Author Archives: Sean Williams

Fun with Organizational Communication

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Sean Williams

I’m teaching Media and Communication 6550 this summer, Organizational Communication. Having spent nearly my whole career in that field, I anticipated that it would be a walk in the park. This is the third time I’ve taught the course; the … Continue reading →

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When is rhetoric, rhetorical?

Posted on July 6, 2020 by Sean Williams

I’m not naming names, but certain politicians rely on hyperbole, exaggeration and drama that frequently seems to have little relationship to facts. That’s not a political statement, it’s an observation. So is that merely a rhetorical distinction, or is it … Continue reading →

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Tom Petty was right, you know

Posted on June 18, 2020 by Sean Williams

One of my favorite songs by the late and lamented Tom Petty is, “The Waiting.” The waiting is the hardest part Every day you get one more yard You take it on faith, you take it to the heart The … Continue reading →

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Learning from graduate students

Posted on May 13, 2020 by Sean Williams

Part of my job is coordinating BGSU’s online master’s in strategic communication, and as a result, I get to teach grad students in that program. Likely in the future, I’ll teach some in person as well, as I did at … Continue reading →

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Teaching remotely is remote, but hey…

Posted on April 16, 2020 by Sean Williams

I’ve taught more online than off. From the start of the portion of my career in “academic” pursuits at Kent State University, it was mainly online with some sprinkling of in-person maybe one semester every couple of years. Being a … Continue reading →

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Need to plan faster?

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Sean Williams

Sure you do. At PRSA’s webinar, Internal Communication during COVID-19, my colleagues and friends Becky Graebe from Dynamic Signal, and Ally Bunin from Reynolds Russell Associates and I talked about a heap of ways to do a good job communicating … Continue reading →

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So it’s like that, is it?

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Sean Williams

Yep. We are all online all the time for the rest of this semester. I understand and support the change, and yet, I’m a little sad that it’s come to this. I REALLY like teaching. I REALLY like the students … Continue reading →

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Has the horse left the barn?

Posted on March 11, 2020 by Sean Williams

So here at BGSU we’ve acted proactively and announced we’re going to be online-only after our spring break next week, for two weeks. For me, it’s not a big deal. We can do quite a lot of our stuff online, … Continue reading →

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Why Grad School is a good idea

Posted on March 3, 2020 by Sean Williams

If someone would have told me my freshman year of college I would be completing a master’s degree in one year right after graduating with my bachelor’s degree, I wouldn’t have believed them. The thought of going to graduate school … Continue reading →

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I’m still learning, obviously

Posted on February 19, 2020 by Sean Williams

One of the things about being on faculty is that you aren’t done with TAKING classes. My development plan calls for no small amount of sharpening my saw regarding all kinds of topics. Last semester I took on-and-offline courses in … Continue reading →

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What gives?

Posted on January 23, 2020 by Sean Williams

This Atlantic essay has me thinking. The net-net is that too many people talk about politics, watch, listen and read about stuff that’s far away, and not enough actually get involved to make a difference. I stand a bit convicted. … Continue reading →

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Happy New Year – and thanks for 2019

Posted on January 14, 2020 by Sean Williams

I was never shy about being a bit grandiose. I was shy about a lot of other stuff, but soon I realized it wasn’t shyness — it was fear. After that realization, the shyness was doomed. No one would ever … Continue reading →

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5 tips for choosing a communication grad program

Posted on December 19, 2019 by Sean Williams

Maybe you’ve been thinking about it for a while. Going back to school. You’re in your third job after college, and wondering how to differentiate yourself for promotion, or your next job. Perhaps you’ve been working with people with advanced … Continue reading →

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Strategic Communication, PR, Corporate Communication…Who knows?

Posted on December 12, 2019 by Sean Williams

Many moons ago, a middle-aged PR guy got laid off from a job. It was 2008, and the market was a little soft for that dude — after all, the financial crisis was wailing along, and the best two options … Continue reading →

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It’s new, so …

Posted on December 11, 2019 by Sean Williams

Forgive me for being content poor. But there’s actually something posting, like, really soon. Hang in there. Read a dang book. Watch a documentary or listen to some really good jazz. I’ll be here later.

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