Every communicator and PR professional needs to read the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations 2026 Global Communication Report: A Quiet Shift. Not because it will tell you what to believe. The report itself says it won’t. But because it surfaces the most consequential question facing our profession right now — and how you answer it will define both your organization’s communications strategy and, more importantly, its character. I was in Toronto in June presenting at the IABC World...

Image Credit: Nathan Archer (NationArcher.com). Initially appeared in the Tallahassee Democrat, part of the USA Today network. Let me tell you how almost every client engagement begins. A senior leader — well-meaning, genuinely troubled, often visibly uncomfortable — walks in and tells me some version of the same story. An employee filed a complaint. A team is in conflict. Someone said something. There was an incident. And now they need help with their “racism problem.” I appreciate the...

White neon sign on a black background with the words: "DO SOMETHING GREAT" in all caps. Marketing isn’t just what we say, it’s what we signal. And in a world that’s turning inward, where differences trigger distrust, those signals can land as questionable dog whistles or blatant bullhorns. But here’s the problem: insularity is killing trust. The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer paints a stark picture: 7 in 10 people avoid those who don’t share their values. Trust is highest in “my employer” but...