What we say

Dinosaur

The past few weeks have been a little crazy here at Piper & Gold. Over the course of a month, we've produced six events for various clients (four of them happening in one week!), all while members of our team are traveling to five different states for conferences and client work. Oh, and one of our student strategists is going to China (NBD). Needless to say, it's been extra challenging to stay focused, calm and engaged.

One of the things we pride ourselves on - and a P&G truth - is our ability to make order out of chaos. Let's be real, the world of PR can be bonkers at times, and it is easy to become frantic and frazzled as a result. But that doesn't work out well for anyone.

I remember one day in particular when I was gathering supplies for an event that I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. I was literally running in and out of the office loading equipment into my car in an attempt to get to the venue on time. This was unecessary because I had a few hours to get everything unloaded and setup. Moments later, after shoving a sandwich board into my trunk, I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around to see Kate standing there. She looked at me and said some words that I will never forget, "Remember, you are the port in the storm."

At that moment, I stopped, took a deep breath and let those words sink in. It was true. My job is to make order out of chaos, not create it or proliferate it. I asked myself on the drive to the venue, "What's it like to be on the other side of me?"

Whoa. Game. Changer.

But seriously, consider that question. What kind of climate do you create when you walk into a room? Do you simply amplify what everyone else is already feeling, or do you create the calm?

So here's my challenge for you: Stop. Breathe. And remember, you are the port in the storm.

Oh, and if you're feeling a bit frazzled yourself, P&G can help with that.

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