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Tag: leadership

Building Your Personal Brand

Written by Lauren Musiol on . Posted in Building Credibility, Positioning Issues and Brands.

This article previously appeared in Bulldog Reporter.

Promoting the thought-leadership profile of our clients is a hallmark capability of The Reis Group and something that we do for our health care clients regularly. As the pandemic continues to threaten the health and economy of our nation, and social injustice issues still occupy center stage, it’s more important than ever to amplify the strengths of every organization’s leadership and to position the C-Suite as thought leaders to establish a credible and strong voice in the current climate, and bolster the relevancy of the organization and its issues.

But it’s also equally important to think about your personal brand as well. The old saying “the cobbler’s kids have no shoes” can ring true for public relations professionals. We spend so much time establishing our clients as thought leaders that we can easily forget to practice what we preach for our own public profile.

Establishing yourself as a thought leader will enable you to do four key things: build credibility for you and your organization, expand your network, develop your professional skillset, and create new opportunities for collaboration.

There’s no single way to successfully build your personal brand, but here are a few tips and tricks to get you started.

Social media is your friend.
While it’s fun to look at pictures and life updates on various social platforms, utilizing social media, particularly LinkedIn and Twitter, can help establish you as a thought leader and build your credibility and following. Try sharing relevant articles written by others and adding your point of view to provide a glimpse into your understanding and thinking. Or consider expanding the reach of your perspective by sharing posts, articles, and blogs you have developed, or media stories that you have helped to place. You can also engage with those in your network by “liking” and commenting on their posts. Social media also offers another opportunity to leverage your attendance at events by sharing relevant content and connecting with other attendees.

Share your voice.
Developing commentaries or blogs is an easy way to widely share your expertise on a particular topic. Look for opportunities in industry trade publications to share your thinking and experience. These placements will bolster your expertise around a particular topic, generate content you can share via social, and even create potential speaking opportunities on related topics.

Get involved.
While it may seem like yet another time-consuming commitment to add to your ever-growing to-do list, joining professional organizations can help expand your personal and professional development in important ways. Your membership may create networking opportunities with other like-minded professionals that may result in a connection to a new hire or a new business opportunity. It can also help to broaden your knowledge through courses, seminars, and lectures to keep you up to date on the latest industry innovations, research, and trends. Additionally, your membership may even provide opportunities to develop your leadership skills through committee and Board positions.

Don’t be afraid to speak up.
Finding opportunities to share your knowledge via speaking engagements at professional meetings, conferences, or local universities can further highlight your expertise on a particular topic or issue and build your presentation skill-set. It can also help you to make connections with fellow presenters and attendees and may open the door for future speaking opportunities.

So, as you think about the challenges ahead in 2021, remember that investing in yourself is important! You are your best asset, so make sure to carve out the time to do this–and have fun with it!

There’s No “I” in Team, but “Client” Belongs in Great Teamwork

Written by Beth Casteel on . Posted in Firm Culture.

One of the pleasures of working for a boutique health care public relations agency is the teamwork that is possible or, in my view, required, to do top-notch work for our clients. The Reis Group has small teams dedicated to each of our clients, but we readily reach outside assigned teams to tap the strengths and expertise of colleagues. For instance, I might grab a co-worker to brainstorm a subject line for a media pitch, and another colleague will ask me for feedback on a commentary or news release for another team. Or when there is an urgent deadline, we may pull a larger team together to get a job done.

This collaboration is even better when we work in this same team spirit with our clients.

Recently, a client asked us to expand a short article we had written with them into a substantial piece for a professional journal—with a deadline just three days away. Since the journal only publishes twice a year, this was the only chance to get their timely story and insights onto this forum for their peers.

This was a significant effort in a short time. We told the client that to meet the deadline, we needed answers to a list of questions and links to supporting research by the next morning. Internally, my team cleared the decks for me for a day and a half so I could dig into the background, do additional research, and draft an article that would meet the standards of the target journal.

We feared the client would be discouraged by the timeline, but instead, they responded, “We’re on it!” By morning, we had detailed responses and great links to additional research to support the main points of the article. They had divided and conquered with their own team effort on this part of the project.

The client’s can-do enthusiasm jacked up my motivation. Eager to make this a win for them, I doubled down and completed a draft ahead of schedule. My team covered for me in meetings, helped juggle other projects, and created endnotes, a cover letter, and bios required for the journal article submission.

Our internal editor cleared his schedule to give the article some final tweaks, and we had a well-researched and well-written 1,300-word draft that was enthusiastically received by the client in plenty of time for them to review and submit.

Positive attitude and enthusiastic teamwork changed a daunting project into a fun and rewarding effort.

A Formative Four Years

Written by Sharon Reis on . Posted in Firm Culture, Our Take.

It’s hard for me to believe that we are already celebrating the fourth anniversary of the founding of The Reis Group.  As I thought about this milestone and about my original vision to create a health care public relations agency with the best possible work culture, I was wonderfully gratified to get the news that we were just named one of the “Best Boutique Agencies to Work For” by PRovoke, one of the leading industry trade news outlets.

To be recognized for our culture, being named one of the best in the nation in the “most voluminous and competitive” category, according to PRovoke, is very rewarding for me both professionally and personally. Having a strong, talented, supportive team has been a joy, and it gives me hope for much success in the next year and beyond.

As I looked back at the four-year mark, I found myself marveling at how much has changed in such a short time, even before our world was upended by COVID-19.

The Cloud

When we moved into our brand new Dupont Circle office in Washington, D.C. in 2016, we worked with our tech expert to put all our content into the cloud and to have everything accessible virtually. It’s been an amazing change, particularly with our increased travel schedules, to have the ability to work from anywhere and have access to all our files. And it enabled us to buy the lightest laptops available, which was fantastic news for my poor sore shoulder!

Remote Work

Long before COVID-19, we started working remotely once a week on the day of your choice. But that became too confusing; some people would take it, others wouldn’t. It got to the point where we didn’t know whether someone was in or out of the office. We had a solution: “Work From Home Fridays.” Everyone would get the benefit. Everyone would be required to use video calls as the primary form of communication. Everyone needed to have a home office set up. Wow! Did that ever pay off when the coronavirus hit!

Working from home one day a week is fun. Working from home every day is just hard. I miss my co-workers! Getting coffees together. Chatting about the weekend. Noticing a new piece of clothing or a desk decoration. Being able to tell how each of us is doing by reading our body language. Let’s face it; you really can’t do that as well on Zoom. We are on virtual calls every day together, but nothing replaces being in each other’s presence.

Health Care’s Transformation

Our firm is focused on health and health care. I’ve dedicated the last 20-plus years of my life to these issues. So much has changed so quickly in both a scary and exciting way. Disparities, telehealth, questions about insurance coverage, access to care, prevention, mental health, reimbursement issues, scope of practice, and more. Never have these challenges been more apparent or important.

Supporting Our Community

The sweeping protests around the world are sparking historic changes that have been too long coming. As an employer, I am strongly committed to equity and to having a team that reflects our community, that is open to ideas from everyone, and that supports each other’s successes. Every June, we donate to a cause that helps the community. This year, we made a donation to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

My Proudest Moment

When we opened our doors four years ago, I said something that still holds true and that I keep near my heart. “To give it my best—to really make it shine—I need to work with the best people; people who share my values and my commitment to excellence. I have to work in a culture of support, in which our team members see that a major part of our work is to build each other up and help each other succeed.” I’m very grateful to know that we are doing that, and will continue…

Think Like a Thought Leader

Think Like a Thought Leader

Written by Peter Perl on . Posted in Building Credibility.

Our high-speed, media-saturated digital world sometimes feels like a dense, dark jungle with huge shadowy trees and thick tangled vines that block out most of the sunlight and leave us in darkness.

Our job in health care public relations is to shine a light to cut through this darkness on behalf of our clients and highlight their work, their mission, and their values. In the health and science field, we have the ability—and the obligation—to build our clients’ credibility and elevate their reputations so that their key achievements and messages do not get lost in the information wilderness of social media.

“Thought Leadership” has become the mantra for this type of work. At The Reis Group, we represent a wide variety of clients who are doing cutting-edge work in specialized areas such as integrative health, epidemiology, pediatric health, Alzheimer’s prevention, cost containment, and much more. We can effectively promote the value of our clients’ work—if we do it the right way.

In the worlds of health care, science and medicine, the key executives, scientists, and researchers have the ability to become recognized leaders in their fields through op-eds, broadcast appearances, speaking engagements, letters to the editor and other opportunities. After 40 years working in the media, the last seven in public relations, here are a few of my tips on how to help make this happen.

Be ready to respond quickly: In the Twitter universe, the news is non-stop, so at any moment, we have to be poised to act immediately. For us, the COVID-19 pandemic is the most vivid recent example of the need to be constantly aware of how events move so rapidly that we must always be ready.

Be ready to respond smartly: We try to know all the potential outlets that might be interested in hearing from our leaders. Whether it’s a short, quick letter or a substantive commentary, we cultivate contacts with journalists and publishers who may be most receptive to our messages.

Know the message: Our clients have devoted their careers to representing specialized populations and the targeted audiences who care deeply about their issues. We have to be in a position to know how any breaking news event may relate to the specific topics that are our clients’ major areas of interest.

Know the messenger: Our leaders have carefully nuanced positions on issues. We need to talk with them as often as possible, interview them on major topics of the day whenever possible, and keep up on their published writing and research.

Speak in their voice, not yours: Our thought leaders are passionate about their issues and have distinct ways of expressing themselves on the most vital topics. We should be able to virtually memorize the language that they would use. Then, when the client sees the message that we are planning to put out, they feel that the voice is authentic.

This kind of work is competitive and difficult, but it’s definitely worth the planning and the effort.

Two of The Reis Group’s Senior Leaders Talk about Life at the Agency

Written by Staff on . Posted in Firm Culture.

The Reis Group recently announced the promotion of two of its senior leaders, Lauren Musiol and Tamara Moore, to Senior Vice Presidents. Together they bring a combined 26 years of experience working on the team.

In the Q&A below, Lauren and Tamara answer five questions about their careers, team, and what they need to be their best.

Q: What interests you most about Health care PR?

Lauren: Health and health care are such an important part of everyone’s lives. Getting to work on issues and topics that directly impact people’s health and wellbeing makes my job interesting and rewarding.

Tamara: I totally agree! I am also fascinated by the issues we get to work on. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a boring day in the office between promoting scientific studies to following the latest policy debate – there is so much depth and diversity to what we do that keeps the work interesting.

Q: Millennials aren’t known for their job loyalty, especially in industries like PR. What has made you stay with Sharon for the past 13 years?

Tamara: We have pretty low turnover, so this type of longevity is a part of our culture. I often hear from friends and colleagues outside of TRG how strange they think it is that I’ve worked with the same team for more than a decade, but Sharon and Lauren have been two of my closest colleagues in this time, so it hasn’t felt strange that we’ve stuck together.

Lauren: Our team really is a close-knit group. Also, as a boss and a mentor, Sharon encourages us to continuously grow and evolve. This constant support provides opportunities to challenge ourselves and one another to stay on top of growing trends in the industry while mastering the tried and true skills that are necessary to be a successful PR professional.

Q: You manage some of TRG’s major clients, such as Banner Alzheimer’s Institute and Nemours Children’s Health System. How do you successfully manage and deliver success with so many competing priorities?

Lauren: The key for me is organization and being able to determine what needs to be done now while looking ahead at the bigger picture. A big part of being able to do that is being part of a strong team that supports each other to ensure we are delivering the best service and most innovative ideas to our clients.

Tamara: Lauren is an absolute organizational goddess! Personally, I have about five to-do lists scattered across scrap paper. In all honesty, though, there is a certain focus and drive to overcome challenges and deliver success. We also have an amazing team that comes together to balance each other’s work loads and complement one another’s expertise.

Q: What makes you the best version of yourself? Or What are your passions?

Tamara: I am the best version of myself when I’m able to achieve my version of balance. This includes quality time with my family, working through deliverables for clients and feeling that sense of accomplishment, as well as taking care of myself by staying active and sleeping well. There is also a healthy amount of coffee that goes into this equation.

Lauren: I am very passionate about being active, so getting outside for a run or going to a class at the gym helps keep me calm and grounded, as well as helps me manage the stress of such a fast-paced industry.

Q: What advice do you live by?

Lauren: My motto is “wherever you are, be all there.” Too often we are focused on the next thing – whether that be checking the next item off our to-do list or answering that next email. It’s really important to fully engaged and bring your full attention to what you’re doing, whether it’s writing a high-level strategy memo or meeting with your team.

Tamara: I love that! For years, this Albert Einstein quote has stuck with me, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” In so much of what we do we are simplifying and translating, but without a deep understanding of the issues there is no way we’d be successful.

Growth Spurt. Excitement at Age 3

Written by Sharon Reis on . Posted in Firm Culture.

When we started our adventure three years ago, we felt the thrill of the new: a new name, new logo, new offices, new furniture, new benefits, new opportunities. And even new coffee shops and fresh new lunch options in our spiffy new Dupont Circle home.

As we celebrate our third anniversary today, we are filled with a surge of energy, a sense of momentum, and great excitement about how far we have come and how much further we want to go, together. Kind of like a growth spurt of an excited 3-year old.

We recently were honored to be named one of the best new agencies of the year by PRSA’s National Capital Chapter, and PR News recognized The Reis Group as one of the best places to work. In fact, in our three years in business, we have won 9 industry awards, and I couldn’t be prouder.

Our clients are leaders in advancing some of the country’s most pressing health and social causes. Many are focusing on new ventures in exploring health, well-being, complementary medicine, and the social determinants of health. Science promotion is more exciting than ever, as we move closer to finding a way to prevent devastating diseases ranging from childhood cancers to Alzheimer’s. Other clients are researching the hidden drivers of health care costs and educating the public. We continue to be in awe of our client partners who are incredibly smart, talented, and committed to making the world a better place.

As we enter our fourth year, we are growing in our personal lives, too. Tamara Moore, vice president, just this week gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Our colleague Kathleen Petty, account supervisor, is expecting her first child later this year. And my own baby just graduated from high school and is heading off this fall to college!

To our current clients, partners, and friends, we are grateful for you. You are the heart and soul of our success. We deeply value your support.

To my amazing colleagues, I am honored to be with you on this continuing adventure.

Thank you.

Sharon

The Bicycle Connection: Focus on the Top

Written by Beth Casteel on . Posted in Positioning Issues and Brands.

I ride my bike to work as often as the weather, my schedule and daylight will allow. After Daylight Savings Time this spring, I found my first opportunity since Thanksgiving to ride the 10 miles from my home in Virginia to The Reis Group’s office in Washington’s Dupont Circle. The ride home is particularly challenging. It includes some intensely difficult climbs, especially two consecutive hills known by local commuters as “The Twin Sisters.” In the years I’ve been riding in this area, The Sisters have been my big test. On some of my worst days, joggers have passed me by as I shifted to my lowest gear and labored toward the top. On my very worst days, I stop at the first lamppost halfway up the first and hardest of The Sisters and trudge my bike up the hill.

Heading home on my first bike commute this spring, as I approached that first hill, I couldn’t take my eyes off a huge puddle near the bottom. If no bikes were coming the other way, I could go around the puddle to the left where the water was lowest. Or I could ride right through it, and certainly spray water and mud up my back and all over the newly cleaned bike. When I reached the puddle, I made it through just fine at a spot where the water was low, but then I immediately had to stop, without the momentum or strength to go any further. I got off the bike and pushed it up the hill. Got back on at the top, and completed my ride feeling dejected.

It hadn’t been that long since I had been bike commuting at least two or three days a week. In the fall, I had even felt great on a week-long bike ride across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Over the winter, I had lost a few pounds and done yoga and mountain climbers in my living room to keep up my core strength and endurance. Now, on my first ride of the spring, I couldn’t even make it to the lamppost. I felt even more tired the rest of the way home. I calculated that if I rode at least twice a week through April, maybe I could get back on my game by the end of April or early May.

A week after that first discouraging commute, my schedule, weather and daylight cooperated again, and I got another chance. As I approached The Twin Sisters, there was still water on the trail. I decided this time not to focus on the water or getting past it. I decided not to worry about the darn lamppost either. My focus was fixed squarely on the top of the first Sister. This time, I made it. No problem. And then the second hill: No problem!

The rest of my trip home, feeling elated and strong, I thought about how this experience reminded me that staying focused on the primary objective—making the top of the hill without getting distracted by tactics—is critical in our communications work. Communications planning must begin with a clear vision of our goals that we remain focused on through any project. It’s easy to get wrapped up and diverted by the details, focusing first on the particulars of the press releases, social media and other tactics that are critical to our work. But to reach our primary objectives and remain energized and focused, we have to keep our eyes on the big picture communications strategy: What are our client’s goals? Who is their audience? What is important to them? Where do we want to end up?

Whatever we encounter along the way, we must always bring our energy and our focus back to the top of the hill.

A Day in the Life of Sharon Reis

Written by Staff on . Posted in Firm Culture.

Sharon Reis, our fearless leader, was recently featured on The Native Society. Take a glimpse into a day in her life, fueled in part by copious amounts of coffee!

6:00 AM

I begin almost every day with sweating. I am either finishing up a 5 a.m. workout class, running through my neighborhood, or lifting weights at the gym. One secret to my routine is that I’ve pursued fitness with one of my closest friends for more than a decade–and I know she’ll be waiting for me at the end of my driveway, so I have to get out of bed or face her wrath!

10:00 AM

By now, my day is at full speed and usually jam-packed. I could be on client calls, mentoring my colleagues, meeting with our director of operations on running the business, or heading to the airport to fly to a client meeting in another state.

12:00 PM – Favorite Power Lunch spot/meal?

I have two favorite spots and they are across the street from each other: The Tabard Inn and Iron Gate. They are Dupont Circle institutions, and I often feel like I am magically transported to a European café when I am eating at either one.

7:00 PM

I am home with my family, getting dinner together with my husband, driving my daughters to sports or school activities, or discussing their homework.

11:00 PM

I am asleep! I love mornings, so I go to bed around 10 p.m. and get up before the sun rises.

What drink do you need to get through the day and at the end (and how many)?

Coffee is my drink of choice. I love it and don’t ever want to live without it. In February, I decided to start drinking it black and adjusted to it pretty quickly, and thought I actually liked it. However, when I took vacation in August, I absentmindedly put cream in my coffee on the first day away and realized just how much I loved it, missed it, and needed it back in my life! Cream really does make coffee taste better. My favorite cup is from my local coffee shop called Greenberry’s.

Most used App/Favorite Instagram Account?

I am a very loyal person, so when something works, I tend to stick with it, and that explains my app of choice – Words with Friends. I play it only with my sisters and their husbands, and I view it as a way to keep us connected. (I don’t win all the time, but I usually do, which, I confess, makes it extra fun.)

What should everyone try at least once?

Saying ‘yes’ to something you are resisting or fearing. Getting out of your comfort zone is always hard, but I find the more I resist an activity or a person, the worse it gets. So, say yes to something or someone you have been avoiding. You just might be surprised by what happens.

Where do you enjoy getting lost?

I enjoy getting lost in meditation. I discovered the practice more than five years ago and it changed my life. It provides clarity on life’s challenges and calms the mind. When I am practicing regularly, I find meditation wholeheartedly facilitates better decision-making and stirs creativity. However, the more stressed or busy I am, the harder it is to meditate. And, since no one has ever referred to me as relaxed and easy-going, it is a constant struggle, but well worth the effort.

Passion Points: What Drives You?

Written by Tamara Moore on . Posted in Firm Culture.

Health care PR, particularly in these politically turbulent and uncertain times, has become a 24/7 business. You’re expected to be supernaturally connected to your smartphone, your email, and all the key websites of the instantaneously changing news cycle. Not only is this unrealistic; it’s unwise, and even unhealthy. Research shows that a myopic and hyper-vigilant focus on work actually can lead to diminished productivity and reduced creativity. At The Reis Group, we encourage every team member to strive for balance: Embrace your passion. Get out of the office. Get to know something about each other beyond their coffee order.

As a working mom, my passion is my family. My favorite time of day is any minute the four of us are together – whether we’re acting out some wild scenario that my four-year-old has dreamed up, finding (or making) puddles to jump in, or having a dance party. This family time truly allows me to recharge, refocus, and get a better grasp on what’s really important to me.

The conveniences of a modern, progressive office with flex schedules, tele-work and relaxed summer hours allow our team to embrace our professional and personal passions in equal measure.

These passion-points are a source of creative energy. They’re what drive us to keep going at the end of a hard day. They excite us, spurring our most imaginative moments. And give us sharper focus, keeping our attention through long meetings.

These personal preferences and individual passions – whether it’s coffee, fitness, travel, photography, storytelling, wellbeing, psychology or politics – allow each of us to be more. Our team chemistry is the heart and soul of The Reis Group. It is our thinking, knowledge, energy and creativity that endear us to – and inspire loyalty from – our clients, set us apart from other firms, and create a fun and supportive culture.

We do more than “show up.” We push ourselves beyond what’s expected to be at the top of our game. This collective inner drive connects each individual with our broader culture.

We work hard. We play hard. For our clients, and for ourselves.

Take a look at our passion points:

The Art of Working Remotely

Written by Lauren Musiol on . Posted in Firm Culture.

According to GlobalWorkplaceAnalytics.com, 50% of the U.S. workforce holds a job that is compatible with at least partial telework, and approximately 20-25% of the workforce teleworks with some frequency. This is a more than 100% increase since 2005, and represents a major shift in workplace dynamics.

Every industry is different, but in the world of health care public relations, our regular work day is constantly changing and allowing for greater flexibility. As someone who has been working remotely full-time for the last five years, I’ve identified several tips for ensuring a successful work-from-home experience.

  • Be prepared–and then prepare some more. When you work remotely – whether full-time or one day a week – you need to ensure that all calls and meetings, both internal and external, run smoothly and successfully. This requires some extra preparation on your part. From making sure that you and your colleagues have all the necessary materials that will be discussed to ensuring the technology you are using works correctly (Ahem… make sure your phone charger is always handy), it is your responsibility to make sure the experience is as seamless as possible.
  • Make sure you have the proper equipment. Working from home should be an extension of your regular workday, just without the commute or the water cooler chatter. So it is vital to that you have all the proper equipment, from computer to phone to software. You must be able to access all documents just as you would if you were in the office, so that it’s always “business as usual” regardless of your physical location. The ability to quickly and easily share screens with my colleagues has been extremely helpful to me, as I have navigated the work-from-home landscape.
  • Don’t underestimate the power of the telephone. Picking up the phone and talking to your colleagues is a huge part of successfully working remotely. While so much of what we do can be communicated via email, there is inherent value to actually talking with your colleagues, building relationships, and clearing up any miscommunication that may occur via email.
  • Minimize distractions. Make sure you have a thoughtfully designated space for your work area. Whether it be an entire office in your house, a desk in a spare bedroom, or a back corner table at a local coffee shop, it’s important to designate the best space for work to ensure productivity. You know your work style best, so make sure you choose a spot that’s compatible with your needs, and with whatever’s on your plate for that day. For example, if you know you are giving an important presentation over the phone, the local coffee shop may not be the best location, as the background may be distracting and can seem unprofessional.

Do you have telework benefits at your company? What are your tips for success?

Also, consider taking this quiz to see if working remotely is a good fit for you.