The face may not be familiar, but the voice probably is.
Meet Chuck Gose, a member of our Employee Communications Section Executive Committee and host of the increasingly popular ICology podcast. These labors of love are in addition to Chuck's day job, so we thought it would be interesting to learn what drives Chuck's passion for Internal communication.
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You're a busy guy, Chuck! You travel extensively for your company, speak at events and still manage to produce a regular podcast. Tell us a bit about your work and how it relates to employee communications.
I work at BroadSign, Inc. as their Corporate Communication Practice Leader. We are a top-ranked, global provider of cloud-based digital signage software and support more than 100,000 digital displays in more than 40 countries. I get to work directly with clients who want to invest in digital signage for employee communication.
The best part of the job is that I get to work with fellow communicators every single day and help them solve communication problems. I guide conversation back to goals and strategy, as it’s easy to get distracted by the technology component of an internal digital signage network. At the same time, I see a lot of communicators not engaging with their IT departments to address the technology component. As a communicator who always had a great relationship with IT, I work to bring those two departments together. This work was part of the inspiration for the Periodic Table of Internal Communications (PDF), which I co-created with Alan Oram from Alive With Ideas!.
I'm also having a lot of fun hosting ICology. I get to interview some of the most interesting and thought-provoking practitioners in our field, and I've been really pleased with the how the show is being received. Some people have described each episode as a mini-comms conference that also happens to be free. It’s available on iTunes or wherever people listen to podcasts.
How did you get into Public Relations?
I went to Butler University thinking I was going to be a journalist. That is, until I did my first internship at a newspaper. That wasn’t for me. But the power of words still excited me.
It’s been great to be a part of the rise of internal communications and see young communication pros view it as a career path. Today, I'd like to see more internal communications take advantage of external social media, both for their company and their own careers. There’s so much great information and resources being shared that I fear many internal communicators are missing out on.
So you have found PR to be a good place for that passion?
Yes, although it did not start out that way. I was a speechwriter at an insurance company for an awful public speaker. Quite the humbling experience. But it was here that I saw how employees were beginning to tune out leadership based on a poor internal communications experience. It was this moment that I began focusing more on internal communication, injecting more creativity and technology into my day-to-day activities.
I think that IC has gotten a bit off track by focusing so much on employee engagement. I’m challenging communicators to now think about the employee experience. Internal communicators should step up as the voice of the employee and not just communicate to employees – but also listen to them, too.
What brought you to PRSA?
Initially it was due to the strength of the PRSA Hoosier Chapter and those involved. I even served as the finance director for a while. The locals involved represented such a great cross-section of the Indianapolis communications community, I joined right away. I love the work local chapters do and still enjoy speaking at their events.
I eventually found the Employee Communications Section and started connecting with my peers there. Internal communications is a passion of mine and I love the focus that the Section brings. The IC profession has unique challenges compared to those in other areas of PR. And it’s great being in a section that’s pushing the boundaries of employee communication, encouraging new thoughts and ideas.
I’m thrilled with what the team has been able to build with the PRSA Connect events. Last year’s in Dallas was one of my favorites. As sponsorship chair on the planning committee, I have high expectations for the PRSA Connect 17 in Denver next June.
How do you manage such a busy work life and your home life?
I grew up in the Midwest, Springboro, Ohio, to be precise, and take on a “roll up my sleeves” approach to work, both figuratively and literally. I live in Brownsburg, IN, a suburb of Indianapolis, with my wife, Melissa, and our two kids. I love being a part of the Central Indiana community.
Indianapolis is a great place for me to do what I do. It has all – or most – of the big-city perks without many of the headaches. I love my Butler Bulldogs, Skyline Chili, Duran Duran and doing what I can to keep the focus on the unique world of internal communications.