Always On

Caliber

If it seems like the world’s in permanent crisis mode — that’s because it is. But what does all this mean for the world’s biggest companies?On Always On — a podcast about branding, communications and corporate reputation — host Shahar Silbershatz searches for the answers.He meets brand, marketing and communications experts — including Chief Communications Officers (CCOs) and Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) — to learn how they’re steering leading companies through our age of uncertainty.

  1. 4d ago

    Visibility Isn't Believability: Why Leaders Need to Talk Less

    A LinkedIn profile and a Wi-Fi connection are all it takes to be visible today. But visibility isn't the same as being believed. In this episode, Shahar sits down with Roger Christie, founder and managing director of Propel, to unpack why the rise in executive visibility hasn't translated into more trust — and in many cases has done the opposite. Roger shares data from Propel's own trust diagnostic, including one telling stat: leaders analyzed generated over 1,000 inbound comments across six months, and replied to zero of them. He argues that belief isn't built through broadcasting, but through the same things that build trust offline: listening, curiosity, and showing up consistently when it's tested — what he calls the "pressure moment." In this episode: Why visibility has become "table stakes" since generative AI removed the last barriers to publishing contentThe leadership paradox: the leaders most worth hearing from are often the first to go quiet, while the loudest voices create fatigueWhy "believability" — not visibility — is the real currency of trustThe data behind polished, performative content: why over-produced posts create distance rather than connectionWhat a "pressure moment" is, and why it's where reputations are actually won or lost — not in the content itself, but in what happens when someone pushes backWhy corporate reputation and leader reputation aren't the same thing, and how to tell how reliant your organization is on one personRoger's advice for Chief Communications Officers: build "bench strength" instead of over-indexing on a single executive voiceThe one piece of conventional wisdom Roger disagrees with: talk less, listen firstAbout the guest: Roger Christie is the founder and managing director of Propel, a Sydney-based strategic reputation consultancy, and host of the podcast Your Digital Reputation. To learn more about stakeholder intelligence and how to track perceptions of global companies and industries, visit groupcaliber.com.

    Visibility Isn't Believability: Why Leaders Need to Talk Less
  2. Sep 14

    Southwest's Whitney Eichinger on How Comms Helps Trust Take Off

    Fasten your seatbelt and prepare for takeoff, as we take to the skies with Whitney Eichinger, SVP and Chief Communications Officer at Southwest Airlines. Whitney joins Always On to unpack what it actually looks like to run comms for a 100-million-passenger-a-year airline — from planning winter operations in the middle of a Dallas heatwave, to managing the message when a competitor's engine issue puts the whole industry under the microscope. She talks candidly about how Southwest uses data to guide decisions (not make them), why she's skeptical of how the industry talks about AI, and why the strongest crisis response comes down to one thing: a consistent drumbeat of trust, built long before the crisis ever hits. In This Episode: Why there isn't a "typical day" for an airline CCOBalancing long-term planning with whatever the day throws at youHow Southwest uses weekly sentiment reporting to keep employee and customer messaging in syncThe WestJet engine incident and the Iran-driven fuel spike: how Southwest decided what not to sayWhy crisis moments can actually strengthen internal culture and trust between teamsThe role of data in comms decisions — and why "data doesn't make your decision, it guides it"Whitney's honest take on AI hype in the communications industryWhy she believes the future of comms is generalists, not siloed specialistsCareer advice from Whitney — and a life lesson borrowed from Ted LassoTo learn more about stakeholder intelligence and how to track perceptions of global companies and industries, visit groupcaliber.com.

    Southwest's Whitney Eichinger on How Comms Helps Trust Take Off
  3. 07/08/2025

    Booking Holdings' Leslie Cafferty on Why Comms is a Two-Way Street

    In the Season 2 finale, Leslie Cafferty, Chief Communications Officer at Booking Holdings, shares how her team leads communications across brands like Booking.com, OpenTable, and KAYAK in a world that’s always on — and always shifting. From experimenting with AI tools to navigating public backlash during the pandemic, Leslie explains why today’s communications landscape requires constant iteration, cross-functional collaboration, and — above all — listening. She reflects on building internal trust, staying ahead of risk, and offering clear-eyed counsel to the CEO when the pressure is on. For Leslie, communication isn’t just about sending messages — it’s a two-way street that demands curiosity, clarity, and the courage to adjust course. Time stamps 00:00 Communication as a Two-Way Street 00:21 Meet Leslie Cafferty 01:48 Leslie's Career Journey 03:52 The Evolution of Communications 05:20 AI and Technology in Communications 11:24 Experimentation and Data-Driven Strategies 20:34 Reflecting on Achievements and Challenges 21:05 Navigating the Fast-Paced Communication Landscape 23:41 Crisis Preparation and Response 26:39 Learning from Public Backlash 28:48 Fostering Open Internal Communication 33:02 Collaborating with the C-Suite 34:25 Deciding When to Speak Out 39:09 Personal Insights and Switching Off 40:27 Conclusion and Farewell To learn more about stakeholder intelligence and how to track perceptions of global companies and industries, visit groupcaliber.com.

    Booking Holdings' Leslie Cafferty on Why Comms is a Two-Way Street
  4. 06/24/2025

    Becca Chambers on the End of ‘Shapes and Colors’ Comms

    Shahar sits down with Becca Chambers—aka “Becca from LinkedIn”—a communications powerhouse with over 80 million views on the platform and CMO at Scale Venture Partners. Becca shares how she rose from a spontaneous start in comms—via a rogue wave—to becoming a leading voice in data-driven communications. With deep experience across cybersecurity, VC, and brand strategy, Becca explains why comms pros need to shed the “shapes and colors” stereotype and start proving their business impact with smart, contextualized data. Becca dives into how communicators can earn a seat at the leadership table by being strategic, saying no when needed, and translating qualitative and quantitative signals into compelling business stories. She challenges comms leaders to get scrappy with data—tapping into tools like Google Analytics or Salesforce—and emphasizes that it’s not about the metrics per se but how they connect to real business outcomes. She also discusses the burnout risks of an “always on” mindset, especially in high-stakes industries like cybersecurity, and the importance of boundaries to preserve creativity and stamina. Finally, Becca makes a compelling case for why all communicators must build their personal brands. In a world moving toward hyper-authenticity and digital-first impressions, Becca argues that showing up online consistently (even imperfectly) will be a key differentiator. From leadership visibility to message consistency and analyst sentiment tracking, she shares practical ways to “see around corners” and ensure comms is not just reactive but proactive in shaping reputation and driving business strategy. Time stamps 00:00 Introduction and Opening Remarks 00:27 Guest Introduction: Becca Chambers 01:03 Becca's Career Journey 04:21 Evolution of Communications 08:19 Data-Driven Communications 13:46 The Importance of Consistency and Sentiment 18:05 Data-Driven Storytelling 19:31 The Always-On Dilemma 22:50 Measuring Success in Communications 27:02 Leadership Visibility and Influence 33:09 Building Personal Brands 35:47 Quickfire Questions and Final Thoughts To learn more about stakeholder intelligence and how to track perceptions of global companies and industries, visit groupcaliber.com.

    Becca Chambers on the End of ‘Shapes and Colors’ Comms
  5. 06/11/2025

    DSV's Pia Stoklund on How Data Builds Trust and Creates Headspace

    In episode four, host Shahar Silbershatz sits down with Pia Stoklund, the Global Head of Corporate Marketing and Communication at logistics powerhouse DSV. Fresh off DSV’s massive acquisition of Schenker — doubling its workforce to 160,000 — Pia reflects on her 25-year journey through corporate communications and marketing, and how data has become a strategic cornerstone of her work. From her early days in finance to her current role at a global logistics giant, Pia shares how data-driven insights don’t just support better decisions — they create the headspace needed for creativity, strategic clarity, and trust-building across stakeholders. 🔑 In this episode, you’ll learn: What “creating headspace” means in the context of leadership, creativity, and communication strategy — and why it's critical in an “always on” world.How corporate communication has evolved — and why visibility, vulnerability, and frequent dialogue matter more than ever.How Pia builds comms at scale — enabling thousands of employees to align around a consistent message and brand narrative.Why data is essential to decision-making in modern communicationsTimestamps 00:00 Teaser Clip About Headspace 00:29 Welcome to Always On Podcast 00:41 Meet Pia Stockland 01:04 Pia's Career Journey 02:26 Transition from Finance to Communications 03:09 Benefits of Diverse Industry Experience 05:22 Evolution of the Communication Landscape 07:04 Always On: The Need for Real-Time Data 07:56 Tools and Structures for Always On Communication 15:40 Balancing Data and Creativity 17:33 Leadership Visibility in an Always-On World 23:05 Effective Internal Communication 30:28 Future Trends in Communication 33:10 The Role of the CCO and CMO 36:09 Common Myths About Communications 37:15 Conclusion and Final Thoughts To learn more about stakeholder intelligence and how to track perceptions of global companies and industries, visit groupcaliber.com.

    DSV's Pia Stoklund on How Data Builds Trust and Creates Headspace

About

If it seems like the world’s in permanent crisis mode — that’s because it is. But what does all this mean for the world’s biggest companies?On Always On — a podcast about branding, communications and corporate reputation — host Shahar Silbershatz searches for the answers.He meets brand, marketing and communications experts — including Chief Communications Officers (CCOs) and Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) — to learn how they’re steering leading companies through our age of uncertainty.

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