Raya Zimmerman (right), Minnesota PRSA volunteer, introduces PadillaCRT Chair and CEO Lynn Casey, APR.
A group of approximately 25 public relations professionals relished the opportunity to grab coffee and glean public relations career wisdom from Lynn Casey, APR, chair and CEO of Padilla CRT, at a recent Minnesota PRSA event.
Casey sprinkled her talk with anecdotes from her public relations career, words of wisdom and recommended books to read.
In reference to the 2013 acquisition of CRT/tanaka, a move that almost doubled the size of her firm, Casey said, “I’m not much of a risk taker. I’m a calculated risk taker. I moved slow to move fast.”
Casey encouraged attendees to learn more about risk taking and opportunities by reading “The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization” by Peter M. Senge.
Given that Minnesota PRSA provides many networking opportunities, Casey had plenty of networking advice:
- “Try to make as many PRSA meetings as possible.”
- “No matter how much you disagree with someone, don’t burn bridges.”
- “As you get older, don’t intimidate younger people.”
Casey considers herself a servant leader, and strongly encouraged attendees to read the book “Servant Leadership” by Robert K. Greenleaf.
Casey shared her human side as well. She admitted that, when it comes to work/life balance, she’s a poor role model for her employees with kids. Casey said that first time she had to lay someone off, she was so sick over it that she threw up in the bathroom. And she called one of the highlights of her public relations career when James E. Lukaszewski, ABC, Fellow IABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, BEPS Emeritus, asked her to read the first draft of one of his books.
As the Minnesota PRSA “Coffee with a Legend” event wrapped up, Casey shared some parting wisdom: be true to yourself, keep learning, know that reputation is more important than ever, and understand that clients will buy expertise.