Growing up in a factory town in Central Illinois, thoughts of race and wealth as a child were present but not predominant because most of us had similar economic backgrounds. When people wanted to know where your parents worked, the question often posed was, “Which factory do your parents work at?” As I got older, the race and money line became increasingly visible.
Resolutions and reflections — we can count on plenty of both at this time of year. That, along with reports of which businesses and organizations saw profits in 2023 and their projections for the coming year. Success is announced. Challenges are hidden. People, however, seem absent from the public-facing conversation.
Collaborating with fellow entrepreneurs is always energizing. With each opportunity, there’s a lesson to learn from the unique and shared experiences and varied levels of risk-taking. Now, mix that with the professional love of connecting with colleagues in our respective industries, and for me, you get the PRSA’s Counselors Academy. I attended earlier this year and learned from leaders of PR firms nationwide.
As a nation, we’ve been talking about the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) for years now. But let’s be real: the words have become so overused that they’re losing impact and are in danger of losing all meaning. It’s time to put our money where our mouths are and start tangibly supporting DEI outcomes, such as many promised following the murder of George Floyd.
Resolutions are great, but how about we focus on one word to help guide our intentions for the new year? The word that comes to mind is authenticity. In the public relations world, building authentic connections with audiences has always been key. But as we dive head first into 2023, the importance of genuine communication and relationships is only going to grow. We’re offering 3 ways to amp up your authentic connections in 2023.