This TIME analysis by Alana Semuels released this August reveals that more than 200,000 women have left the U.S. workforce this year alone, not because they’ve lost ambition, but because they’ve lost options. As companies double down on return-to-office mandates, many of the professionals who fueled post-pandemic growth are stepping away, disillusioned by the erosion of flexibility that once allowed them to balance career and caregiving. It’s a striking reversal of progress, and a signal that rigid [...]

By Brian Besanceney Around this time last year, fresh off leaving my most recent corporate job, I got a call from Jane Randel telling me about an exciting new project she was working on with other senior leaders to bring the fractional executive leadership model to our profession. My first reaction was: “Sounds interesting.  But what’s fractional?” As she explained the concept, I realized I’d seen this model before with senior leaders in other professions. [...]

A Future-Oriented, Practical Program for Communicators by Communicators Every day we see the impact of AI in every corner of our lives.  It’s no longer enough to simply know what AI is or to experiment with tools. Communicators need to guide their companies, translate complex concepts for internal and external stakeholders, and navigate both the opportunities and risks of a rapidly evolving technology. That’s where The Responsible AI Comms Lab comes in. Starting September 30, this [...]

By Lisa Ryan, Partner, CommsCollectiv In 30 years of recruiting, I have seen searches that transformed organizations and searches that faltered and left businesses exposed at the worst possible moment. Depending on the circumstances, even a short gap in senior communications leadership can be damaging. Securing the right long-term hire and ensuring continuity during the search is critical. Hire for the Future, Not the Past One common mistake is companies hiring for yesterday’s challenges instead [...]

By Sabrina Guttman, Founder & Principal, Sagesse Communications Let's be honest: if you're leading communications right now, you're probably juggling way too much. Expectations keep rising, budgets keep shrinking, and somehow you're supposed to manage reputation, advise leadership, engage employees, and handle whatever crisis pops up next. Agencies can help, but they're not always the right fit – retainers are expensive, account teams turn over constantly, and you often end up managing junior people who [...]

By Laurie Hurley MacKenzie, Founder, LHM Partners Having led communications functions at high-growth companies and advised clients through periods of change, I’ve seen just how important the basics can be. As senior communications veterans, we have all experienced what happens when content creation, review, and approval processes lack structure, often leading to issues with version control, confusion, and ultimately delays. What often separates an effective communications team from one that improvises are clear, well-defined protocols [...]