It is also crucial to explain any monitoring systems, reporting processes, and consequences (if any) for breaches.

Ensuring every employee understands expected standards of behaviour is vitally important.

Secondly, the method by which this is communicated should be well considered. Organisational handbooks and intranets may not be referred to as much as human resources and employers might hope, and do not verify understanding. A more personable and effective approach might be to hold workshops or talks that incorporate mechanisms for confidential feedback and perhaps, anonymous questions.

This allows a ‘safe space’ for all employees to clarify doubts without judgement and ensures everyone ‘gets the message’ — not only those in leadership or management. This can also be executed remotely, and globally.

Thirdly, once a code is identified and communicated internally, it must be constantly reaffirmed into the culture from the highest echelons of management to the newest intern. Robert Chesnut, former Chief Ethics Officer of Airbnb and author, identifies six steps as to how this may be instilled in a corporate environment.

One important way is to talk about difficult situations with statements such as ‘I feel uncomfortable with this — does anyone else?’. Engendering openness builds on other values (such as transparency), enables thought to change action or behaviour, and potentially avoids toxic, negative work culture which, in some cases, is a result of being allowed to propagate over time.

It is not enough to only focus on clarity however — reinforcing this with action such as deploying compliance officers within each department or making ethics a consideration for promotion demonstrates an organisation’s commitment to its code.

However, given an upwards trend in remote and hybrid working, some creativity is warranted as to how to execute reinforcement. This is because creating culture and monitoring breaches is more difficult with reduced office visibility.

One way could be to put in place tangible systems which directly impact compliance. For instance, if ‘transparency’ is identified as a value — given that anonymity and protection of whistleblowers are important to effect compliance (as codified in some parts of the world) — anonymous reporting systems can validate and underscore this.

If DEI is identified, a mobile application enabling reports to be uploaded at any time and anywhere reinforces how seriously a breach is regarded. These measures also ensure that responsibility for inculcating positive culture doesn’t only fall to leadership, legal counsel, or human resources, but the entire organisation.

Communicating externally to create accountability and build branding

With an acceleration of breaches, not only is there increased regulatory scrutiny for organisations to “dot ‘i’s and cross ‘t’s”, but given the transformation of corporate responsibility due to hyper-transparency and rise of ‘cancel culture’, there is greater public accountability.

In this day and age, higher ethical standards are expected not only of organisations but the individuals within them– especially those in positions of power or influence. For better or worse, everyone is expected to behave – but unfortunately, just knowing something is wrong doesn’t stop the wrongdoing.

Higher ethical standards are expected not only of organisations but the individuals within them.

This is where accountability is an important safeguard, and communicating a code explicitly to clients, investors, and other stakeholders creates a powerful one. If there is an external expectation that all employees will abide by their organisational code, this ‘gives permission’ to those parties to do something about it if it is breached.

White papers and environmental, social and governance (ESG) requirements create some level of corporate accountability, but all it takes is for one malfeasance to compromise a brand or reputation. As such, some companies have set up third-party monitored reporting mechanisms for the reporting of wrongdoing. Yet others might employ communications professionals to hold them accountable in conveying their codes responsibly.

This could also be done with prospective employees to protect organisational culture. For instance, to harness a Great Resignation trend (whereby employees are seeking jobs that align more with their values), communicating expected behaviour on hiring websites, through head hunters, or at the outset of an interview can help winnow employees.

Enabling ‘buy in’ from the outset of organisational values can help reduce the risks of non-compliance as people are more likely to abide by a code if they have consciously identified this to be resonant with their own values. This also promotes loyalty with less attrition, creating better culture.

Externally communicating the code consistently has the added long-term benefit of building corporate identity and reputation to eventually become a brand synonymous with positive ethical culture and organisational integrity.

A brave new (compliant) world

The ever-widening net of compliance, together with increasingly varied work arrangements, means that robust, committed thought must go into crafting a communications strategy that complements an integrity-based code. This can bring to life desired corporate and organisational values which reduce risks ranging from white-collar crime to DEI, and build meaningful culture.

Integrity also needs to be exercised in the process of crafting both the code and accompanying communications however, as it would defeat the purpose to stipulate idealised values and principles that cannot be practically abided. The code should be drafted honestly and transparently, as one which is known to be viably reinforced internally, and credibly communicated externally.

In doing so, organisations can better demonstrate their commitment to effecting genuine compliance — thereby affirming their own integrity.

The post Why compliance encompasses more than integrity appeared first on Redhill | Global Communications Agency.

Here’s a question: when’s the last time you paid attention to how a piece of writing made you feel?

Maybe a self-help book left you feeling inspired and ready to take on the world! Or perhaps an article about employee burnout hit you hard enough for you to comment “Truth. That’s me.” at the end. What about that letter or email from a dear friend with inside jokes that made you smile?

The power of writing lies in its ability to evoke emotion. On their own, words are just a combination of letters. But in the hands of a wordsmith, they become magic. They paint wonderful pictures, awaken long-buried memories, open new avenues of knowledge and even move people to action. There’s a reason that they say “the pen is mightier than the sword”.

An emotionally resonant article builds a connection with a reader and leaves a deep impact. People might not remember the exact words, but they remember how it made them feel — and being memorable is gold in a time of short memories and shorter attention spans.

Understanding the critical link between writing and emotion is one thing; trying to create it is another. There’s no ‘how to’ bible, but my personal theory is that wielding emotion effectively in writing consists of one part technique, one part awareness and one part empathy.

Technique: get the basics right

Like any skill, having a good foundation is key. How can you change the world with your words if you don’t know an adjective from a verb? Or why no, ‘should of’ is not equivalent to ‘should have’? (Seriously, please stop.) This isn’t just me being a ‘grammar nazi’, either.

A certain standard of readability is required and expected by readers to sink into a flow state, which allows them to focus on the main message. Too many mistakes in grammar, punctuation and other writing peripherals disrupts the natural cadence; this compromises the reading experience and creates a negative emotional association.

For instance, here’s a fictional excerpt about the rise of e-commerce in Asia.

“Studies have shown that 75 percet of Asians have, begun making, e-commerce purchases for the first time because the pandemic has driven them to adopt technology at unprecedented rates compared to previously where they preferred to make in-person purchases at brick-and-mortar shops due to the fact that they can see and touch the merchandise and decide whether or not to buy-”

My bet is that your attention wandered off somewhere around the fourth line. That’s because your brain can only understand so much in one go.

Research shows that readers understand 90 percent of a sentence when it’s about 14 words long. (This one is 16.) At 43 words, comprehension is less than 10 percent. The long paragraph in the quote above was 61.

Now go back and reread the paragraph, slower this time. Did you feel your eyes first skip over the misspelled ‘percet’, then come back to the word and refocus on it for just a second longer? And did you notice that happening again at the odd commas around ‘begun making’?

Every time your mind registered these errors, you were jolted out of the flow of reading and had to start over. This process only takes a few milliseconds, which is usually insignificant— unless it’s happened, say, thrice in one paragraph. Then it might start to annoy you.

As you encounter more errors, your patience dwindles and the frustration grows till you finish reading or give up. By now, most readers would have snorted in disgust, muttered something uncomplimentary about lousy writers and clicked on to the next article.

Game over. You’ve lost your audience. So yes — do sweat the small stuff.

Awareness: write what you feel

All writers are also readers. At a basic level, we know that certain words can trigger emotions and drive reactions.

That’s the entire premise of clickbait — titles like “You Won’t Believe How This Guy Made $150,000 In Two Days” lean on emotion to compel people to click, even if they know it won’t be anything worth reading (yes, me included).

As you can see, shock is highest in this chart. Shock (“What? How is that possible?”) leads to curiosity (“But how did he do it?”), which in turn drives clicks (“I must find out!”). Emotion works. But clickbait titles are the writing equivalent of cheap jump scares. Don’t do them. Nobody likes them.

Instead, take it a step further and create deep resonance — the kind where people say “I cried while reading this” or “I felt everything about this”. To do that, you need nuance. And nuance is only achieved with two things: self-awareness and a wide vocabulary.

Self-awareness

Think back to that little exercise we did earlier with the e-commerce excerpt. How did you feel while reading it? Now go and read something else, but pay active attention to what you’re feeling while you’re reading.

What sentences struck a deep chord? Was the pacing of the writing engaging? Maybe you were drawn to a witty or memorable turn of phrase, or maybe you appreciated how succinctly the writer made their point. Perhaps a slow buildup created suspense, and the twist at the end caught you by surprise.

It’s easy to notice if something makes you laugh or frown, but the less intense emotions like boredom, impatience and confusion are also important because they indicate ineffective writing. Remember how you feel and what styles of writing inspired these feelings. They’ll help when it’s your turn to write.

In the hands of a wordsmith, words become magic. They paint wonderful pictures, evoke long-buried memories, open new avenues of knowledge and even move people to action.

Our own emotions can also affect our writing. For instance, angry writing may result in more forceful, combative words and phrases. Happiness could see more unconscious use of exclamation marks and superlatives because everything is awesome! (Cue Lego Movie soundtrack.) Anxiety or distraction, meanwhile, might lead to disjointed ideas and an illogical flow through a lack of focus.

This can be useful, but we need to be conscious of how emotions affect us to harness that force instead of letting them control us. Sometimes, if you aren’t in the right headspace to write, stepping away for a while is for the best.

Once you can identify and recognise emotion in writing (both in your work and others), you can use yourself as the benchmark for an average reader. Apply the styles you’ve learned that work for you and avoid those that don’t. Try to reread your drafts as objectively as you can when editing to avoid bias. I like to sleep on a draft for a day and come back to it with fresh eyes.

Vocabulary

One of the most common comments that writers can get is “It just doesn’t sound right.” This is an example of how people react emotionally to articles that just don’t quite hit the nail on the head for them.

Writers are constantly striving to create a richer, more resonant reading experience for the audience — not just to ensure that the spirit of their message is fully conveyed, but also to make sure that it’s remembered via emotional impact.

A robust vocabulary is the toolbox from which writers can choose the best tools (words) to refine the delivery of their intended message. Without it, you lose a lot of capacity for finesse and nuance. That’s why writers agonise over using words like chefs worry over how much sugar and salt to add.

Should it be frustrated or disenchanted?

Is advanced a suitable replacement for innovative?

Once, the only edit I made to a rejected article was changing ‘allow’ to ‘enable’, which magically made it acceptable to the client. Technically similar meanings, but very different emotional tones.

It matters even more for industry-specific topics. Jargon is like a secret code that verifies the writer as ‘belonging’ — or not — to the industry. Used well, it can inspire more confidence around the writer’s expertise, but it can also quickly expose an outsider and drop their credibility a few notches.

Empathy: identify with your audience

You know what you feel, but writing is seldom just about you, the writer. It’s about the readers. Regardless of whether you’re trying to entertain, educate or influence them, you need to connect emotionally with them through your words. It doesn’t matter how good your story is if no one cares.

This means putting yourself in your readers’ shoes when you’re writing. What drove them to read this article? What emotions might they be feeling? How should they feel before, during and after reading? Keeping these questions in mind will be an invaluable guide on suitable tone and content.

An emotionally resonant article builds a connection with a reader and leaves a deep impact. People might not remember the exact words, but they remember how it made them feel.

When writing for C-suite executives, for example, imagine yourself as one. You’re well-read, knowledgeable and busy. You want what you do have time to read to add value for you, so you’d probably appreciate a well-researched piece that clearly and succinctly outlines a solid stance on a trending issue, with the facts, numbers and context to back it up.

But if you’re reviewing a hot new restaurant, put yourself in a foodie’s mind. You want to know what the overall experience is like. Adjectives and descriptions reign supreme here because they can bring details like the romantic, candlelit setting with soft background jazz music and the rich, smoky flavour of the signature chargrilled steak to life, helping you better imagine the experience.

If you’re unfamiliar with a certain type of audience, try reading other articles in publications — or even different sections in the same publication — with a readership that fits your readers’ profile. Besides the content, look also at the way these articles were written. This will provide some insight into the tone, style and language that readers expect.

Regardless of whether you’re trying to entertain, educate or influence, you need to find a way to connect emotionally with readers through your words. It doesn’t matter how good your story is if no one cares.

The clever thing about writing and emotion is how subliminal the relationship is. Many people will never give a second thought to how different types and styles of writing affect how they think and feel on a daily basis, and vice versa.

But for those who peek behind the curtain, it’s clear that there’s a complex science and artistry — with a dash of instinct — involved in creating what is seemingly a natural phenomenon. That subtle yet powerful influence fascinates me, and as a writer, I’m always striving to achieve it.

Across history, well-written, impactful words have won and lost wars, built and destroyed nations, and made and ruined reputations. Today, not much has changed. We talk about writing in the context of “creating engagement” and “raising awareness”, but these are just new names for an age-old goal — to inspire emotion with magic words.

The post Unlocking the power of emotion in your writing appeared first on Redhill | Global Communications Agency.

I’m an Account Executive in the public relations (PR) field in Korea. I write press releases, meet a variety of people, and I think I’m pretty decent at making a PowerPoint presentation. But if you ask what I find most challenging, it would definitely be meeting reporters.

I consider myself a bona fide extrovert and I don’t have a problem getting along with strangers. At university, I was in a traditional percussion band and performed in front of hundreds of people. I joined many clubs and organised many club activities. I even graduated with a degree in Advertising and Public Relations. But when it comes to building relationships with reporters, I find walking the tightrope between camaraderie and business professionalism very challenging because it’s such a grey area.

The first step to a long and fruitful relationship with a reporter is to get that initial meeting right. A big part of that boils down to choosing the right restaurant to have the meeting at.

The meal maketh the meeting

Here’s two important things you need to know about Korean culture: face-to-face meetings are crucial to relationship-building, and meals are more than just a way for us to fill our stomachs — many social interactions revolve around food and mealtimes. As PR professionals, when we’re trying to establish a connection with the media, we need to be conscious of both these factors.

First-time meetings between PR professionals and journalists are usually done over a meal in a restaurant. While the meal isn’t the be-all and end-all of a first meeting, a good meal in a nice setting will make a positive impression and get the relationship off to a great start. That’s why it’s so important to choose a suitable restaurant — especially because it’s one of the only variables I have true control over before I meet the journalist.

Generally, choosing a restaurant for a happy meal (pun intended) is always subject to three important factors: Time, Place and Occasion. For a blind date, you might want somewhere with a quieter atmosphere and dimmed lights for that romantic vibe. If seeing friends, perhaps a trendy restaurant you’ve all been dying to go to for a memorable night. But if you’re meeting an important client, then you would reserve an upscale restaurant with fine food to impress them and to reflect how seriously you take the meeting.

In some ways, PR practitioners meeting journalists for the first time includes all of the above. It’s like a blind date because you don’t know what to expect, but you want to leave a good first impression so they want to stay in touch and meet again. However, you also have to keep in mind that it’s ultimately a business meeting to achieve business goals for both parties. It’s definitely a very unique relationship that I’m constantly trying to navigate well.

A good meal in a nice setting will make a positive impression and get the relationship off to a great start. It’s one of the only variables I have true control over before I meet the journalist.

The three golden rules

Here are the three criteria that I use when I decide what restaurant to meet a reporter in. While I am based in Korea and these tips reflect that, I hope they are also useful for PR executives (or anyone that is having an important meeting in a restaurant!) wherever they might be.

Be no further than five minutes’ walk away from a subway exit

In major cities with extensive transport networks like Seoul, many people opt to use the subways and light rails as they are faster, cheaper and more convenient. Not everyone has equal access to private transportation, and buses often take too long because they have too many stops.

Choosing a restaurant close to a subway stop saves effort and also minimises exposure to the weather, which can vary drastically in a four-season country like Korea. You don’t want to have to walk far to a meeting in the hot summer sun or the brutal winter cold, and neither does your reporter counterpart. It’s never a good idea to put people in a bad mood before they’ve even reached the restaurant.

Have a moderately quiet atmosphere

I once decided to meet a reporter for the first time at a very popular restaurant, which everyone that I had taken there had loved. But when I arrived, I realised that I had made a huge mistake. The music in the restaurant was just way too loud and conversation was nearly impossible. Most of the conversation we ended up having was punctuated frequently with “what did you say?” and was ultimately not very meaningful.

The next time, I chose a Japanese restaurant that was well-known among foodies and had private rooms so that conversation would be easier. But here, I had the opposite problem: it was too quiet. Since it was just us in the private room, the silence magnified the tiniest sounds and made it cripplingly awkward. This was obviously not conducive to relationship-building.

Since then, I’ve made it a point to check the distance between tables in a restaurant instead of booking private rooms. I also check restaurant reviews to see if anyone mentions that the restaurant is noisy. The perfect balance would be a restaurant that isn’t so busy or loud that conversations are drowned out, but which still offers a moderate level of white noise to put people at ease.

Have easy-to-eat menu options

Many famous Korean restaurants serve food in a large common pot on the table, which continues to cook the food as you eat. This keeps the food warm and helps the flavours intensify. Other popular dishes in Korean cuisine include Korean barbecue and lettuce wraps, both of which require you to grill the meat or make the wraps yourself.

While I’m a big fan of these, it’s best to avoid this style of cuisine — as well as fiddly foods like soy marinated crab, which you have to get your hands dirty to peel — for a first-time meeting. You’re trying to make a good first impression. The last thing you want is having to worry about making a mess or spilling food. Instead, choose easy-to-manage dishes that can be eaten with regular utensils.

You have limited time to introduce yourself and your client, so you want their attention to stay on the conversation and focus on article ideation instead of getting distracted by the food. Good food is a nice bonus, but it’s not the main point of the meeting.

Meeting journalists for the first time is like a blind date because you don’t know what to expect, but you want to leave a good first impression. However, it’s also ultimately a business meeting between two parties.

The start of a wonderful relationship

For PR account executives like me, choosing the right restaurant for a meeting is just the first step. There’s still a lot of work to do once you’re actually in the restaurant with the reporter. You have to talk about industry trends, introduce your clients and make them appealing to the reporter, and build a relationship that’s comfortable enough that they would be willing to meet you regularly.

This requires a lot of homework before you ever have that meal. You need to research what the reporter writes about, the industry that they’re in and what is most likely to pique their interest. You also need to be familiar with what your client does and find that crucial hook that would make your client appeal to the reporter. If you can relate these to current industry trends, so much the better — and it gives the reporter the impression that you really know your stuff.

A final message to my fellow PR executives: remember that you are ultimately the key in all this. A nice setting and great food are wonderful enhancers to boost synergy, but they can only amplify what is already there. As long as you do your research, treat the other party with respect and add value, you should have no trouble building a fruitful business relationship even in the worst settings. Everything else — restaurant included — is just the icing on the cake.

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