Episode 2: Never Waste a Crisis with Kelly Jankowski

Kelly Jankowski is a Managing Director at MSL, a global public relations and integrated communications firm. At MSL, she leads the national Corporate Reputation Practice working with organizations and their leaders to build reputations by helping them shape the conversations that matter to their industries and businesses. She also oversees MSL’s Crisis Response Team. Prior to her time at MSL, she held positions at Edelman and DuPont and has worked with incredible clients like PayPal, Deloitte, Regeneron, Gilead and Booking Holdings.

As a compelling storyteller with experience as a leader during times of crisis (both professionally and personally) – and guiding hundreds of her clients to do the same – along with Kelly’s thirst to absorb the world around her and the lessons they provide – you too will be drawn into Kelly’s stories and the wisdom you can find here in this transformative conversation.

o Never waste a crisis @10:14, 14:52, 15:22

o Leading in a Crisis: Lessons Learned @30:06

· Know when to make decisions with incomplete information

· Acknowledge what you know and don’t know

· Credibly make promises on things you can deliver on

· Balance communicating certainty, while acknowledging the unknowns

· Help organize information so people can make the right decisions

· Gather more information when possible

· Surround yourself with people who will ask questions

o Collaborating in Our WFH Covid-19 World @8:21

· Take time to think, to ask good questions and to listen better @11:16

· Empower people while balancing your listening and decision-making approach @12:02

· Smart people want specific goals with flexibility on how to get there @13:51

· Support the different needs people have right now @24:50

o Kelly’s Personal Insights

· Choose to be effective rather than being right @18:06, 33:02

· Don’t slip from competent and comfortable into complacency @7:52

· Leave something for a client to do, because then it will feel like it was their plan @16:50

· Accelerate your learning by absorbing other people’s stories and experiences @16:10

· When you’re open to feedback, people give you really good feedback @19:17

· Kelly’s perspective on being a woman and being a leader @27:53

· How Kelly’s experience with her fatally ill child made her more empathetic @19:53, 25:49, 27:39

To learn more about my work in executive coaching, leadership development and team effectiveness check out my website, connect with me on LinkedIn or email me at winnie@winnifred.org.

Reach out and tell me what was helpful about today’s episode or any suggestions you have for my show.

Please leave a review and tell someone else about this show. 

I look forward to sharing another transformative conversation with you next week!