Mastering Content Creation With AI: The Skills That Matter Most

In the rapidly evolving landscape of marketing, advertising, and public relations, AI has transformed from experimental tool to daily essential. But what separates graduates who thrive from those who struggle? The answer isn't what you might expect.

The One Skill That Changes Everything

Forget coding. Forget understanding neural networks. The single most critical AI skill is prompt engineering with strategic context awareness — the ability to craft precise, goal-oriented queries that extract maximum value from AI tools while maintaining brand voice and strategic alignment.

Why does this matter so much? Because it directly multiplies day-one productivity. A professional who can prompt effectively will produce significantly more usable draft copy, campaign concepts, and research outputs than their peers. The efficiency gap is massive: weak prompts generate generic content, while strong prompts yield work requiring minimal polish.

The beauty of effective prompting is that it requires marketing judgment, not technical expertise. It's about applying what communications professionals already know — audience awareness, tone, positioning — to tool usage. The barrier is strategic thinking, not technical knowledge.

Beyond Day One: Skills That Develop on the Job

While foundational AI literacy is expected from the start, several critical capabilities develop through experience:

Tool-specific workflows vary by organization. Every company uses different platforms with unique integrations and prompt libraries that new hires master in their first month.

Industry-specific applications can't be taught in classrooms. Pharma marketing uses AI differently than B2C retail, with distinct compliance requirements and specialized terminology that professionals learn on the ground.

Advanced capabilities expand over time. Basic text prompting is expected immediately, but image generation, video tools, data analysis, and multimodal skills develop as projects demand them.

The core expectation isn't expertise — it's learning agility. Organizations need professionals who demonstrate curiosity about new tools, comfort with experimentation, and the ability to self-teach.

Where Human Judgment Must Prevail

AI excels at generation, but humans excel at judgment involving context, relationships, risk, and values. Professionals must override AI outputs in critical areas:

Client-facing communications require reading emotional subtext and preserving relationships. AI can't gauge whether a client needs reassurance, firmness, or an apology.

Brand voice and cultural sensitivity demand human discernment. The gap between "sounds professional" and "sounds like this brand talking to this audience" requires expertise AI cannot replicate.

Ethical boundaries need moral reasoning. AI will generate ideas that are technically acceptable but reputationally dangerous. Humans serve as the essential filter.

Factual verification remains non-negotiable. AI hallucinates statistics and invents plausible falsehoods, especially dangerous in healthcare, finance, or B2B contexts where errors carry legal consequences.

The Transparency Challenge

Perhaps the most significant ethical challenge facing communications professionals is disclosure and transparency in AI-generated content. Unlike data privacy (governed by existing regulations) or algorithmic bias (handled by senior strategists), disclosure decisions land on junior staff daily with immediate legal and reputational risk.

The complexity is real: legal requirements evolve rapidly and inconsistently across jurisdictions. Client expectations conflict. Gray zones appear everywhere — is heavily AI-edited content "AI-generated"? What about AI research informing human writing?

Professionals need decision frameworks, documentation habits, and escalation protocols. They must understand FTC guidelines, platform-specific policies, and sector regulations while maintaining audit trails that protect both themselves and their organizations.

Moving Forward

Mastering AI content creation isn't about replacing human creativity — it's about amplifying it strategically. The professionals who succeed will combine technical facility with prompt engineering, unwavering commitment to human judgment in critical decisions, and rigorous ethical frameworks for navigating disclosure and transparency.

The standard is clear: demonstrate foundational AI literacy, maintain learning agility, and exercise ethical judgment consistently. These capabilities, regardless of background or experience level, define the future of communications excellence in the AI age.

 

The Power of Mentorship: How to Find and Secure the Right Mentor

This is a revised post from many moons ago on how to secure a mentor.  Everyone needs a mentor. Whether you're a student, a job seeker, an executive climbing the career ladder, or even a seasoned professional, mentorship provides invaluable guidance, perspective, and support. The benefits extend across all walks of life—teachers and students, managers and employees, entrepreneurs and creatives alike.

While many understand the value of mentorship, far fewer know how to find a mentor or where to begin. In fact, the best approach might not be finding just one mentor, but assembling a "board of mentors"—a diverse group of trusted advisors who can provide well-rounded guidance in different areas of your life and career.

If you’re looking for a mentor but don’t know where to start, here are some practical steps to help you prepare, identify, and secure mentorship that will keep you learning, growing, and thriving.

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Where to Find a Mentor

Mentors can come from anywhere—your workplace, professional network, family, industry events, alumni groups, online communities, or even chance encounters. Consider seeking mentorship from:

• Coworkers & Colleagues – Those who have experience navigating the same industry or company structure.
• Professional Associations – Industry groups often have mentorship programs or networking opportunities.
• Teachers & Professors – Educators can provide career and academic guidance long after your school years.
• Friends & Family – Trusted individuals who know your strengths and aspirations can be excellent sounding boards.
• Strangers & Online Connections – Sometimes, the right mentor is someone you’ve never met in person. Platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Quora offer access to thought leaders willing to share insights.

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What a Mentor Brings to the Table

A great mentor does more than just provide advice—they challenge your thinking, help you set goals, and guide you through career and life decisions. Here’s what a strong mentor can offer:

✔️ Perspective – A mentor can help you see opportunities and challenges from different angles.
✔️ Clarity & Meaning – They assist in defining your goals and aligning them with your values.
✔️ Navigation – Whether it’s career moves or personal growth, they help you chart a course.
✔️ Accountability – A mentor can hold you to the commitments you make to yourself.
✔️ Trajectory – They help accelerate your progress by sharing lessons from their own experience.

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How to Attract the Right Mentor

If you want great mentors, be someone they’d want to invest their time in. Here’s how to position yourself as an ideal mentee:

🔹 Be visible. Show up in professional spaces, participate in industry events, and engage in online conversations.
🔹 Be approachable. Demonstrate curiosity, humility, and a willingness to learn.
🔹 Give back. Mentorship is a two-way street. Offer value in return, whether through insights, connections, or assistance.

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Steps to Finding & Securing a Mentor

1. Identify Your Ideal Mentor Profile
Make a list of people you admire—those whose careers, expertise, or values align with your aspirations. Look for professionals who have navigated the path you want to take and can offer real-world insights.

2. Leverage Your Network
Utilize LinkedIn, Twitter, and professional networks to identify potential mentors. Engage with their content, attend their talks, or ask for introductions from mutual connections.

3. Prioritize & Research
Once you have a shortlist of potential mentors, prioritize them based on relevance to your goals. Research their background, achievements, and areas of expertise so you can approach them thoughtfully.

4. Make the First Move
Reach out via email, LinkedIn, or even a handwritten note. Keep it concise:
✅ Express admiration for their work.
✅ Share what you hope to learn from them.
✅ Mention any value you might offer in return.

5. Make It Easy to Say Yes
Suggest a short, informal meeting—perhaps a 20-minute coffee chat near their office or a virtual call at their convenience. Make the invitation low-pressure and respectful of their time.

6. Be Prepared for the Meeting
Come with thoughtful questions and a clear idea of what you’d like to gain from the conversation. Be ready to share your background, career aspirations, and any challenges you’re facing.

7. Follow Up & Show Appreciation
After your meeting, send a thank-you note. If the conversation goes well, ask about the best way to stay in touch and whether they’d be open to continued guidance. A handwritten note can leave a lasting impression.

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Final Thoughts

Mentorship isn’t about finding a single guru who has all the answers—it’s about building a network of advisors who can support your journey. Whether through formal mentorship or informal guidance, the right mentors can help you navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and reach new heights.

So take that first step—identify your potential mentors, reach out, and start the conversation. Your future self will thank you.

 

Ageism: The Pause that Perplexes

Patti Temple Rocks and Scott Monty Opine on the "Agedemic" at the PRSA Silicon Valley Friday Forum on November 20, 2020.

Ageism is getting old. “Long on experience” used to be a badge of honor. Oh how times have changed. Ageism, the practice of sunsetting experienced pros, has been with us in the work force for many years but today has become a routine practice in technology and many other industries. For many of us it is the pause that perplexes. Our November 20 Friday Forum featured Patty Temple Rocks and Scott Monty to discuss and dissect strategies to rise above ageism in the workplace and thrive. 

Patti Temple Rocks is the author of I’m Not Done: It’s Time to Talk About Ageism in the Workplace. Her book, an Amazon bestseller, was ranked as one of INC Magazine 9 Books Every Professional Should Read in 2019 and Kirkus described her book as a “compelling argument and a spirited call to action against workplace age discrimination.” Patti is also Forbes contributor and public speaker. In close to four decades in the communications business, Patti has held senior leadership positions in four different areas of the industry: PR, Advertising Corporate and Start-up. Patti is known as an inspirational leader, innovative thinker, problem-solver, growth driver, passionate brand steward and both an agent for change and a counselor during that change. 

Scott Monty is an executive advisor, speaker, and Neoclassical strategist who's a recovering Fortune 10 executive. He advises corporate executives and boards on modernizing their culture to meet the changing needs of customers, but does it with examples of history, literature, philosophy and poetry. Together with his ability to trend-spot, he shows teams and audiences that the key to our future is in understanding timeless wisdom about human nature and focusing on integrity. From 2008-2014, Scott was the first global head of social media and digital communications at Ford Motor Company, where he helped turn the company around. He served as a strategic adviser across a variety of business functions, leading the company's global social media strategy. Alan Mulally, the CEO of Ford Motor Company, called him "a visionary." With another decade of experience in communications and marketing agencies, Scott has advised clients that include Walmart, McDonalds, IBM, Coca-Cola, and Google, among others, and The Economist ranked him as #1 atop the list of 25 Social Business Leaders. 

Ageism Statistics  (July 31, 2020) (builtin.com)

• 10% of people aged 65-69 employed
• 20% of workers are aged 55+ (50% are employed)
• 58% of workers notice age bias first hand when they enter their 50s
• 33% of people believe their age is putting job at risk
• 7% of people report losing job due to age discrimination
• 12% of people lose out on promotion due to age bias
• It takes an average of 46 weeks for boomers to find a new job
• Of companies that have D&I strategies, only 8% include age
• 72% of women aged 45-74 believe people experience workplace age discrimination
• 57% of men aged 45-74 believe people experience workplace age discrimination
• 59% of workers who are white experience age discrimination
• 77% of workers who are black experience age discrimination
• 61% of workers who are Hispanic or Latino experience age discrimination

Signs of Ageism         

• No promotions
• Performance reviews have disappeared.
• Career development and training is off the table
• Salary increases decline
• Plum assignments go to younger people
• Supervisors whisper in your presence
• Being passed over for new challenges
• Not invited to client meetings

Top tips from Patti and Scott: 

Chronology is Old Hat. 

Patti points out that the Covid-19 Pandemic has caused a serious setback in any progress the industry has made in improving the environment for senior level professionals.   As Patti noted we are all a collection of skills and experiences. We have to know how to translate what we have done and move away from chronological list. Don’t buy into the chronological resume. Everyone brings value to the table in different ways. Identify what makes you stand out and craft your resume appropriately.   

Craft a Narrative to Make People Feel Something

As Patti and Scott both emphasized, we are all storytellers. Customize your resume in a way that will make people feel something and take action. Craft a narrative that positions you for the specific opportunity you are seeking and will differentiate you from everyone else. What’s to stop us from doing something very distinctive? It demonstrates initiative, creativity and uniqueness.

Show up Different

As story tellers we often find ourselves carving a very unique pitch to grab the attention of a journalist or reporter. Job search can be thought of and acted on in that same vein. Customizing your resume is hard work but will help. Scott cited two such examples that illustrate the point. One job seeker created a targeted Google ad directed at a specific hiring manager. And when the hiring manager went to search for a particular term, a link to the job seeker’s portfolio appeared and included a narrative by the job seeker on the rationale for their interest in the company. In another case, an individual created a podcast episode that was placed on iTunes with the link transmitted to the hiring executive. These unconventional techniques can be the unique device to get a hiring manager’s attention.

Five Magic Words

One of the biggest problems with Ageism says Scott is that people make assumptions on what work someone older is looking for. It is unfair to assume just because someone is older that they expect a higher salary and seniority. Hiring managers and candidates alike need to communicate and manage expectations. Scott recommends using five magic words, “Tell me more about that.” We are more than a single dimension. We need to seek to understand in order to be understood. It is time to move away from assumptions and explore outside of the norm communicating openly and effectively to get through to the person on the other side of the interview table.  

Work the Network

Let’s face it, job boards are more like “Job Bored.” The chances of landing a new gig from a job posting are likely slim to none. The network is the way in. Chances are by the time a job is posted it is likely filled. Work your network hard and seek to find the actual hiring manager and then look at your connections to see who can open the door to the appropriate person. Put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and seek out everyone who can make short work of a hard reach.

Career Shifting

Consider creating something that uniquely fits work you can do and fashion a method that enables you to convincingly approach an employer. It could be a part time gig for a task that you can do in a time frame much shorter or at a cost much less than a full time employee. Patti cited a case where pharmacy firm CVS created positions for people looking to work less months out of the year and wanted to work in the South where CVS was seeing increasing demand at certain parts of the year due to population shifts. That said, you should never sell yourself for less than you are worth but you can create a different job. Considering flexible opportunities can be a win-win for everyone.

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Gerard Francis Corbett Bio

Gerard “Gerry” F Corbett “ Corbett is Chair and CEO of Redphlag LLC, a strategic public relations firm focused on helping people and companies define and communicate their intrinsic value. Gerry has served 50 years in communications and technology roles with Fortune 200 firms and NASA.  He serves on the board of advisors of Infinite Retina and the Museum of Public Relations. Gerry served in leadership positions at Producers Forum Inc., Hitachi, Loral, ASARCO, Gould Inc., International Harvester, National Semiconductor, Four Phase Systems and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Gerry most recently was branding instructor in the Entrepreneurship Program at the University of California at Berkeley, Extension and an adjunct professor of PR at San Jose State University. He was Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in 2012, a member of its College of Fellows, served on its board for eight years and joined PRSA as a PRSSA member in 1974. Prior to Redphlag, he was vice president of Branding and Corporate Communications and general manager of the Web Strategy Center of Hitachi, Ltd. He launched his career in Silicon Valley as a scientific programmer at the NASA Ames Research Center. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Gerry has a B.A. in public relations from San Jose State University and an A.A. with a major in electronics engineering from the Community College of Philadelphia.  

Gerry also is a member of the London-based Public Relations and Communications Association, senior member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; a member of the National Association of Science Writers and San Francisco PR Roundtable. He is past president of the International Advertising Association; and past member of the Arthur Page Society and the National Investor Relations Institute. 

Do As I Do, Not As I Say!

Yet again corporate America comes ashore with another stark example of why "behavior is all that matters."  Hat tip to Shel Holtz for the "ship to shore" inspiration and reminder that solid moorings are required for a stellar reputation. 

Not to single out Wells Fargo, with whom I have had a 40 year relationship, it's behavior where the reputation rubber meets the road. It is how you act and not what you say that drives image and brand. The Wells Fargo Board's tardy response to its latest crisis is or should be a a wake up call to the enterprise that behavior not platitudes is all that matters to reputation. 

True North navigation should have signaled the following response:

• The board and its chair and CEO should have led the fiasco's aftermath with an honest and straightforward response to the disclosure. 
• The CEO should have been out there and the spokesperson. He should have been on the bow of the ship speaking the company's apologies and strategy to make things right. 
• The Board should have been visible from the dock, assuring stakeholders swift action and answers. 

• Supporting staff should echo the leader's apologies and action moving forward. And employee should be informed in real time, all the time.
• Management leaders should not have accepted bonuses and remuneration until the board completed its investigation and due diligence. 
• Had the response been swift and thorough, Congress would not have needed to hold hearings. The information would have been out there for all to see, hear and react.

Abject lesson: "Do as I do, not as I say." Behavior in the C Suite needs to change. Ego must go. Agendas must focus on customers and employees first. The public must have respect, truth and light. Right the ship!



How to Get a Mentor

Everyone needs a mentor.  There is no doubt that mentorship has positive lift for young and old, job seekers and career ladder climbers, students and teachers, managers and individual contributors.  I have often argued that not only are mentors valuable, but a board of mentors is perhaps the best path to objective, savvy and smart advice for weathering both storm and good weather. I recently read a post that noted many people do not have a mentor or even a clue how to find one.

Herewith are some pointers on preparing for, identifying and securing a mentor or mentors to keep you soaring in all that you do, all that you aspire to and keeping you sailing through life and your career.    

Mentors can come from coworkers, colleagues, congregations, family, fans, friends, professional associations, strangers and teachers. 

Mentors provide advice, challenge, clarity, meaning, navigation, objectivity, perspective, purpose and trajectory.  

Be visible in all of your avocations, professional pursuits and socializing.  Be seen as smart, human and approachable.  Always reciprocate good works and the help you receive along the way. 

 

Look for people who do what you want to do. Chances are they may have already travelled the avenue you hope to take and can guide you through the obstacles, turns and twists often found on the highway to self-actualization .
 
Take stock of your network and make a list of people who you believe could give you sound counsel and advice.  Leave no stone unturned employing all of your relevant social infrastructure platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Quora, Snapchat, and Twitter, to name a few. 
 
With the list in hand, identify the characteristics most important to you in terms of profession, experience, education, avocations, and professional and personal accomplishments.  With the matrix completed, prioritize the list of proposed mentors based on your preferred characteristics.
 
Having identified and prioritized your list of mentors, take the top five and outline your method of contact based on your familiarity with them and ease of communications.
 
Depending on the impact you wish to have and/or make, send an email or handwritten note to each outlining your desire for mentorship.  State what you hope to learn about yourself based on your potential mentor’s background, experience and accomplishments. 
 
Also assess what value you can provide to a mentor in return for her or his time.  Could your network be helpful?  Is there some experience you have had that could be of use to a potential mentor?  Give it some deep thought and make a list of the value proposition so that you are prepared ahead of time.
 
Follow up with your potential mentors by phone or email suggesting a time and place to meet.  Getting together at a coffee shop is likely a good path to least resistance as it may imply a short “information” meeting.  Make it easy to say yes by choosing a venue near the mentor’s place of business.   Offer to buy coffee or lunch if your budget is appropriate.

Depending on your response rate you may need to work your way down your prioritized list of mentors.  More than likely you will receive warm responses to your outreach.  The rest is up to you.   

Prior to your meeting, search Google for information about your potential mentor and/or look them up on LinkedIn and Facebook.  Make sure you bring yourself up to speed about the person and their career path, interests and passions. 

 
Make a list of questions in advance of knowledge you wish to learn and commit to memory so you are prepared for anything during your meeting.
 
Let nature take its course.  Also before parting company, inquire about frequency and method of communications.  Do what is convenient for your mentor.
 
Follow up the meeting with a thank you note, by email or other medium.  A handwritten note has a lasting benefit.
 

Recovering from a Bad Career Move – The Life You Save May Be Your Own

This advice was originally written for Blue Steps -- "Executive Career Insider, your expert source on executive search and careers."

History is littered with the hulls of rudderless ships because the appropriate captain was not at the helm; and carcasses of executives who have spent lavishly at shareowner expense or inappropriately spoke a word in haste and waste. This year has seen its fair share of jettisoned executives for everything from moral turpitude and fiscal excess or simply being there in the wrong slot. The spectrum of personalities and rationales for the revolving door varies widely. Whether one is able to bounce back often is based on the nature and severity of the departure and whether it was self-inflicted or politically induced.

No matter if you have left a role because of forfeit or a poor fit, there is light at the end of the tunnel and with the right strategy you can navigate your way back to gainful employment. Here are some habits that can be the key to surviving and thriving.

Own it. Acknowledge what has occurred. Take responsibility if the faux pas occurred on or under your watch. If so, apologize, make amends and move on. If you were an innocent bystander, make your case, promote action to the powers that be and move on. If the glove just does not fit, take it off, give it back and move on.

Don’t let the mishap define you. The mistake was just that, a bad choice, an road ill taken. Do not let it define you. It is not who you are or want to be. Separate your motion from the emotion. Do not be consumed by your anger, grief, frustration or let it morph into depression.

Make it a teaching moment. Whatever occurred, learn from it, grow from it, and make it a teaching moment. No doubt, the glass analogy applies here. Look at what happened as the glass is still half full, not half empty. Stay positive and move the ball forward.

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Aspire to Higher - Benchmarks for a PR Pro

This post first appeared in Spin Sucks.  

Much continues to be penned on the role of public relations and how the field has changed throughout the years. It is the subject of lively discussion as popular as “what came first the chicken or the egg.”

Everyone has an opinion on who is the lead dog in the race for hearts and minds in the reputation game in the 21st century. Is it PR, marketing, advertising or some other function? And what does 2016 hold for the field and for public relations pros?

Public relations, for the foreseeable future, is essential to building trust with people who have a vital stake in an organization’s operations and success.

It is critical to fulfilling an organization’s missions and responsibilities. Public relations is the conscious in the board room. And if you don’t believe that, fasten your seatbelt, the ride will be rocky.

The fact is PR is all about building and sustaining relationships.

Always has. Always will.

The demand for public relations professionals has never been better and 2016 will likely accelerate the need for folks who are, “Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.”

Benchmarks of Successful PR Professionals

Here are some of the most powerful characteristics successful PR professionals will need to be going forward:

• PR professionals are activists, seeking to engage, enlighten, and energize an organization’s constituents. They are not gatekeepers between their companies and the media.
• PR professionals advocate not just for their organizations, but for their organization’s constituents and stakeholders. This adds the important role of presenting the stakeholder’s interests and views to management. It is all about representing all those with a stake and making them understand their inherent obligations.
• PR professionals are strategic content developers and storytellers, helping their organizations formulate key messages that resonate with stakeholders and are coherent with the corporate culture and nature of the organization.
• PR professionals help an organization build mutual trust by encouraging and fostering transparency and integrity throughout the organization.
• PR professionals are counselors who actively advise and guide organizations in honestly communicating and behaving in the best interests of society and its constituents such as customers, employees, shareholders, and the communities in which they operate.
• PR professionals are enablers and connectors, helping organizations stay grounded, stay human, and stay sensitive to the needs and desires of their communities.

In essence, the role of today’s public relations professional is akin to being the conscience of the organization, being ever vigilant to ensuring that the organization is “doing the right thing” and not just saying the right things.

What do you think are the benchmarks of successful PR professionals?