Blog

Lessons From Comedians On Communications

By Jennifer R. Hudson / June 18, 2026

I’ve always been intrigued by the art of stand-up comedy. I love getting wrapped up in the storytelling of a skilled comedian who can leave me breathless with laughter! Humor is so unique and specific to each of us, but it’s also a universal connector. Even when you don’t speak the same language, have the…

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Why R.P.I.E. Matters More Than Ever

By Jennifer R. Hudson / May 29, 2026

During a recent Strategic Communicators Collective Brain Trust Advisory session, I tasked the group with a project using Perplexity as a research and thinking partner — all through the lens of our beloved R.P.I.E. (Research, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation). I was intrigued by the idea of taking this powerful communications planning framework and pairing it with a new tool in…

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The Mental Load Communicators Are Carrying

By Jennifer R. Hudson / May 14, 2026

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so it feels like a good time to address the deeper pressure that comes with helping organizations communicate in a moment when everything just feels so complicated. Communicators are being asked to develop clear, values-driven, credible content while also navigating changing expectations around language, politics, and stakeholder trust. This is…

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Why Funding is Essential for Nonprofit  Communications

By Jennifer R. Hudson / April 30, 2026

In my work with nonprofit leaders and communicators, I continue to see how communications is expected to accomplish so much with so little. The money required just can’t keep up with what’s needed to create insights-driven content and activities that move people to give, engage, partner or support. This year, I had the opportunity once…

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How Communicators Can Reinforce Core Values

By Jennifer R. Hudson / February 24, 2026

I don’t know about you, but I tell leaders they should never worry about over-communicating — especially when it comes to vision, core values, and goals. And that’s because they rarely do. In fact, they don’t communicate them enough. More often than not, organizations falter when it comes to reinforcing core values. And when they’re…

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What This Year Reinforced About Strategic Communications

By Jennifer R. Hudson / December 29, 2025

As this year comes to a close, I’m reflecting less on what happened in 2025 and more on what it revealed. One clear revelation is that organizations moved forward when leaders truly understood the value of strategic communications — not as output, but as a disciplined path to impact and results. I saw leaders and their teams…

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Are You Talking to the Right People?

By Jennifer R. Hudson / December 16, 2025

There’s one recommendation I always make to business leaders: Take the time to identify, prioritize and justify the stakeholders most important to your success — and do so with your team. Their input is worth its weight in gold if you want to communicate with relevance and authenticity. It’s misguided to assume you know what your ideal…

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The Most Overlooked Leadership Tool? Space to Think

By Jennifer R. Hudson / November 14, 2025

I’m often in conversation with CEOs and business leaders whose calendars are packed with client meetings, “quick syncs,” conferences, and community engagements. They’re usually well-read, well-prepared, and genuinely committed to growth. And yet they still struggle to find the time to just…think. Strategic thinking helps leaders identify emerging opportunities, anticipate market shifts, and prioritize resources, but…

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How Misalignment Derails Great Communications

By Jennifer R. Hudson / October 17, 2025

You can have the smartest strategy, the best creative, and a full calendar of campaigns, but if the messaging across your organization isn’t aligned, impact slips through the cracks. Mixed messages don’t just confuse audiences; that misalignment creates internal chaos, too. They show up when: Sound familiar? Here’s what I’ve seen time and again: misalignment doesn’t…

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When Company Values and Actions Don’t Match

By Jennifer R. Hudson / June 4, 2025

Your company’s values should guide every decision – from hiring to customer service to crisis response.  When they don’t, the consequences can be severe.  I saw this firsthand when a company I worked with faced internal backlash for how leadership responded to a public issue.  Employees called leaders out, both internally and externally, because their…

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