Rebecca Chin

CALIFORNIA

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"Can we chat about internal communications?" When Shareen Pathak asked me if I could chat with her about internal comms, I jumped at the opportunity. Internal communications—or, employee communications, as I prefer to call it— is the underappreciated backbone of the comms and marketing team. I'm so glad to see more attention paid to this topic and this vital role. Employee communications can't be an afterthought. It's not a "nice to have" (though it's almost always treated as such, especially in smaller organizations), and it's incredibly strategic. Shout out to my internal communicators! I see you, I know your importance, and I will keep singing your praises as long as I have breath in my lungs. Check out this Toolkits.com article for more.👇 ## Does your company have a dedicated employee comms team, or is it part of another role (aka an afterthought)?

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THIS! Editor-in-chief, storyteller, roving reporter - these are just a few of the many hats I wear (and love!). Developing an internal content strategy to celebrate, inform, and recognize the people, teams, accomplishments, and innovations increases pride and emotional connection to the company. Usually I see comms jobs with these responsibilities as 'a nice to have,' with the main focus on exec comms. So happy to see it as a new component of #internalcomms that's actually central to the role. ➡"A major factor is that workplaces have become the new metaphorical town squares – a key place where people congregate. And the rise of employee activism means that people now demand more of companies, expecting them to communicate their stance on major key issues. Enter content." ➡ “Employees can be thought of as thought leaders." ➡"Increasingly, employees want to work in environments where they feel seen and heard." #storytelling #rovingreporter #edcalendar

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As I see more posts on what #NoPaidLeaveCostMe, I can't imagine the difficult journey that NICU parents without any paid leave have endured. The current paid family leave laws already overlook the additional time needed for NICU parents to bring their warrior infants home. Much less not having any at all? It's unfathomable. Resurfacing my op-ed in CalMatters from last year, which shares a bit more about our journey and why we need #PaidLeaveForAll – including a specific NICU leave. https://lnkd.in/gvfTNYGu

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It's been a while since an article has resonated with me as much as this one is. I encourage everyone to read. Some specific excerpts below to hopefully interest you enough to review and take in the whole piece: "The ADPRI study probed all these variables and more in an effort to discover which of them could best explain engagement and productivity. And as it turned out, the most powerful factor was simply whether or not respondents reported doing most of their work on a team. Those who did were more than twice as likely to be fully engaged as those who said they did most of their work alone. The local, ground-level experience of work — the people they worked with and their interactions with them — trumped everything else. --Focus on trust. Our data immediately pinpoints the biggest differentiator between high- and low-performing teams: trust in the team leader. Team members who strongly agree that they trust their team leader are eight times as likely to be fully engaged as those who don’t. This trust must be deep and without question. A team member who merely agrees that she trusts her team leader shows roughly the same level of engagement as does someone who actively distrusts his team leader. For trust to matter, it must be extreme. --Communicate Often: The data makes an unambiguous case that the frequency of conversations is critical. An earlier ADPRI study at Stanford Health Care showed that team leaders who check in once a week see, on average, engagement levels 21 points higher than what those who check in only once a month see. --Put team experience above team location.  --Make all work more like gig work.  --Core purpose of teams: They are the best method we humans have ever devised to make each person’s uniqueness useful. We know that the frequent use of strengths leads to high performance, and we know that strengths vary from person to person. High-functioning teams are essential to a high-functioning organization because they create more opportunities for each person to use his or her strengths by enabling the tasks at hand to be divided according to the strengths on offer. Teams make weirdness useful. 

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SAN FRANCISCO

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One way to start off the new work year in 2025 with this survey 👉 https://lnkd.in/gpTHeHNa Last year, we uncovered groundbreaking insights—like how AI is enabling more professionals with disabilities just like Alister Ong to thrive in the workplace. Driving inclusion and innovation - you can be a part of this meaningful change.

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My early takeaway from PRSA Oregon #CommCon2024 is that the public is facing a real trust issue when it comes to innovations like AI and other emerging tech (and in general). Which raises the question: how do we address the trust crisis in a way that is both authentic and effective? #communications #publicrelations

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CALIFORNIA

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Recent industry research shared by Eleanor Hawkins at Axios shows that 66% of Fortune 500 Chief Communications Officers are women, a demographic variance not yet seen in other C-suite roles. Diverse perspectives are essential to effectively lead, listen to and engage the many different groups and audiences that can dictate a company’s success and I look forward to similar progress in inclusion across other leadership roles and industries.  https://lnkd.in/e7c-5fS7

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Things I'm trying to do over the next few weeks and months now that I've started at my new gig: 1) Use a standing desk more, move more and just overall get more steps in. I'm already changing up my routine dramatically with a new role at a new workplace, so why not marry it with some of my wellness and fitness goals at a time when I'm already re-establishing new habits, timelines and behaviors? 2) Learn as much as I can. Introduce myself to everyone and anyone I can; meet new people, ask them a lot of questions and immerse myself in the work being done around me as much as I am diving into my new accounts so that it helps me develop new skillsets and knowledge, while acclimating to the new ways of doing things that are inherent with a new employer and new client partners. 3) Hit the ground running: share my expertise and perspectives early and often, without assuming I know "the answer" when I am still familiarizing myself with new teams, new personalities, new brands, new products and new target audiences. No one has ever accused me of holding back on speaking up or participating in a meeting, or making my opinions known. This is why they hired me -- to hear what I have to say and benefit from my industry expertise as well as my track record of success leading programs, developing and nurturing long-term relationships, thinking creatively and strategically, and building strong teams. 4) Make -- and deepen -- connections with colleagues and clients on a human level. Laugh. Get to know folks on a personal level. Celebrate wins with them and yes, commiserate over challenges. I've often said to candidates in interviews over the years that "we all spend too much time at work not to enjoy what we're doing and who we're doing it with." So, I need to follow my own advice and make sure I'm actively engaging with those around me who I'll be working with each day, getting involved in resource groups or other connection points that might be available, and above all else: having fun. For anyone else who's recently made a job switch: what else should I be thinking about or keeping in mind?

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I've been posting about my internal comms work at Stand Together on LinkedIn a lot over the past few years. So far, it's been a "win-win!" Tons of engagement and positive feedback from colleagues and partners. Lots of value connecting folks to our shared vision, principles, and priorities. Starting today - incorporating input and feedback from colleagues with HR-Talent Acquisition, Employer Brand, and the MarComms team - I'm taking my LinkedIn game to the next level! More and better content. Diverse formats. Varied styles. Testing, learning, and iterating. Raising the bar on what "good" looks like for internal comms on a public platform. Keep in mind - my posts on LinkedIn aren't a substitute for our core products - all-staff emails, events, and our community intranet. It's just an additional touch point - meeting folks where they are to close gaps in connection and empowering them to do their best. I'm eager to partner with colleagues across the community in this effort. If you have any news, stories, or information you'd like me to share on my LinkedIn page, hit me up via DM or email and we'll see what we can do! Have a great week - the best is yet to come! 😎 #BelieveInPeople #InternalCommunications #InternalComms #culture

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Yesterday was World Mental Health Day, but today Zeno offices around the world have paused work to recognize World Mental Health Day. It’s important for us to do so, not only to prioritize our own mental well-being but also to destigmatize the topic of mental health.  Our clients have been incredibly supportive and understanding, as they know we will always do all we can to ensure that this one-day pause will not disrupt our work for them. #Zenoforeveryone #BeKindtoEachOther #BeKindtoYourMind #InclusionMatters #DEIMatters #ZenoGroup

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How do you feel about press releases? I'm still a fan, even if they simply serve as an official catalog of an organization's news. What you do with that information in your PR program is what's really meaningful though. Use the data for social posts and infographics, and pitches to media. Extract the quotes for your website. Find contributed content opportunities to share the news from the release in a more robust way. Develop creative graphics to support and enhance your news. Create video to share the news in a more personal way. Finally, don't expect your press release to reach the press. Those days are long gone. The release is just another content tool.

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In today’s rapidly evolving world, the role of #storytelling has transcended traditional boundaries, becoming a vital tool for #leadership and inner #transformation. As AI and robotic systems permeate our personal and professional lives, the stories we craft and the narratives we share are shaping how we adapt to these technologies. More than just #data, AI provides us with the potential to create stories that reflect social, emotional, and cultural #values—stories that humanize technology and guide its integration into our lives in meaningful ways. Leadership, in this age, requires the ability to inspire others not just through #innovation, but through narratives that connect deeply with our shared human experience, fostering #growth and transformation. 🌿 The power of AI is not just in its capability to process vast amounts of information or automate processes but in its potential to elevate the well-being of people on multiple levels: emotional, economic, #spiritual, and mental. By integrating AI into business systems and societal infrastructures, leaders can create solutions that are economically prosperous and spiritually enriching, helping communities flourish in #harmony. AI offers the opportunity to develop #systems that enhance lifestyle, physical #health, and mental #wellness, all while preserving cultural heritage and addressing the challenges of #sustainability. The story we tell through AI-driven solutions is not one of technological domination, but of collective empowerment, guiding us toward a future where well-being is at the forefront of #progress. 🌿 This is the true gift of #AI: the power to craft a future that maximizes human #potential, where #technology serves as a partner in creating a safer, more #sustainable, and happier world. The challenges of today—from climate change to inequality—can be addressed by harnessing the capabilities of AI and #robots in a way that aligns with our highest values. As #leaders, we must step into our roles as storytellers, ensuring that AI’s integration into society is one of renewal, #prosperity, and joy. By doing so, we shape not only the narrative of the #future but the lived experiences of generations to come.

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The October monthly episode of our For Immediate Release podcast explores critical communication trends. Shel Holtz, SCMP, and I discuss six compelling topics, including Reddit's potential for crisis comms, the state of blogging in 2024, ethical concerns in celebrity news coverage, workplace connection challenges, and AI's impact across industries. In a blog post, I've set out some key takeaways that present opportunities for communicators, including leveraging Reddit for stakeholder engagement and preparing to guide organisations through AI adoption. Read more and listen now for valuable perspectives and insights on navigating today's complex communication landscape. https://lnkd.in/e5_CcMR2

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Ever have those moments when you feel like you’re getting way more than you’re giving? This morning, I spent an incredibly enjoyable hour plus with Julie Jeannotte and the team at #TheAEffect in their studio for a webcast conversation about the power of curiosity in our leadership and how risk-taking leads to innovation. A couple of key ideas that bear repeating: - We have to be willing to ask questions if we want to find a solution, and not be afraid of how people will interpret them or judge us (remember, in 10 years, no one’s going to look back and “say remember that question she asked?”) - We have to use empathy to ask better questions and inform our judgment, which gives us a superpower for better understanding our environment - knowing our own context is key - Taking risk gets us out of our comfort zone, but it’s also the only way that change happens, nobody can innovate without taking a chance - Aligning our allies is one of the fastest ways of building the capacity to challenge the status quo: build a community of like-minded people with different spheres of influence If you don’t know about the A Effect, or l’effet A in French, and you are a woman looking to fine-tune her leadership skills, I highly suggest you look into it, for 100 days of intense learning and interactivity.

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SAN FRANCISCO

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Google largely got its way this week when it reached a deal with California lawmakers to help fund local newsrooms in place of a law that would have required it to pay them. If the bill had passed it would have been the US’ first such law modelled after Canada’s Bill C-18 that came into effect last year requiring Google to pay the Canadian news industry $74 million annually to run its content. Instead Google agreed on a public private partnership deal with the State of California Wednesday committing to fund CA's local journalism in an amount per year that’s significantly less than what it currently pays Canada. (California and Canada have similar populations). Another California bill that's making noise this week is SB 1047. If it’s signed into law, which could happen as early as September, it would regulate AI development and deployment of any company doing business in California that runs large AI models worth over $100 million. The tech giants, most of them operating out of CA, have naturally voiced opposition even calling into question the future of open source AI models if they’re held responsible for policing them under the proposed bill. The bill is expected to pass through the legislature by end of month. More to come on this soon...

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