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Articles by Geri Johnson
Reputation is a data asset
As a “soft” asset, brand reputation is something companies measure subjectively through anecdotal feedback, survey data, or a general sense of how the market feels about your brand. But in the era of user-generated content and AI, reputation is a vital key performance indicator (KPI). It’s a quantifiable and dynamic data asset that directly influences growth and profitability. It can also shift extremely quickly across media, social platforms, reviews, and increasingly, AI summaries.
The future of work is prioritizing people and performance
By now, it’s clear: Most return-to-office (RTO) mandates are failing. After years of flexibility, employees forced back to the office are feeling caged and resentful, if they haven’t already left for another company. As a result, leaders who assumed RTO would solve culture or performance problems have instead seen them get worse. It turns out, tethering people to a chair doesn’t fix it.
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4 tips to support teams at risk of change saturation
Constant change is a new reality facing all companies these days, especially PR agencies where the industry is shifting daily. I recently wrote about how to adapt to the fast-changing PR world and communicate those changes to a client. Now the question remains: How do you adapt and communicate internally to team members? Our people are our most valuable asset. We must ensure they still feel valued, appreciated and heard when so much change is happening around them.
South Carolina’s economic metrics tell a confusing story
A poll by the Pew Research Center found inflation topped Americans’ list of problems facing the country in 2024. And while some of the best-known economic metrics don’t look great for South Carolina, some economists say a deeper look shows the state might be in a better position than it appears. Inflation peaked in the Southeast at 9.8% in June 2022 compared with a year prior, when national inflation was at its peak. But the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported inflation was 2.5% in October 2024.
Bigfoot sighting in SC? Is he real?
Did the legendary Bigfoot visit South Carolina last weekend? It wouldn’t be his first time in the Palmetto state. An anonymous witness, who identified himself as a law enforcement officer, reported seeing a mysterious creature in Newberry County on Nov. 2 to the national Bigfoot Researcher’s Organization. The recent report has sparked a wave of conversations and memes on social media. The sighting also had others wondering whether the creature exists.
SC 3rd parties celebrate a spike in votes
South Carolina third-party candidates in legislative and congressional races saw a spike in the percentage of votes cast for them this election season. The candidates with the biggest portions of the vote were the ones running against only one other opponent. Third-party candidates for the S.C. General Assembly this year received 56,445 votes, consistent with the number from the previous 2020 general election.
‘Very uneventful day’: Election Day goes smoothly in the Midlands
The Associated Press called South Carolina for former president Donald Trump shortly after 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Election Day came after about 1.47 million votes had already been cast in early voting, according to the South Carolina Election Commission. Another 100,000 had been cast by mail. The state has about 3.5 million registered voters. Poll workers said lines were minimal and moved quickly Tuesday, in part because of early voting. Day-of vote totals were being reported slowly Tuesday night.
From the Vista to Five Points: Local artist unveils Fritz the Robot
Clark Ellefson has been an eclectic figure in the Columbia art scene for decades. The Vista-based artist is recognized by locals as the “godfather” of the neighborhood. “He’s just always involved, always giving, always trying to give back to the arts community,” said Tom Lockart, owner of One Eared Cow Glass in Columbia, Ellefson’s neighbor on Huger Street.
City of Columbia announces canal repairs 9 years after historic flooding
The city of Columbia on Friday announced a plan to repair and replace elements of the city’s canal system — nine years after a historic flood severely damaged the source of much of downtown’s drinking water. Columbia Water has been providing drinking water using temporary fixes since the city’s 1,000-year flood in 2015. City officials announced a project to replace, modernize and reopen the canal and its adjacent hydroelectricity plant.
First female CPD officer graduates from FBI academy
Captain Cynthia Waggoner has a habit of making close connections at work. She loves the people she works with, but these relationships can make it hard for her to accept promotions. “You get very happy, you get good people around you, and why do you want to leave it?” Waggoner said. So when Chief Skip Holbrook offered to nominate her to attend the FBI Academy in 2021, she said no. But after three years, she finally changed her mind. “Man, I was lucky. I’m glad I got there,” Waggoner said.
Budget provision puts TikTok in jeopardy in SC classrooms
High school government teacher Patrick Kelly can always tell when his students are filming a TikTok. “Seeing students with a phone that’s positioned on a desk and you’ve got two or three students dancing in front of the phone, that’s a pretty good giveaway,” Kelly said. But this is a sight Kelly will no longer see after the South Carolina legislature passed a measure compelling schools to block TikTok on all state-issued devices – or lose almost half their funding.
5 ways practicing gratitude makes you a better leader
The Fast Company Executive Board is a private, fee-based network of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. 4 minute Read It had been a stretch of miserable weather: rainy, cold, and dreary. I’d been feeling stressed, in a funk, and hadn’t slept well.
Embrace change this year with these four enterprise change management
The Fast Company Executive Board is a private, fee-based network of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. 4 minute Read The new year is a time when many organizations adopt fresh initiatives or implement new policies. Whether it’s a positive shift, like kicking off a paid volunteer time-off program or one that might stir some friction, navigating change can be daunting.
5 ways to show appreciation for your team year-
The Fast Company Executive Board is a private, fee-based network of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. 4 minute Read It’s no secret that people leave jobs when they feel underappreciated. I get it—who wants to stay where they’re viewed as replaceable or another line item on the budget?
PAID ELECTION LETTER: Kimball, Knudtson, Brandsoy for school board
JoEllen Kimball has served on our school board since 2015. She is a retired second grade teacher. JoEllen has a passion for kids and will always make decisions that are best for the kids attending Hutchinson Public Schools. Erin Knudtson has served on our school board since 2020. She is a graduate of HHS and a pediatrician at Hutch Health. She has four children who attend four of our five schools! Erin wants what is best for all children. Dale Brandsoy moved to Hutch in 2015.
Support women in Wyoming races
Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2020 8:05 am Submitted by Geri Maria Johnson Dear Editor: Humanity desperately needs TLC. That will happen when women lead. Increasingly, we find ourselves wrestling with our own lawmakers! We seek people-centered government, so we must send more outstanding women to legislatures! Once, the top priority of elected officials was to satisfy their constituents and safeguard their civil and human rights. Those were statesmen, committed to strengthening the people.
Should Companies Upgrade Employees to iPhone X for Security?
When Steve Jobs promised the first iPhone he promised a “revolutionary product” that would “change everything.” He asked us to imagine an iPod (remember those?), a phone and a breakthrough internet communications device, all in one package. On that day, Jobs declared that “Apple is going to reinvent the phone.” But the iPhone did so much more than that—it transcended the phone.
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