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Forbes
24-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How Leaders Build Trust When Everything Feels Unstable
Jonas Barck is the Director of Enterprise Marketing at Mentimeter, a leading audience engagment platform in the world. Companies are managing through relentless uncertainty—economic volatility, tech disruption, political polarization and evolving workforce expectations. During times of instability and uncertainty, employees can feel adrift. They may worry about their employer's ability to weather a financial storm or feel insecure about their role within the organization. Some degree of worry, confusion and even fear is unavoidable at work. How do organizations lead their employees through deep uncertainty with clarity and purpose? How can leaders calm worries and offer a vision employees want to follow? Strong leaders lean into the discomfort by initiating high-impact, two-way conversations with employees that both comfort and empower. These conversations can be large gatherings related to a company's strategic direction, creative brainstorms within a department or smaller dialogues. All offer ways for employees to be heard and feel a part of an organization's evolution and growth during challenging times. Many organizations don't prioritize two-way conversations because they're unscripted, making leaders feel vulnerable. However, vulnerability here is an asset, not a sign of weakness. Honest, constructive conversations can strengthen your organization's sense of community and shared purpose. They can also model an openness to perspectives from across the organization, at all levels, in pursuit of inspired, effective solutions. What's involved in constructive conversations? Two-way conversations, whether large or small, require thoughtful planning. Consider these steps for success: Facilitating productive conversations is part art, part science. Offer guidance to managers and leaders about how to foster productive, two-way conversations. These include: • Listening without judgment and valuing employee opinions • Responding empathetically to employee input • Converting raw ideas into practical, actionable steps Especially for larger, more consequential conversations, it's important not to outsource the role of facilitator to an outside expert. By hosting conversations, leaders can help grow a strong feeling of community among employees, but they need to be visible on the front lines of the effort. While conversations are largely unscripted, they do require careful planning. First, facilitators can design "framing questions" that capture the central challenges and opportunities the company or team faces. Juanita Brown and David Isaacs, senior affiliates at the MIT Center for Organizational Learning, wrote that organizations can wrestle with foundational challenges by framing powerful questions. They shared the example of McDonald's founder Ray Kroc, whose framing question could be described as, "How can we assure a consistent hamburger for people who are traveling on the road?" They wrote that "strategic questions create dissonance between current experiences and beliefs while evoking new possibilities for collective discovery." Leaders who want to use two-way conversations as a way to catalyze growth and change within their organizations should game-plan important, strategic questions in advance. Using the right technology can help make conversations productive and inclusive. Delivering a presentation deck and then opening the meeting for comments won't do the trick. Use interactive technology that invites everyone to feel part of the conversation. Look for: • Features that encourage participants to add to the conversation, whether in live discussions or via sidebar messaging. The tool you use should also offer employees the option to participate anonymously. It should also include moderation tools to help guide conversations productively. • Options for polling or collecting feedback in real time. This is especially important in enabling facilitators to "take the temperature" of the room as the conversation unfolds. • Options to track ideas and feedback during the conversation, and synthesize key findings—no matter whether the ideas came from the discussion, sidebar chats or polling. Demonstrate to employees that when they give honest feedback, leaders hear them clearly. In some cases, it's as simple as sending a follow-up communication to thank individuals for their openness, repeating what was discussed and documenting next steps. Other conversations are so consequential that they require clear action. For example, you can organize work groups to study and/or advance the ideas raised in two-way conversations. The payoff from hosting these conversations can be enormous. A workplace that supports and encourages conversation offers its employees "psychological safety"—the ability to ask questions, make (and admit to) mistakes, propose unconventional ideas or push back on colleagues' ideas. These are key ingredients for an organization to experiment, evolve and thrive. Honest and open conversations also support a strong feeling of community and inclusion, which is deeply important during times of turbulence and uncertainty. For leaders, facilitated conversations are a way to receive unmediated feedback from employees. Too often, senior executives hear from their staff through the filter of management, which may have its own preconceived ideas or biases. This can be particularly counterproductive during times of rapid change and uncertainty. Whether a leader wants to strengthen the company's culture, pivot into new markets or understand how to be more agile in the face of changing conditions, honest conversations are a critical tool to guide their decisions. Keep an open mind, be curious, and see where the conversation leads. Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
Indian Express
22-04-2025
- Indian Express
Embracing AI responsibly: PRSI Dehradun marks National Public Relations Day with workshop
In recognition of National Public Relations Day, the Dehradun Chapter of the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI) hosted a workshop on 'Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence: Role of Public Relations'. The event, held on Monday, brought together senior officials, public relations professionals, and technology experts to deliberate on the ethical and effective use of artificial intelligence in public communications. Director General of Information and Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) Vice Chairman Banshidhar Tiwari was the chief guest. Accompanying him were Joint Director of Information Dr Nitin Upadhyay, Badrikedar Temple Committee CEO Vijay Thapliyal, and PRSI Dehradun Chapter president Ravi Vijarania. In his keynote address, Tiwari underscored the importance of preserving human values amid a surge in technological innovation. 'While artificial intelligence can enhance efficiency, we must remain vigilant about how we use the time and resources it saves,' he said. He stressed the need for authenticity in communication and warned against the spread of misinformation, encouraging a balance between technological tools and human connection. Echoing this sentiment, Dr Nitin Upadhyay spoke of the dual nature of emerging technologies. 'AI offers immense potential, but we must establish clear boundaries to ensure it complements rather than replaces human intelligence,' he said, advocating for public awareness and education regarding AI's capabilities and risks, especially within the field of public relations. Adding to the discourse, Vijay Thapliyal said that while AI may simulate many human functions, it cannot replicate human emotion. 'AI is both a blessing and a challenge – it is up to us how we choose to engage with it,' he said. AI expert Akash Sharma offered a practical perspective. He introduced participants to a suite of AI tools used in public relations, including ChatGPT, Canva AI, Mentimeter, Meltwater, SocialBee, and Mailchimp. 'AI is not here to replace us,' he said, 'but to make our work more efficient and impactful. In a people-centric profession like PR, AI should serve as an enhancer – not a substitute.' Among the attendees were PRSI Dehradun Chapter Secretary Anil Sati, Treasurer Suresh Chandra Bhatt, and members Sudhakar Bhatt, Vaibhav Goyal, Rakesh Dobhal, Ajay Dabral, Deepak Sharma, Prashant Rawat, Jyoti Negi, Shivangi, Manmohan Bhatt, Sanjay Singh, and Pratap Singh Bisht.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Time of India
Maintaining humanity in the age of AI essential: DG information Banshidhar Tiwari
DG Information Director general of information and vice chairman of MDDA Banshidhar Tiwari emphasized that maintaining humanity is essential even in the age of Artificial Intelligence. He urged everyone to understand their responsibilities in today's technological era. On the occasion of National Public Relations Day , a workshop was organized on Monday in Dehradun by the Dehradun Chapter of the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI). The theme of the workshop was " Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence : Role of Public Relations." The workshop was inaugurated by chief guest Tiwari, along with Dr. Nitin Upadhyay, joint director of information; Vijay Thapliyal, CEO of Badrikedar Temple Committee; and Ravi Vijarania, president of PRSI Dehradun Chapter, by lighting the ceremonial lamp. In his address, Tiwari stated that in this era of rapid technological advancement, it is our collective responsibility to uphold human values. He noted that while AI saves time, we must be mindful of how we use that saved time. He encouraged staying connected with both social media and family/society. Before forwarding or sharing any information, it is vital to verify its authenticity, as misinformation can have a negative impact on individuals and society alike. While AI can generate content, integrating personal thoughts and experiences is essential. Responsible use of AI is our duty, and there is a growing need to raise awareness about it. Upadhyay remarked that every new technology brings challenges, as well as new opportunities and possibilities. As AI becomes more prevalent, it is crucial to set boundaries on its use. He emphasized that we must not become entirely dependent on AI and should maintain our own capabilities. In the field of public relations, AI should remain a supporting tool. There is a need to educate the public about the benefits and potential harms of AI. Thapliyal said that while AI can provide almost everything, it cannot replicate emotions, which are unique to humans. He suggested viewing AI as both a boon and a challenge. Technical exper Akash Sharma gave a presentation on "Responsible Use of AI in Public Relations ." He explained that AI is not replacing us but is making our work more effective. Public relations is a people-centric field, and AI helps enhance speed and accuracy. He also introduced various AI tools like ChatGPT, Canva AI, Google Forms, Mentimeter, SlidesAI, Buffer/ Hootsuite, Meltwater / Brand24, Talkwalker, Google Alerts, Later, SocialBee, Mailchimp and Hunter among others. Vijarania highlighted the importance of organizing the workshop on the occasion of National Public Relations Day. The event was anchored by Anil Verma. Among the attendees were PRSI Dehradun Chapter secretary Anil Sati, treasurer Suresh Chandra Bhatt, members Sudhakar Bhatt, Vaibhav Goyal, Rakesh Dobhal, Ajay Dabral, Deepak Sharma, Prashant Rawat, Jyoti Negi, Shivangi, Manmohan Bhatt, Sanjay Singh, and Pratap Singh Bisht.
