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So much of our time as communicators is spent navigating uncharted territory – handling crises, adapting to emerging technology, etc. – that it’s easy to forget to take time to reflect.

We recently received a great reminder to do just that from our friend and former Sears colleague, Barbara Rozgonyi. A pioneer of digital communications and the leader of CoryWest Media, Barbara joined us to discuss the current popularity of retro culture and how lessons from the past can help shape how we work moving forward.

“It’s just really gives you a feeling that what was cool is still cool,” Barbara said. “I was looking at some of the projects we worked on together – and the groundwork that we laid back then may seem nostalgic, but it’s super relevant for today.”

Barbara, Sharon and I had a fun look back at some of the work we took on together and how, as much as things may change, they stay the same. (It may not always feel this way, but the 90’s weren’t that long ago.)

Among the topics discussed:

• “I am Sears,” a global initiative highlighting Sears employees
• The importance of establishing leaders as relatable and approachable
• Building cross-functional relationships
• Helping employees feel connected in different settings

For more from Barbara:

• Listen to her podcast, Growing Social
• Access articles on Barbara’s blog, http://wiredPRworks.com
• Visit her website at https://www.barbararozgonyi.com/
• Find her on LinkedIn
• Visit CoryWest Media

About Sharon McIntosh

Sharon is president of And Then Communications. With more than two decades of communications experience, she has a passion for creating and executing new ideas to drive employee engagement at companies both large and small. Most recently Sharon served as PepsiCo’s vice president of Global Internal Communications, overseeing the company’s efforts to connect with its more than 274,000 employees worldwide.

About Sharon Phillips

Sharon Phillips is principal of Sharon Phillips Communications, which focuses on employee engagement and corporate communications strategy and support. Prior to relaunching her consultancy in 2014, she served as director of Global Internal Communications at PepsiCo.