AIR headshots photographed at:
6003 Government Boulevard
Suite 300
North Bethesda MD 20852
Lauren Focarazzo 10:30 am
Makini Nyanteh: 11-11:30 am
Christina Yancey: 11:30-noon
Rashawn Ray: noon-12:30 pm
MANDATORY CREDIT: Photograph by Jud McCrehin Pictures
© 2023 Jud McCrehin Pictures LLC, not on the market or publication with out consent from Jud McCrehin Pictures LLC
A pure strategist able to navigating complicated landscapes, Makini Nyanteh serves because the senior vp and chief communications officer on the American Institutes for Analysis (AIR).
With a profession spanning over a quarter-century, Nyanteh has emerged as an esteemed determine within the realm of communications, making her mark throughout each the private and non-private sectors. All through her journey, she has engaged with internationally famend manufacturers representing a spectrum of industries, from prescription drugs to utilities, client items, client packaging, monetary providers, and even the federal authorities.
Forward of her session at Ragan’s upcoming Way forward for Communications convention, we spoke with Nyanteh to get her tackle the way forward for the communications trade.
What e-book, podcast or different media do you advocate to different comms execs?
There are innumerable assets on the market to assist us keep apprised of developments in our occupation, and hold us on our A-game as practitioners. I observe Grammar Lady on LinkedIn as a result of she is each sensible and entertaining. I are inclined to get pleasure from books that discover the artwork of grammar and etymology. Two favorites for me are Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe’s Information to Higher English in Plain English, and the more moderen Get to the Level: How one can Say What You Imply and Get What You Need. The previous is a straightforward reference information on sentence construction and numerous what we search out within the Related Press Fashion Tips; the latter is a treatise on delivering efficient shows but in addition captures the significance of synthesis, brevity and affect.
What’s your favourite device you utilize frequently for work?
I stay by the motto that proofreading saves lives. So, spellcheck is a day by day staple for me.
What excites you most about the way forward for communications?
I’m significantly enthusiastic about how communications professionals are speaking about expertise, synthetic intelligence (AI) specifically, as a device for our craft. For the previous couple of many years, many of the expertise conversations have been round platforms and software program that might assist communications at scale, or in globally distributed environments. Right this moment, the conversations are concerning the dangers and rewards of synthetic intelligence, the true threats of algorithmic bias, and the innovation area that could be generated when the total capabilities of enormous language fashions like ChatGPT are embraced. It’s thrilling and terrifying all on the similar time.
What communications problem retains you up at evening?
All communications start and finish with folks – the message is distributed by an individual, and the message have to be obtained by an individual. One of many thorniest points I’ve handled throughout corporations is how finest to domesticate communicative leaders (typically on the center supervisor stage) who’re capable of successfully encourage and inspire workers to really feel related to the corporate’s mission and targets. That is the management group that’s important to the communications cascade, and most crucial to worker engagement – but it is likely one of the most tough teams to mobilize.
What’s the largest problem you’ve overcome in your profession?
Making the leap from a big regional firm to a world multinational firm created big studying curves for me. I made numerous errors however realized from each considered one of them because of nurturing supervisors and friends who have been wanting to accomplice with me in my studying. A few of these colleagues stay buddies and mentors to this present day. From small fields to massive levels, a lot of our expertise are transferrable. Nonetheless, this shift taught me to take the time to study nuance, tempo myself, and ask questions after I wanted assist.
What’s the finest recommendation you’ve ever gotten?
A terrific boss as soon as informed me, “You possibly can’t need it for them.” This helped me to maintain perspective when advocating for a venture or initiative and perceive my relative position within the end result. It depersonalized conditions for me, and jogged my memory to observe the roads the place there was the best traction and chance for progress. It has helped me to select my battles extra successfully.
Be a part of Makini Nyanteh at Ragan’s Way forward for Communications Convention on Nov. 6-8. She is going to converse alongside communications leaders from AARP, Ben & Jerry’s, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fireplace Management and extra.
Isis Simpson-Mersha is a convention producer/ reporter for Ragan. Observe her on LinkedIn.
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