Founder at 155 Strategies – During two decades of communications leadership in Washington, Pete has served in senior roles at The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), and The Fratelli Group.
Dear Rhode Island, We’ve been in Rhode Island for a year now, and I thought it was time to write a quick letter to my new home state. So far, it’s been a wonderful experience. From the beaches of South County to Wright’s Dairy Farm — and so much in between — Rhode Island feels like a warm hug.
The chief executive should have skipped the meeting, but attended it, and a group is threatening to leak this information to a major local paper. I mentioned to the chief executive I expected a call from a reporter asking about the meeting; the chief executive was visibly upset. Pausing for a minute, the chief executive had an idea. I should tell the reporter the leaked information was false. “I didn’t attend the meeting” would be the line I was to deliver.
Recently, while searching for a file on my home computer, I stumbled upon a document entitled “Communicate on Purpose.” The title fascinated me, but I admit it rang no bells. Until I opened it.
Most organizations crave stability. They forecast budgets in one-year increments. They develop multiyear strategies. They invest in the long-term development of employees. But that stability can be threatened in an instant by events beyond their control — including the abrupt loss of their chief executive. It happens every day — from Fox News to aircraft carriers to the local PTA.
While September 11, 2001, was a dark day for America, it also provided a shining example of what public employees — and their unions — offer our nation every day. We all have our own memories of that morning — where we were and what we were doing when we learned that the World Trade Center was burning and the Pentagon had been hit.