Leadership For PR Professionals with Ken Jacobs on PR Patter!
Julie Livingston: Good morning, everyone. I’m Julie Livingston of Want Leverage Communications, the Public Relations and LinkedIn consultancy. I’m delighted to be here again for another episode of my podcast PR Patter.
Oops—just putting on my headphones, it’s a bit noisy out there.
Great to see you all again and to have this opportunity to chat.
That’s much better. I’m thrilled to welcome my guest today, Ken Jacobs.
Ken is the principal of Jacobs Consulting and Executive Coaching, which helps empower PR and communications leaders and executives to become more inspired, inspiring, and effective leaders. I love that! His company also helps agencies grow business, manage for profitability, improve client service, and enhance team performance, communications, and leadership skills.
Prior to launching his practice, Ken spent 25 years in management and leadership positions with several PR agencies—including Ogilvy & Mather PR, Marina Maher Communications, Maloney & Fox, and Lippe-Taylor. Ken also discusses leadership with some of the PR and communications industry’s most respected leaders in Taking the Lead, his quarterly column in PRSA’s Strategies & Tactics, as well as in his similarly named video podcast on his website and YouTube channel.
He’s also been a regular presenter at the PRSA Counselor’s Academy since 2008, PRSA ICON, Leadership Rally, the College of Fellows, and various PRSA district conferences.
Ken, we’ve been living in parallel universes for so many years—it’s great to finally have you on the show. Thanks for joining me.
Ken Jacobs: Very true! Thank you so much. To be perfectly honest, I’ve wanted to be on PR Patter for a long time. I lobbied for it—I’ll admit it! And here we are.
See everyone? Dreams do come true on PR Patter.
Ken’s Background
Julie: That’s very flattering. Thank you! You know, I’ve experienced leadership in a lot of different ways throughout my career—first as a junior publicist learning the ropes from different leaders (mainly women, I have to say), then later in managing teams at Scholastic, the Toy Association, and other firms.
Now, as a sole practitioner, I still need those leadership skills. Clients look to me for my opinions, and I have to be confident enough to communicate them effectively.
Does that make sense?
Ken: Absolutely. There are so many definitions of leadership, but my favorite is: using your leadership energy to get desired outcomes—for the organization, your teams (if you have them), clients, stakeholders, and yourself.
If you agree with that definition, it means it’s never too early to lead. We’re always leading—through energy and influence.
I like to (mis)quote Mayor Ed Koch: the question isn’t “Am I leading?”—because you are. The question is, “How am I leading?” Right?
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How does Courage Play in Leadership today?
Julie: Exactly. So, how do you think courage plays a role in leadership today?
Ken: It always has. Our followers are on high alert for fear—but they don’t want fear; they want courage and bravery from their leaders.
Baby Boomers and Gen Xers might remember Wooly Willy—you’d move a magnetic wand to put iron filings on his face. Followers are drawn to a leader’s courage like those filings to the magnet.
Think Churchill during the Battle of Britain, FDR, JFK during the Cuban Missile Crisis… even Malala or Greta Thunberg more recently.
People crave courage from their leaders. And courage isn’t the absence of fear. One of my heroes, Eleanor Roosevelt, said: Courage is not the lack of fear—it’s doing what you know must be done despite the fear.
That kind of courage builds loyalty, empowerment, engagement—and productivity.
Julie:
Absolutely. I remember a boss early in my career—when I was still learning how to write as a publicist—who said, “You really struggle with writing.” That wasn’t very encouraging.
If instead she had said, “I see you’re trying hard—let me show you a better way,” that would have gotten so much more out of me.
Ken: Exactly. Where is that person now?
Like you, I worked mostly for women in my PR career and was lucky to have amazing leaders—Jean Schoonover, Barbara Hunter—who were glass-ceiling breakers.
Barbara co-founded Hunter PR in her mid-sixties—unheard of at the time—and it became hugely successful.
Others like Lenore Cooney and Marina Maher lived their courage, and it inspired us to do the same.
I still think about them regularly—and it’s been decades. That’s the leadership legacy we leave.
Julie: That’s so true. And it cuts both ways. People do remember missteps, but when you inspire with courage, that sticks for life.
Ken: Exactly. That’s what leadership is all about—impacting others and watching them grow.
There are no tombstones in the PR cemetery that say, “They doubled their budget in a year.” That’s not what people remember.
How Should Leaders Lead During Turbulent Times?
Julie: So true. And right now, we’re living in such uncertain, turbulent times. I recently spoke to a PRSA group about leveraging LinkedIn through change.
How should leaders lead during turbulent times?
Ken: Great question. There are timeless leadership skills, but in turbulent times, some really rise to the top:
- Lead with courage. People are scared, and they need strong leaders.
- Lean into leadership. Don’t just manage—lead. Leadership is a choice, and your followers also choose whether to follow you.
- Enhance emotional intelligence. One great resource is Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Bradberry and Greaves. You take a quick assessment and get really practical tips.
- Shift from teacher to coach. Ask, don’t tell. Instead of saying “You’re struggling,” ask questions like “How do you feel your writing is going?” or “How can we work together to improve?”
- Practice deep listening. Active, empathetic listening is more powerful than speaking.
- Self-care. You can’t lead well if you’re burned out. Take care of yourself—and model that behavior for your team.
Julie: Yes, I spoke to some folks recently who are out of work. We talked about staying busy, volunteering, learning new skills… keeping up their momentum.
Ken: That’s so important. And for anyone out there who’s unemployed—it probably wasn’t your fault. Don’t doubt your skills.
This could be a time to reassess—maybe you want to work in a nonprofit, start your own business, or change your PR niche.
I pivoted at 50. I faced ageism in the industry and decided to start something new. It was scary, but I’ve never been happier or more fulfilled. I still work with PR pros every day—and I get to empower them.
Julie: That’s such a great second chapter!
Let’s Talk about Feedback?
Let’s talk about feedback. What’s the best way for leaders to give constructive feedback?
Ken: Start with your mindset. Don’t focus on what someone did wrong. Think: “How can I help them grow?”
Show them you care about their development. Communicate respect—always.
I like to call it “constructive feedback,” not critique. Critique can sound harsh. Feedback builds trust, skill, and motivation.
And remember—it’s not just downward. We can also “lead up” by giving feedback to our managers. You’re helping them be a better leader for you.
Julie: Totally agree. What’s one common mistake leaders make?
Ken: Leaning too much into management and not enough into leadership.
They get promoted for being great at PR, digital, or client work—but that doesn’t mean they know how to lead.
So—study leadership. Learn emotional intelligence. Join peer groups. Read blogs, listen to podcasts, work with a coach. Don’t go it alone.
Thank you, Ken!
Julie: This has been such a great conversation. Thank you so much for being here today, Ken!
Ken: Thanks for the invitation! For anyone who wants to connect, visit jacobscomm.com or find me on LinkedIn. And check out my podcast Taking the Lead on our website or YouTube.
Julie: Wonderful. And to everyone else—if you liked what you heard today, visit wantleverage.com and download “Make Your C-Suite Stand Out on LinkedIn.”
See you next time on PR Patter!