Touring Yale’s campus earlier this week on the most perfect of fall days was a dream come true. As both a comms pro and an academic, I was fully in my element.
The leaders of Yale’s Office of Public Affairs and Communications (OPAC) team invited me to New Haven to help deliver a workshop for senior communicators across the University. Our guest speaker? Pioneering neuroscientist and brain researcher, Dr. Amy Arnsten. The topic? The way our brains navigate change and challenge.
The topic couldn’t be more relevant to my work today as I support leaders, coach communications teams, and study resilience at the academic level.
Dr. Arnsten explained how our brains process internal and external “noise” and shared some practical steps comms leaders can take to keep their brains “online” (healthy eating, exercise, meaningful activities, leaning into empathy). Importantly, Yale’s VP of Communications, Renee Kopkowski, underscored that in today’s complex communications environment, Yale’s communicators are not alone, and have a wealth of support and resources they can tap into as they navigate a fast-paced, evolving comms climate.
I left the workshop with both practical tips and a full heart.
The day closed with a campus tour and a quick stop at the historic Sterling Memorial Library to check out an exhibition on another of my passions–plants, followed by dinner with one of my favorite comms leaders, OPAC’s Jessica Graves.
My workdays don’t get any better: learning from inspiring, world-class leaders, and partnering with other comms pros in a gorgeous, historic setting.
Shuffling through golden leaves and dappled sunlight on a crisp, fall, New England day, I felt overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. If I could bottle this post-workshop high, I’d send it to everyone I know.
With more than two decades of communications experience spanning agencies, Fortune-100 organizations, non-profits and academia, Kristi Hinck Mills brings her passion for communications to CommsLede Consulting, where she delivers strategic communication solutions and executive coaching for her clients. Visit the CommsLede blog for more tips.
