In an ultra competitive environment, don't get your friends to run your media training and crisis comms.

It's absoltuely essential you get an insight into what people are saying about you. What assumptions the media are making about you and what stories they are looking to tell.

A sympathetic outsider will be worth their weight in gold. Someone who isn't afraid to spell out how it is and then help you gain the upper hand.

This podcast episode from the Powerful Communication Podcast features Colin Kelly emphasizing the critical need for individuals to exercise their influence rather than deferring action until they achieve perceived success.

Kelly illustrates this principle using the recent example of musician Olivia Dean, who used her platform to successfully challenge major corporations over exorbitant secondary ticket resale prices. Dean's swift, public communication resulted in companies like Ticketmaster agreeing to both refund fans who paid above face valueand cap future resale prices within days.

This narrative serves as the central argument that people must use their power and stand by their values immediately instead of delaying principled action until they feel safe or established. Kelly concludes by encouraging listeners to tap into their fundamental purpose, asserting that effective communication is akin to the irresistible power of a crying baby whose instincts command unavoidable attention and rapid results.

Colin Kelly from the powerful communication podcast from Comteria examines the significant lessons available following the disruptive Celtic Annual General Meeting (AGM). The meeting was closed after continuous protest and disruption, including shouting, booing, and showing red cards, preventing shareholders from asking questions in the open format.

The episode argues that Celtic PLC should have anticipated the protests, given prior fan statements and protests at games, knowing that many unhappy protestors were also shareholders. A key communication failure was placing Chairman Peter Lawwell in the weak position of appealing directly to shareholders to behave.

Kelly advocates for having an independent, good communicator host the proceedings, representing the venue rather than the PLC, to handle enforcement of rules—a tactic mirrored by venue security procedures often used in situations like WWE wrestling events. Furthermore, the episode critiques the decision of a major majority shareholder to send his son to read a pre-prepared statement that used "tough language" about behavior and disruption, arguing that this was asking for trouble, especially since the shareholder was not prepared to face the people being referenced.

Based on the events, Kelly states he would be very surprised if Peter Lawwell remains in post.

In this episode of the Powerful Communication Podcast, host Colin Kelly explores why it is vital for board members, owners, shareholders, and "silent partners" to cultivate some form of public profile and speak out.

The central argument is that silence creates risk: If the only time the public hears from governance leaders is when a crisis occurs, they have done nothing to build goodwill, rapport, or a relationship. This absence of communication means that when something goes wrong, the public might not trust or like the leaders because they were never given an opportunity to get to know them.

Learn why the typical governance argument—that boards should not "tread on toes" or speak when the day-to-day management team should be addressing issues—is often used as a shield or a diversion to justify avoiding public engagement.

Kelly discusses real-world examples, including situations involving Historic Environment Scotland and Celtic football club, where the anonymity of leaders resulted in a vacuum filled with rumor, speculation, and innuendo. He argues that proactive communication is good for transparency, democracy, and accountability.

Communication is a learnable skill, and leaders should embrace routes like social media or their own YouTube channel to give people the chance to get to know them. When leaders—like Sir Richard Branson—cultivate a reputation while things are good, the public is more likely to trust them when difficulties arise. Stepping into this truth brings "freedom" and "peace and security".

The Value Of Your Archive

Welcome to another powerful communication podcast from Comsteria, hosted by Colin Kelly.

Every business is, to some extent, in the content business, requiring written content, video, and audio to populate social media, bring internal communications to life, and drive specific business objectives. While many businesses are realizing that content holds real financial value, they often get caught in the cycle of having to create material from scratch.

In this episode, Colin encourages clients to think about the immense value of their content archive. Drawing lessons from television and radio—industries that have long understood that they do not always need to create things from scratch—we explore how to maximize the value of your existing materials.

You will learn how to ensure your content has a proper lifecycle by recycling and repurposing it across different formats, instead of just putting it out once and crossing your fingers. We discuss how to evaluate content to determine its ongoing value, where else it can be used, and when.

The archive can contain "real gold", including material that was never even published. However, this value is only realized if the archive is properly managed and used. We detail the essential disciplines needed for an accessible archive, including:

• Labeling and tagging content correctly at the moment of creation.
• Ensuring content is stored securely, accessibly, and backed up (offline, offsite, and potentially in the cloud).
• Creating a non-laborious, searchable system so you can turn things around quickly and repurpose them.

Whether you are digitizing materials from 20 or 50 years ago, or just starting good practices today, this podcast offers quick thoughts and insights on how to transform your content archive from mountains of forgotten stuff into a crucial business asset.

Colin Kelly takes a long, deep dive sharing his personal reflections on the history of the internet from 1996 to the present day.

Colin Kelly discusses a report in The Times Scotland about unruly behaviour in our schools.

A report from the Commission On School Reform says the education system is struggling to cope with a growing problem of indiscipline.

Read the full article

Colin explores the issue and looks at the SNP government record on school exclusions since it came to power in 2007.

Welcome to Comsteria's powerful communication podcast. This is Colin Kelly, and this episode is for every academic.

For years, we've watched the tension, maybe conflict, maybe just a lack of understanding between academic experts and the PR and marketing teams trying to amplify their impact. If you've ever felt misunderstood or like your brilliant work isn't getting the attention it deserves, this is for you.

We're cutting through the noise with practical, no-nonsense advice: ditch the two-and-a-half-page biography for a snappy intro, learn to stop talking after a 30-60 second answer (this isn't a lecture, it's a conversation!), and for goodness sake, don't reiterate what another academic just said – it's actually quite rude.

Your academic reputation isn't the currency here; genuine connection is. This might be 'unfamiliar, scary territory', but it's where your work truly 'makes a difference' and your reputation grows. It's tough love, but it's what you need to go from ivory tower to impactful public voice. Suck it up and enjoy the empowerment.

Share this with someone who needs it and get in touch if we can help you bring your work to life. Visit Comsteria's website or call us on +44 141 628 8228.

We're going full on into a speculative vision of the future in this episode.

One where local businesses diversify into running radio stations and supermarkets employ journalists and produce local news.

We also talk about the politics of Charles Dickens and how profit making enterprise can play a role in bringing communities and society back together.

Time will tell how accurate Colin Kelly's predictions are!

Straight talking advice for HR and comms professionals.

In this episode, media trainer and strategic communications specialist Colin Kelly from Comsteria explores how businesses should respond to the current wave of protests around the UK government's immigraiton policy.

If you need support with any aspect of your communications strategy, Comsteria is here to help. Get in touch today by calling 0141 628 8228 or visit us online at www.comsteria.co.uk

In this episode of the Powerful Communication podcast, host Colin Kelly dives into the delicate balance between personal freedom and organizational values in the modern workplace. Drawing from real-world experiences in crisis communications and internal training, Colin explores how businesses are navigating the challenges of employee behavior—both online and offline. He discusses the impact of social media, the importance of upholding company values, and the consequences of failing to address disruptive conduct. With candid insights and practical examples, this episode is a must-listen for leaders, HR professionals, and anyone interested in the evolving dynamics of workplace culture and accountability.