Show. Don’t tell.   Those were the 3 simple words I chose when a savvy entrepreneur and civic leader asked me over lunch about how we’re advising our clients in this volatile political and cultural environment.  He wondered if we were suggesting companies double down on promoting their DEI initiatives, for example, or do they pull

“Don’t let a good crisis go to waste.”  Churchill supposedly said it first, and then the phrase was contemporized by Congressman-turned Chief of Staff-turned-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.  Earlier this week, the concept came into full frame with the onset and then the sudden reversal of the Trump “federal freeze.”   Nonprofits, healthcare providers, universities, media outlets all

I’m not a lawyer, but I could probably play one on TV.  After years working as a hashtag#strategist for the Attorney General and now advising executives in crisis management, I’ve spent enough time partnering with lawyers to maybe pass as an extra on Law & Order.  This week, I had the privilege of meeting some soon-to-be

University presidents. Trade association CEOs. Energy entrepreneurs. Labor leaders. Social service providers. Media executives.   These are just a few of my clients I’ve spoken with since the Nov. 5 election to talk through the implications for the new administration and the GOP takeover.   In my line of work, the mantra is “expect the unexpected.”  I

An exciting aspect of working a summer internship is being a sponge: soaking in every opportunity to learn from your surroundings, particularly by having conversations with your mentors. During my internship at CBL, I took time to formally interview members of the team to gauge their knowledge and experience in the world of crisis

When I first entered the Culloton + Bauer Luce office, I was not an expert at reading the news. To be honest, I was not very good at reading the news. As a business student, I knew that keeping up with current affairs was important, but I was never quite sure where to start.

I’ve been thinking a lot about fairy tales. My son is learning about different kinds of books and narratives in his preschool class. He’s become a fan of fairy tales. Fantastical stories. Enchanting and mythical characters. Improbable events that lead to happy endings. Makes sense for a 4-year-old. But guess who else likes a good

“This is off the record.” The 5 scariest words that will send me sprinting to hang up a client’s phone or shoot over the most aggressive “Mom’s MAD” look possible. (Hey, if it can stop a 4-year-old in his tracks, it certainly can give a CEO some cause for pause.) This rundown in Ragan

I throw like a girl. And damn proud of it. Almost anything I learned about being successful in business came from what I learned about being an athlete. A girl athlete. Soccer, fast-pitch, cross country. You name it. I did it. Today, I got to reflect on my own learnings playing sports as a

1. Take matters into your own hands. ... And ... 2. Show. Don’t tell. Increasingly, these points are among the most common pieces of advice we give our clients. Here’s why: *Viewers are cutting the cord. *Canceling their newspaper subscription to shift online (if they subscribe at all — shame on you!). *Turning to