Member Spotlight: Krista O’Brien
Krista O’Brien is the Director, Corporate and Creative Communications at MEDA, an international economic development organization creating business solutions to poverty. From her decision to join the IABC in 2012, to participating in the IABC World Conference in NYC thereafter, she has remained a member, utilizing the global association as an opportunity to network with other communication professionals in the Waterloo Region. In this month’s member feature, Krista gives a glimpse into her journey as a communications professional, as well as career lessons that have remained valuable.
How did you get into the Communications profession?
Like many things, it started with a small decision: what should I study at university? I picked Communication Studies because I liked writing and presenting but really didn’t know much about it. After graduation, one of my professors recommended I enroll in graduate school, and I completed my MA in Communication Studies. I found the coursework interesting, but more than that, I could apply communication principles to nearly any other subject matter. I had a goal of working for a charity and I pursued an organization (in a non-communications role) that later opened doors to start and build a communications department. Now, a decade into my career, I’ve kept exploring how to apply my professional skills in both work and volunteering. It’s been very fulfilling to find purpose and meaning in my work, using storytelling and clear key messages to communicate the mission of the organizations I’ve worked for.
Can you describe a time when you felt your role as a communicator was instrumental in influencing business decisions?
Working in not-for-profit means that I get to wear many hats (or do all the things), from directing creative to strategic planning to crisis comms. One of my most rewarding roles is crafting communications in times of crisis. It’s so critical to strike a tone that’s both informative and empathetic. Even when the subject matter has been difficult or tragic, I’ve been grateful to use my skills to support others. It’s not easy to keep a level head when everything’s on fire, but I get to use my role as a comms professional to consider the audience, key messaging, channel dissemination, and frequency to help my organization get through really difficult times. Clear and timely communication helps employees and stakeholders feel secure and helps to build trust in leadership.
What’s the greatest lesson you have learned as a communicator?
Everyone communicates, but not everyone is a communications professional. One of the lessons I’ve learned over the years is to not take it personally when someone disagrees with my recommendations. It’s my role to lead up, providing solid rationale that demonstrates why the plan I propose will be effective, bringing organization and actionable steps to achieve results. People are often surprised by the level of detail that goes into communication planning. I’ve learned that not only do I need to create and execute excellent plans, but also gently educate others along the way. I champion for communicators to be part of initiatives from the beginning, where we can be most effective in proactively planning rather than scrambling at the last minute in reaction to projects already launched.
What resources do you find helpful to keep you up to date professionally?
IABC has honestly been a lifeline throughout my career. The topical webinars, white papers, and resources available on-demand are my go-to resource when I want to research a business need. I open the daily IABC Lab Digest email to get a sense of what questions other members are asking, and benefit from reading the wisdom and advice of others. Communicators have taken on so many new topics in the last two years as teams moved to remote work and online events; now, hybrid or return to office communications are the top inquiries. After one conversational thread in the Lab, I’ve joined an informal group of peers on the eastern seaboard that meet virtually once a month to chat through internal communications challenges. What I’ve realized is that communications professionals have influence at all levels of a company or organization. Sometimes teams are small, and the resources that IABC offers expand our community of peers so that we can learn from each other to make the best decisions possible.
Interested in networking with other communication professionals like Krista?
Join IABC today by clicking here