As FleishmanHillard’s chief talent officer, my job is to create workplace conditions where our employees can contribute at their highest level. I work with leaders around the network to create and nurture a culture where diverse perspectives and bold thinking are welcomed and encouraged. I love coaching dedicated employees on their own development and partnering with managers on the advancement of talented staff. Any culture award FleishmanHillard earns is special to me, but being listed as a 2019 National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) Top Companies for Executive Women list for the 10th straight year is extraordinary … especially since this is our firm’s fourth straight year ranking in the Top 10 of the “Top Companies for Executive Women.”

NAFE’s list consists of U.S. companies, across various industries, that are dedicated to the professional development and advancement of women. I want to share a few of the impressive statistics that earned FleishmanHillard a spot in the Top 10 of this prestigious list:

• Women hold half of the roles within the C-suite.
• Female leaders oversee more than half (64 percent) of our global practices and sector groups — including brand and consumer marketing, sports, TRUE Global Intelligence and technology.
• Women lead 59 percent of our offices around the globe.

One of our firm-wide leadership objectives is to place an even greater emphasis on diversity and opportunity for all. As our President & CEO, John Saunders said, “Our goal is to make FleishmanHillard the most inclusive global communications agency there is and nothing less.” And this NAFE recognition is made possible by the daily effort of staff, at all levels, to make our culture of inclusion come to life.

In terms of our NAFE recognition, we have many of the programs and policies you would expect of a best-in-class employer. Those programs are important, but for me they aren’t the difference-maker. What makes the difference, in my experience, is the fact that FleishmanHillard is a place where I have been encouraged to “go for it” every step of the way — by leaders and colleagues, men and women, alike. It’s a culture where I have never felt limited or boxed in; where I have had the opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone and grow beyond what I expected for myself. That’s a credit to our leadership over the years and their commitment to mentor and guide talent that is hungry for career growth.

We’re also a firm that never rests on our laurels, so we will continue our pursuit for a more diverse and inclusive organization. But, today, I am delighted to celebrate this NAFE honor as one important testament of our progress and commitment.

Preparing for your first job interview can be extremely nerve-wracking. Across the U.S., 20 percent of students will not complete high school on time and earn a diploma, so landing that first job can seem close to impossible. Many U.S. high schools do not have adequate resources available to help students start their careers, whether it be pursuing a college degree or going straight into the workforce.

To kick off FleishmanHillard’s 2019 FH4Inclusion efforts, our San Francisco office partnered with Junior Achievement (JA), a global non-profit organization that works to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in today’s global economy. Through a partnership that one of us brought from college, we were able to connect with JA in Northern California for this opportunity. JA programs foster work-readiness, entrepreneurship, financial literacy and use experiential learning to inspire students to dream big and reach their potential. Each year, JA helps more than 10 million students in 100+ countries prepare for their future, by providing them with a path towards college or joining the working world.

Our volunteers spent an afternoon at a local high school mentoring to help them develop the necessary skills for their first interview. This high school serves a diverse group of students, with 21 percent learning English as their second language, and 65 percent are on the free and reduced lunch program. We shared stories of our first interviews, reviewed resumes from juniors and seniors interested in careers across various industries and performed mock interviews, providing constructive feedback on ways for students to improve their interview skills. Our volunteers equipped these students with many of the skills they need, ranging from speaking slower to giving examples of challenges they have overcome to projecting confidence to rock an interview.

One of the best moments of the day for one of our volunteers was during a student’s mock interview when they were talking about how they don’t have time for any extracurricular activities. When the volunteer asked why, the student shared that they are responsible for taking care of their little sister right after school. The volunteer helped the student re-frame their response to highlight how their reliability can be a strength. The student had never considered speaking about their family care-taking obligations during an interview, but after today, they will continue to share how their personal experiences can show their character.

Today, 91 percent of millennials wish they had greater access to career education programs. Junior Achievement is providing students around the world with the life skills they need to land jobs and inspiring them to succeed in this tough economy. Together, we impacted more than 20 high schoolers in our community by preparing them for their next steps after high school.

(left to right: Wes Carlson, Jessica Yah-Lira, Sam Drexler, Michelle McCourt, Jenny Grich, Mary Ellen Green, Grace Vickers) 

Sam Drexler and Michelle McCourt support our healthcare team and Jenny Grich works in our reputation management practice. All are based out of our San Francisco office.

Today has been an incredible day. Despite having been to numerous large conferences in my time — Mobile World Congress, Cannes Lions, CES, Dreamforce to name a few — nothing could have prepared me for the quality, depth and scale of Web Summit.

At a time of great uncertainty for industry upon industry and the world itself, Web Summit has a mission to gather founders and CEOs — including our own CEO John Saunders — fast-growing startups, policymakers and heads of state to ask a simple question: Where to next? The event is called the “Davos for geeks” and you really can see why, when 70,000 people descend on Lisbon for the week to discuss some of the most pressing topics of our age.

And the topic that seems to be at the top of the agenda this year is fake news.

I had the pleasure of attending a discussion between John Saunders and Steve Clemons, Washington editor-at-large of The Atlantic, this morning, as well as a host of other discussion and panels throughout the day.

Here’s what I learned: There’s always been fake news, a tension between the teller and the listener or reader.

Ever since the invention of language, stories, gossip, tattletale, belief, disbelief, lies and truth have been part of the human condition. In the 17^th Century, England fell victim to the “Popish plot,” whereby lies about a Catholic plot to kill King Charles II led to the execution of 22 innocent men — fake news was causing devastation hundreds of years ago.

So, what’s changed?

First, the sheer volume of disinformation out there. Today, we are subject to an overwhelming tsunami of news. People check their phones about 150 times a day in the developed world, according to the Center for Humane Technology. This equates to once every 6.4 minutes in a 16-hour day. And more than 2 billion people use Facebook — which is staggeringly about the number of conventional followers of Christianity.

Second, there’s a profound change in the way we access information and news.

Here are some scary stats for you:

• Research shows that fake news headlines about the 2016 US elections fooled American adults 75% of the time.
• False news stories are 70% more likely to be shared on social media than legitimate news stories [NBC News source]
• Young and old are susceptible: the oldest and youngest cohorts are the most susceptible to fake news — 41% of consumers aged 18-34 and 44% of consumers 65 and older admit to falling for fake news.
• 66% of people in the US believe that outside groups or agents are actively planting fake news stories [com]

Third, much of the argument around fake news is about more than just whether content is true or not. I’ve heard a lot of discussion today about intent. Is a story trying deliberately to mislead? Is it imposter content or manipulated content, such as a doctored video or picture? Or pure fabricated content, which is 100% false. You only have to consider Deepfake videos that show an altered reality that can make it virtually impossible for viewers to distinguish propaganda from reality — this Obama example probably being one of the most famous Deepfakes in recent times.

So, what can we do? John talked today about a five-point plan to mitigate against fake news that I think is great advice to all of us — as communications professionals, as well as everyday consumers, voters, parents and (probably) concerned citizens.

John Saunders’ 5-point Plan to Fight Fake News:

Number 1: Break out of our bubble.

We all need to escape the confines of confirmation bias and shine a light on our unconscious bias. We should embrace the views of others and acknowledge the other side in our own communications. We should stimulate and participate in debate and remember that social media platforms only give us more of the same. It’s up to us as individuals to change that pattern.

Number 2: Support true news content.

One of the beacons of hope is the revitalization of quality journalism. Subscriptions to newspapers are up, viewing figures of quality news programs are up, new news services are launched daily (Axios, Quartz) or added to existing platforms (Buzzfeed). We should all support this. We should buy or subscribe to a newspaper (in Bezos and Benioff’s cases, they literally did just that). We should support channels and platforms that do a good job. In short, we should part with some money…

Number 3: Bash the bad.

We need to call out “fake” when we see it. And not just let it go. We should be offended/outraged — and do this vocally and loudly, not just accept it and move on.

Number 4: Find an authentic voice.

To be taken seriously, we all need to find our authentic voice. This may sound a little new age, but this is essentially work we do with our clients to find:

• A clear sense of purpose (what we are for).
• A worked through point of view.
• The courage to express it.

These are essential qualities. They build an authentic voice — trusted, believed — which has the weight to make a difference.

Number 5: Be alert. But positive.

This isn’t going away. So, we have to pay attention. Be skeptical, but positive. Take it seriously and don’t let things go.

We need to remember the significant benefits that the rapid dissemination of news can bring, too. Just look at the incredible example of The Blue Planet (searches of “plastic recycling” rose 55% off the back of that program), which made a massive, positive impact on people’s use and attitude towards plastic in a small amount of time.

We are excited to announce that FleishmanHillard is bringing together our Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) initiatives, under the single umbrella of FH Perspectives. Our focus is to continue to welcome, explore and celebrate the multi-faceted perspectives and skills that each colleague brings to the table, based on their varied experiences – both in work and in life – their values and unique backgrounds. The following is our shared values statement that embodies the spirit of FH Perspectives:

We believe in the power of perspectives and a team that reflects: the world in which we live, the stakeholders we serve and the clients with whom we partner. Our best thinking, creativity and results originate from the diverse talent and experiences within FleishmanHillard.

We have aligned three key platforms under FH Perspectives to help bring our intentions to life:

• Attracting & Hiring Diverse Talent & Perspectives
• Nurturing & Celebrating a Culture of Inclusion
• Accelerating Leadership & Partnerships

Within each platform, we have carved out programs and initiatives such as a targeted recruiting plan, D&I training and more concentrated supplier diversity efforts. Diversity Champions lead the charge on a local level and a global Diversity and Inclusion Council serves as our D&I advisory board.

Our President and CEO, John Saunders, has said, “I want FleishmanHillard to be the most inclusive global communications agency there is and nothing less.” I couldn’t agree more. That declaration ignites our passion and drive to see real progress. We recognize that as an agency and industry, there is much more work to be done. D&I is a journey, not a destination and this is another positive step.

The quote below reminds us that our different perspectives can bring us closer together, if we are intentional and willing to embrace the possibilities.

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” – Audre Lorde

“How’s Shamu?,” John would begin with interest. After a long day, he relished strolling the halls to check in with the after-hours crowd, one by one. For me, a junior exec in the early ‘90s, this was rarefied time with the global CEO.

Back then I worked in our headquarters on the issues-rich Anheuser-Busch theme parks account. There was always something new and he was eager to listen, advise and encourage. I marveled at how he made the time for such individual attention across scores of people in an agency growing like wildfire.

Over the 26 years of working with John, that has never changed. It’s just one of the countless, indelible ways John Graham made the simple act of caring contagious as a leadership quality and growth driver.

Building an empire the way John did took more than his own phenomenal determination. It is his canny appreciation for people and what motivates them that set a culture of respect, collaboration and excellence in motion which grew and grew, taking the agency with it — from a single office in the Midwestern U.S. to more than 80 worldwide.

He didn’t follow in anyone’s footsteps on this mission. Nor did he achieve it alone. A great many talented, loyal FH legends stuck by him to make it possible. Just as John never forgets where he came from – starting at Fleishman as a junior exec himself 50 years ago — he makes sure people never forget those who make the agency great, then and now.

He has forever practiced the art and power of a good story to keep FH lore alive. Group dinners with John are memorable storytelling occasions. With glorious detail and wit, he recounts tales of victorious pitches despite unexpected snafus, pulling clients out of seemingly impossible dilemmas, and the fascinating backstories of how fabled ideas and strategies were hatched. Colleagues and alums feature as heroes. But listen closely for the lesson in leadership, integrity and teamwork. There is always a point that traces back to values.

His genuine personal interest as CEO and later Chairman has reached people like me deeply. On the day before I left for Hong Kong in 1997, John met with me to make sure I felt prepared for the challenges ahead. As usual, he stressed the importance of fostering a strong people-first culture and let me know the firm had my back. “You’ve got this,” he said, setting a confident expectation for success and watching positivity work its magic.

Notes like the one from 1998 (which is still tucked in my top desk drawer) send a message that, ‘I notice, even if you’re on the other side of the world.’ Small personal gestures go a long way.

John taught me so much as a leader. It’s hard to distill it to just a few, but these stand out:

• Authenticity – Successful leadership is often defined by the hard numbers. But it’s your soft power that makes them soar.
• Compassion – We are all people. We encounter challenges as people, not just employees. True leaders are there for encouragement in the good times and more importantly, when we encounter difficulties.
• Growth mindset – It isn’t just about the numbers. It’s about growing as individuals, grooming others, cultivating relationships, building a reputation for quality, championing collaboration, and continuously innovating. The business will follow.
• No ego – You’re usually on the side of right if your motives are in the best interest of the firm rather than yourself.   Don’t let personal agendas get in the way of doing the right thing.
• Vision and values – Communicating the end goal is not as important as reinforcing how to get there. Focus on the qualities that are necessary for success in the organization and celebrate them in action every chance you get.

As we have flourished in Asia Pacific, the values inspired by John continue to be a positive driving force today. A super-powerful culture that attracts smart, nice, driven people is tough to beat. It’s also a great place to spend a career.

Here’s to the remarkable John Graham on his milestone anniversary. Thank you for showing us that true leadership comes from the heart. And together, there is nothing we cannot achieve.