Powerful Communication Podcast

In an ultra competitive environment, don't get your friends to run your media training and crisis comms. It's absoltuely essential you get an insight into what people are saying about you. What assumptions the media are making about you and what stories they are looking to tell. A sympathetic outsider will be worth their weight in gold. Someone who isn't afraid to spell out how it is and then help you gain the upper hand.

This podcast episode from the Powerful Communication Podcast features Colin Kelly emphasizing the critical need for individuals to exercise their influence rather than deferring action until they achieve perceived success. Kelly illustrates this principle using the recent example of musician Olivia Dean, who used her platform to successfully challenge major corporations over exorbitant secondary ticket resale prices. Dean's swift, public communication resulted in companies like Ticketmaster agreeing to both refund fans who paid above face valueand cap future resale prices within days. This narrative serves as the central argument that people must use their power and stand by their values immediately instead of delaying principled action until they feel safe or established. Kelly concludes by encouraging listeners to tap into their fundamental purpose, asserting that effective communication is akin to the irresistible power of a crying baby whose instincts command unavoidable attention and rapid results.

Colin Kelly from the powerful communication podcast from Comteria examines the significant lessons available following the disruptive Celtic Annual General Meeting (AGM). The meeting was closed after continuous protest and disruption, including shouting, booing, and showing red cards, preventing shareholders from asking questions in the open format. The episode argues that Celtic PLC should have anticipated the protests, given prior fan statements and protests at games, knowing that many unhappy protestors were also shareholders. A key communication failure was placing Chairman Peter Lawwell in the weak position of appealing directly to shareholders to behave. Kelly advocates for having an independent, good communicator host the proceedings, representing the venue rather than the PLC, to handle enforcement of rules—a tactic mirrored by venue security procedures often used in situations like WWE wrestling events. Furthermore, the episode critiques the decision of a major majority shareholder to send his son to read a pre-prepared statement that used "tough language" about behavior and disruption, arguing that this was asking for trouble, especially since the shareholder was not prepared to face the people being referenced. Based on the events, Kelly states he would be very surprised if Peter Lawwell remains in post.

In this episode of the Powerful Communication Podcast, host Colin Kelly explores why it is vital for board members, owners, shareholders, and "silent partners" to cultivate some form of public profile and speak out. The central argument is that silence creates risk: If the only time the public hears from governance leaders is when a crisis occurs, they have done nothing to build goodwill, rapport, or a relationship. This absence of communication means that when something goes wrong, the public might not trust or like the leaders because they were never given an opportunity to get to know them. Learn why the typical governance argument—that boards should not "tread on toes" or speak when the day-to-day management team should be addressing issues—is often used as a shield or a diversion to justify avoiding public engagement. Kelly discusses real-world examples, including situations involving Historic Environment Scotland and Celtic football club, where the anonymity of leaders resulted in a vacuum filled with rumor, speculation, and innuendo. He argues that proactive communication is good for transparency, democracy, and accountability. Communication is a learnable skill, and leaders should embrace routes like social media or their own YouTube channel to give people the chance to get to know them. When leaders—like Sir Richard Branson—cultivate a reputation while things are good, the public is more likely to trust them when difficulties arise. Stepping into this truth brings "freedom" and "peace and security".