Skip to content
iQ 360
An integrated communications agency
360
  • Home
  • Our Work
  • Capabilities
  • About
  • Join Us
  • Blog
  • Contact
We build + protect reputations

A PR Guru’s Advice to iQ 360

10.21.20 | by iQ Staff
  • Share via
Communications, Insights, PR
  • Share via

John Onoda, legendary public relations counselor to some of the most high-profile publicly-traded companies in the world, advisor to GM and Levi Strauss, and consultant to the world’s largest PR agencies, stopped by a virtual iQ 360 meeting to share some wisdom and inspiration with our staff. We call him John “Yoda” Onoda. When he’s not dispensing advice, he’s looking to the future and reading poetry.

Here, we share an excerpted Q&A with his timely advice for communications professionals.

 

John, what key business trends are resulting from the pandemic?

There is a lot of change happening in the world right now, and a lot of change happening in our profession. There is just this major leap in technology. It’s like the whole world has been punted five years into the future. [Looking at] things that everyone thought would take so long or would never happen, organizations are making those changes in a matter of weeks or months. People are working remotely and collaborating virtually, even in industries where security is a major concern. There has been a shift in the workforce, and everyone has had to adapt or choose another path.

 

What impact is the Black Lives Matter movement having on corporations?

No head of HR right now is thinking about diversity in the same way that they were six months ago. By the same token, expectations for corporations have never been higher — employee expectations, consumer expectations. This means that PR professionals need to step into a much more strategic role when advising clients. We have to be proactive and understand that words are not enough. We have to push for action and help advise our clients on what to do, not just what to say.

 

Can you say more about being proactive?

Traditionally, our model as PR counselors has been reactive. When something goes wrong, we react. That’s what we’ve been doing for 50 years, but that mindset needs to change. PR folks need to adapt, but also start peering around the corner to have an inkling of what’s coming next. We have to identify the white spaces and move into those. Inside a corporation, the people most suited to looking into the future and identifying opportunities or coming change are the communicators.

The communicator of the future is the one who sees horizontally, who can look across the landscape rather than deep into one specific topic. There are new industries and concerns that didn’t exist before. The beauty of communications is that we don’t need new equipment or technology to shift our mindsets across the landscape. We are fluid and agile, and the most important thing we can offer is to be that person who is finding the white space by looking across the horizon with all stakeholders in mind.

 

“Inside a corporation, the people most suited to looking into the future and identifying opportunities or coming change are the communicators.”

 

In addition to what you just described; how can we position ourselves as strategic advisors?

We need really strong people skills. We need to inspire leadership, teach leadership, find good leaders and cultivate them. Leadership is the scarcest commodity. Leaders are the game changers. I’ve never been able to predict how great an impact a specific individual can have; I don’t think anyone really can. Great leadership can literally change the world. I encourage everyone to find it in themselves.

 

How do we have confidence in ourselves and how do we present ourselves in that way?

Failure doesn’t kill you. You get up and have pancakes the next morning like you always do. Many high-level communications leaders have had instances that they look back on and say, “I can’t believe I wasn’t fired.” But they took those mistakes and failures and turned them into lessons. The sooner you realize that failure doesn’t kill you, the more learnings you will take away from it. This is how to practice being a leader. Organize things. Organize your cousin’s surprise party. Be a leader in your community. Try a step. Raise the bar on yourself. After you survive a number of near-death experiences, it becomes exhilarating.

 

How do you find the white spaces?

I spend two to three hours per day learning and taking in new information. When I go into a meeting, I have to have a point of view and understand the global perspective. I have to know who the power players are and what’s on the minds of CEOs. It’s my job to have a really deep knowledge of key macro trends, of what is happening in the world.

If you are constantly working your mind, you have a lot to offer and are honing the skills needed to unleash it. Practice your consulting skills and the way you talk to people because a lot of it is performance. Most of us have to learn it. Don’t hesitate when you know the right answer and phrase it thoughtfully. You build up that muscle over time and find new ways to apply that. There’s no knowing where it will take you.

 

Where do you find your inspiration?

I tell people: read poetry. To be able to convey such deep thoughts and emotions while also facing length and formatting constraints is a true skill. We should all aspire to that level of simplicity and power.

  • Share via

Top Picks for You


March 22, 2023

Welcome iQ 360’s New Account Executive, Bianca Kahele-Fontanilla →

March 15, 2023

Welcome iQ 360’s New Senior Account Coordinator, Josh Adachi →

Post navigation

 Stand out in a Competitive Market with Cause Branding
The PR Scaries: Four Things that Give Us Nightmares 

Categories

C-Suite
Tactics & Tips
Visual Communication
iQ Insights

Must Reads

December 18, 2019

Reflecting and Goal Setting for Communicators [WORKSHEET] →

January 8, 2020

PR and Marketing Predictions for the Next Decade →

December 4, 2019

Create a Company Culture That Reflects You →

Stay in the know with our quarterly newsletter
Loading...
iQ 360

We believe in the power of communication to change the world

808.536.2729
Privacy Policy | ©2023 iQ 360 Inc. All rights reserved.
We are a certified minority- and woman-owned business.
iQ 360

We believe in the power of communication to change the world

808.536.2729
Privacy Policy
©2023 iQ 360 Inc. All rights reserved.

We are a certified minority- and woman-owned business.

Privacy Policy

Last updated on June 5, 2018.

 

This privacy policy explains our collection, use, disclosure, retention, and protection of personal information collected through our website, www.iq360inc.com (the “Website”).

 

  1. Information We Collect

We collect personally identifiable information about you, including your name, email address, and phone number, when you send an inquiry to us on the contact form on the Website.

 

  1. How We Use Your Information

We will use your information only to respond to you regarding the reason you contacted us. We will contact you by the means by that you have consented to us contacting you, as you indicate when you submit an inquiry to us via the Website.  We will not share your information with any third party outside of our organization.  We do not send any promotional emails; however, we may contact you via email in the future to tell you about changes to this privacy policy.

 

  1. Cookies

 

  1. Storage of Information

Personally identifiable information that you submit to us via the Website is processed and stored, if at all, in the United States.  We will not keep your personal data for longer than is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.  We determine the retention period based on the purpose for which the information was obtained, our legal obligations, and our technical and business requirements. 

 

  1. Your Access to and Control Over Information

You have the right to opt out of any future contacts from us at any time. You may do the following at any time by contacting us via info@iq360.inc.com or 808-536-2729:

  • See what data we have about you, if any.
  • Change/correct any data we have about you.
  • Have us delete any data we have about you.
  • Express any concern you have about our use of your data or if you feel that we are not abiding by this privacy policy.

  

  1. Security

We take precautions to protect your information. When you submit sensitive information via the Website, your information is protected both online and offline. Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job (for example, customer service) are granted access to personally identifiable information. The computers/servers in which we store personally identifiable information are kept in a secure environment.

 

  1. Updates to This Statement

This privacy policy may be subject to updates.  Any material future changes or additions to the processing of personal information as described in this privacy policy affecting you will be communicated to you through an appropriate channel.  For example, we may email you to let you know about updates to the privacy policy.

 

 

Subscribe

Emails collected through this form will be used for marketing and business updates. We are the sole owners of the information collected on this site. We only have access to information that you voluntarily give us. We will not sell or rent this information to anyone. You may opt out of any future contacts from us at any time by contacting us via the email address or phone number given on our website. Please see our privacy policy for full details.