Our Changing Relationship to Work

Full disclosure: I have had ‘a job’ without a break for over 47 years – since I turned 18 years old. Not the same job, of course:  I’ve moved from private to public sector and back again. Always in an office, though they ranged from a cubicle in a suburban office park, to prime real…

Read More

Assessing the ‘Value Prop’

The terminology has always struck me as a little slick for something so fundamentally important: “value proposition” is a concept that every organization needs to own and revisit in its relationships to employees, to customers and other key stakeholders. I unpack it this way: we have a responsibility to regularly ask ourselves the question, “what…

Read More

Softball Lessons

Beyond the pure enjoyment of being back in gatherings with friends, family and colleagues, I am benefitting this summer from the opportunity to watch our seven-year-old granddaughter play her first season of softball. It is turning out to be a chance to reflect on the parallels between her journey to understand – and hopefully become…

Read More

Organizational Life Re-imagined

Based on conversations with clients and professional colleagues, I think we all know that workplaces will not return to what they were in March of 2020 – we have learned things about ourselves and our society that are shaping what happens next. I also believe most of us are still grappling with how ‘what is…

Read More

From Reckoning to Shared Fate

Today was to be the start of the jury selection process for a trial in Minneapolis: former police officer Derek Chauvin faces charges of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. It will be delayed slightly by continuing legal considerations, but will be underway soon, causing my hometown to again become the focal…

Read More

2020 wreaked havoc on society but may have permanently elevated the communications industry’s status

It’s no secret that the events of 2020 took an unprecedented toll on society; but for those in the public relations community, communications have never been more important. Tunheim is a leading member of IPREX, the $420m network of independent communications firms with 1,100 professionals in 100 offices around the world. IPREX recently released insights…

Read More

Managing the Stress of Transition

There’s a lot in transition right now: fall to winter, hybrid restrictions to remote everything (again), a Trump administration to a Biden administration, 2020 into 2021. Just to name a few. And transitions can be very stressful, as we process things that are ending (especially things we will miss) and anticipate the unknowns ahead. But…

Read More

The Dirty Little Secret to Surviving an Economic Crisis

On April 10, 45 leading economists said a recession has begun. Further, the group polled by the National Association for Business Economics said the U.S. is likely to remain in recession through the first half of this year. The expectation of being in a significant downturn begs the question how best to navigate the next…

Read More

Rethinking in 2017: Change is Happening

We’re one week into the New Year, which means you are probably digging out and setting your priorities for 2017. Before any more time goes by… Take a moment and ask yourself, “What are you Rethinking this year?” Think change is happening too fast? Consider this: The pace of change will never be slower than it…

Read More