Steve John

Drawing on my NYC emergency response days in the Mayor's office, I wrote about the role of debriefing and learning from previous experiences to inform the next one. Some may know it as the "after-action report." I provide a few recommended tips to build your readiness and infrastructure as we head into increasingly turbulent times. But hands down the biggest step any CCO or CMO can take is to build a collaborative culture across teams so that you don't fall victim to unforced errors.

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The US presidential/ UK PM debates have never taken place in the same week, let alone consecutive days. Setting aside which was the more entertaining (easily US) – a few thoughts on how the different broadcast formats affected the coverage and impacted the viewer: ⏳ Ground rules & visuals Contrasting with the BBC's looser approach, #CNN set explicit rules of engagement, everything from response times, microphone control and stage positioning. The split screen close-up camera effect was revealing – Biden pensive then growing in confidence and Trump looking increasingly needled as the debate progressed. If a similar technique was adopted for the UK debate, it wouldn't have benefited Starmer... 🔊 Moderation & questions Dana Bash and Jake Tapper led for CNN vs Mishal Husain alone for the #BBC. Two moderators enabled closer control and smoother transition through questions. Lack of audience in Atlanta meant a strangely sanitized atmosphere but removing audience reactions – along with the use of zoom-in – perhaps helps the viewer to focus more on the candidates and be less influenced by variables. The debate in Nottingham was less structured, giving both men – mainly Sunak – more chance to interrupt and go on the attack. There was also something very British about a willing audience stumbling through their questions amidst shouts of protest from outside! 🎯  Fact-checking Husain planted the flag early by highlighting BBC Verify and both candidates appealed to the service when disputed claims arose. She was also more assertive at clarifying statements and presenting official statistics especially during the immigration and fiscal debates. There was little pre-emptive or real time fact-checking in Atlanta, for which CNN are being heavily criticized. In the closing stages, the moderators struggled just to get the candidates – especially Trump - to engage with the question asked. Personal accusations, counter-claims and a ‘he started it’ line of attack increased as the debate wore on. As for the overall optics, Trump and Sunak appeared the more forceful and vigorous. Biden and Starmer will have to hope their more measured, statesmanlike performances are not overly perceived as tired or meek. #presidentialdebate #2024election

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A global summit to drive investment and growth in our economy is exactly right - investors are ready My report 'A New Partnership' outlined the key elements for a successful summit https://lnkd.in/e9AnRKCr

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Key points from today’s useful Government of Jersey Financial Sevices Update: - key development was launch of new Sustainable Finance Action Plan, with progress in coming years across governance, incentives and engagement - retaining competitiveness is a vital focus, including products, skills and overseas visibility - integration of digital and sustainability critical to long term growth - recruitment and attracting talent remains key across sectors - lots of Moneyval and Pillar 2 mentions, but international tax transparency and AML agenda continues to evolve - trade partnerships landscape interesting to track for Jersey into 2025, including the CPTPP Plenty to unpick and follow as we head into 2025…! #finance #sustainability #digital

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Latest instalment from our Labour experts on the likely new MPs to watch in key biz sectors. Today it’s the turn of the tech brigade 💻 🤖 https://lnkd.in/eaCenqn7 #ge24

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Ahead of the first televised head-to-head UK General Election debate tonight between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer, bringing back a piece I wrote for The Times Red Box on how to prepare for high-stakes election TV debates. Drawing from experiences preparing senior Cabinet Ministers during the UK 2017 General Election and the EU Referendum campaign, the fundamentals for all participants remain constant: 🔹 A particularly time and resource intense format, debates require participants – and their support teams – to expect the unexpected. 🔹Taking the time to role-play, anticipate your opponents' weak spots, and come up with zingers is crucial. 🔹Real-world examples and empathy are needed to connect emotionally with viewers. 🔹All sides need their players to look and sound like they come from “Planet Normal”. Not just paying lip-service, the principals need to show empathy, that they get people’s everyday concerns, understand their lives and what makes them tick. 🔹 There should also be zingers a-plenty. The sharp ripostes designed to get noticed, ignite the next day’s press and have a lifespan throughout the campaign and beyond. 🔹Think about the viewer at home experience, not just the people in the room. Body language, looking and sounding like you are doing the top job, and befriending the main camera are vital. 🔹This format means lots of demands to “level with people” and “rule things in or out”. Falling into the trap of the off-the-cuff thinking can be an advisor’s worst nightmare, but for the viewer and voter, how someone reacts in the moment can be illuminating. 👇 Edelman Global Advisory #GeneralElection

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A really clear message from Fiona Bride at Financial Times Global Pharma & Biotech Conference this morning: 1 - let’s build on our strength as a pro-innovation health system that gets cutting edge therapies to patients 2- let’s do our best for taxpayers by using clinically effective medicines available at lower cost 3- let’s not shy away from the challenge of improving uptake of treatments for large eligible populations, but use tech to lean-in and evolve

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In case you are interested

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Interesting to see in the Financial Times, Meg Hillier, Treasury Select Committee shining a spotlight on social media ‘finfluencers.’ However financial literacy remains worryingly low in the UK, and platforms like TikTok can play a crucial role in reaching new audiences. When done responsibly, 'good' finfluencers have the potential to make a real difference. We shouldn’t underestimate the power of new channels to drive positive change in financial education - it just needs to be done well. https://on.ft.com/4iqcdKP

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A big turnout for a big Budget. Great to have political, market and media heavy-hitters giving their analysis of Labour’s fiscal statement at MHP Group HQ this morning. If you missed it, read our top five takeaways here: https://lnkd.in/eWReUnXb

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This article is an example of a decentralised news agency working in harmony with centralised newsrooms — of #citizenjournalists working alongside #journalists to deliver news that matters, faster. We make their lives easier and we give them diversity of voice. Our news content is FACT (drumroll): 🥁 Faster 🥁 Always-on 🥁 Compelling 🥁 Trustworthy Traditional news agencies such as PA Media simply cannot compete with this speed and scale. Newspage has zero capacity constraints and works 24/7. We are everyone, everywhere. Quoted in this article are three Newspagers and #citizenjournalists on our decentralised News Desk, Craig Fish Ranald Mitchell and Rohit Kohli. https://lnkd.in/esFZEH-X

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It was interesting listening to Rt Hon Rachel Reeves speech to HM Treasury this morning, which set out some clear priorities for UK government over the next few months. She said that reform for the planning system is a key reason The Labour Party was elected, and that planning is no longer working anymore, with projects left delayed for too many years. 🌹 A consultation and review of the NPPF before the end of the month is part of a wider restructure, with a new housing sites taskforce to be set up and recruitment of 300 new planning officers for local authorities to speed up decision making.🏚 The Deputy Prime Minister will work with Mayors and local planning authorities to ensure that regional economic benefits are realised, and that local plans and green belt release plans are delivered upon. How the promise of further devolution marries up with centralised top down planning reform is one of the aspects that will be interesting to watch. 🏗 Finally, that the planning system is being reviewed to accelerate decision making for energy and transport infrastructure can only be a good thing. It will result in less waste and increase private sector investment. Labour's plans to double onshore wind energy by 2030 will help provide more highly skilled jobs and provide more energy independence. 🍃 Now I'm just waiting on a recommitment to finish HS2... 🚄

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Great advice here to involve your people when you are doing and IPO. The Company would not be what and where it is without your people

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What a great #game from the #FinancialTimes. Engages the audience by putting them in the Chancellor's shoes, to appreciate the trade-offs that have to be made. How would you use #gamification so your audience has a greater understanding of complex issues? How much and how quickly to invest in the energy system to reach net zero, or the railway to improve productivity? https://lnkd.in/eZDYQygB

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In an interview this morning, the Prime Minister said he “wasn’t surprised” that more than two million people had signed a petition calling for another election. Rachel Reeves is fighting the Government's corner at the CBI today, trying to convince businesses they can trust her. The list of complaints goes on and on. Take last week's protests from farmers across the UK. 🔣The Treasury, Defra, and the National Farmers’ Union had different figures about how many farmers would be hit by the changes. 📊The facts about why the government introduced the tax got lost, damaging an already precarious relationship with a group of stakeholders that are still warming up towards a Labour government. 💡The Government could have made better use of powerful arguments about the value of the land and big landowners vs family farms. This article in PoliticsHome by former Downing Street director of communications Lee Cain argues that the government has lost control of the narrative over why it is making most decisions and what needs to be done to repair it. In other words, more storytelling and less media management and containment. https://lnkd.in/edFCtSUM

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People in their 20s, 30s and 40s need to make sure they aren't leaving themselves short in their retirement, as The Independent's Katie Rosseinsky warns in this piece - featuring our own Ross Leckridge 🙌 #financialplanning #pensions

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When I run media training I talk about the energy that well chosen words can bring to a short media piece. Often times industry spokespeople are contributing to a wider story, and are not able to deliver a lengthy monologue. This makes the chosen words even more important. I absolutely love this clip of the Henley Mermaids contributing to a Channel4 News piece last week about shoddy management from Thames Water (scroll to 30 seconds in). Things she does to ensure her piece goes...ummmm...swimmingly 🏊‍♀️ "We feel let down" - makes it very human 🏊‍♀️ "Thames Water serves 1 in 4 of us" - hugely inclusive...this matters to a lot of us 🏊‍♀️ "It's a total monopoly, we have no choice who we go to" - emphasis and really accessible language. You may not think you need to explain a word like monopoly, but doing it deftly like this can be helpful 🏊‍♀️ "It's just poo and pipes" - alliterative perfection. A clever phrase that in 5 words ridicules TW's mismanagement and makes her point emphatically 🏊‍♀️ "If I did my job that badly..." - elaboration through a personal example 🏊‍♀️ "They need to go!" - call to action The interviewer doesn't need to ask her any questions or interrupt her in anyway as she is engaging, energetic and clearly voices strong opinions. Chef's kiss! https://lnkd.in/eTmC6_h8

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