Mirjana Novkovic

How would you rate your executive presence? I recently attended an insightful session at the IABC World Conference led by communication powerhouses Theomary Karamanis, PhD, SCMP, IABC Fellow and Brad Whitworth, SCMP, IABC Fellow, focused on the critical topic of Executive Presence. The core messages I took away? Executive presence accelerates your progress and it comes down to how you act, speak, and appear. Here’s what stuck with me: 🔹 Act with confidence, calm, and decisiveness. 🔹 Speak to command the room — listen fully, show authenticity, and avoid filler or weak language. 🔹 Appear polished and aligned with your authentic self. They also shared some powerful "don'ts" and even as someone who coaches leaders, I found myself taking notes (and quietly saying “guilty” once or twice 😅): ❌ Touching your face or playing with your hair ❌ Leaning back or crossing your arms defensively ❌ Speaking too fast (guilty!) or using qualifiers like “I may be wrong,” “I just think,” or “perhaps” ❌ Appearing rushed, distracted, or interrupting others These might seem like small things, but they can chip away at the presence and credibility you’ve worked hard to build. Curious — what’s one “presence” habit you’re working on? (I’ll go first: slowing down my pace when speaking!) PS I forgot to take a pic of them onstage so sharing this one of the amazing bagpipe opening to the conference.

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“Simply by rearranging and presenting the same content in a different way, they made a powerful point.” Interesting and instructive piece on how Harvard reframed its website to reassert its narrative during a reputational crisis. This case study offers a reminder that the impact of content doesn’t rest only in what’s being said, but in how it's structured and delivered -- and that sometimes using what you already have differently can have as big an impact in shifting or sharpening brand perception as creating something new. 

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The most painful moment in PR. Stakeholder wants headlines. Budget is “we’ll see.” The brief is vague. The story is… not. “We need visibility.” “Top-tier media.” “Thought leadership.” What’s new? Silence. Then comes the line every PR professional knows by heart: “Just make it interesting.” 😬 PR isn’t magic. It’s strategy, timing, substance… and occasionally explaining that being alive isn’t news. Back to reframing reality.

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As PR professionals, we face a timeless challenge: handling crises without getting dragged into unproductive conflicts. My recent conversation with a government official highlighted this perfectly. The instinct to defend through direct confrontation rarely works when facing bad-faith actors. Instead, success comes from strategically reframing the narrative. This approach is particularly relevant with the current crisis affecting one of Nigeria's leading brands. Rather than responding to every accusation, the most effective strategy focuses on: 1️⃣ Maintaining control of your message 2️⃣ Focusing on facts rather than emotions 3️⃣ Speaking directly to stakeholders (internal and external) 4️⃣ Building credibility through consistent actions that show you care Why does this work? Because audience attention is your most valuable currency during a crisis. When you engage in mud-slinging, you validate the original attack and split that attention. #AfricanPR #CrisisManagement #CarpeDiem

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Saying that a global PR agency is better or smarter than a small agency is like watching "The Gilded Age" and siding with Mrs. Astor against Mrs. Russell—put the old crowd on a pedestal and keep out the new at all costs. Just because you're younger, newer, or smaller doesn't mean you aren't as good (if not better) than your peers at a global agency. Consultants and small shops bring a different approach to their work and client relationships. For some clients, a small team of experts is exactly what they need. For others, they need a big agency team for large-scale execution. But let's not create a false equivalence here. #PublicRelations #Communications #PRConsulting #CommunicationsConsulting

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Speakers talk for a living, yet most sit on a vault of content they never leverage. Tina Dietz knows exactly what to do with it. From Mic to Manuscript for Speakers: Tina Dietz, founder of Twin Flames Studios, shares how she produced hundreds of audiobooks and podcast-to-book projects by turning podcast recordings into authority, visibility, and significant revenue. In her interview with Antoniette Roze, Tina gets into the mechanics of building a platform that actually pays. They explore: Why strong podcast storytelling becomes even stronger on the page—and how to pinpoint episodes worthy of a manuscript The publishing landscape with clarity: writing, editing, self-publishing, traditional routes, and what moves the needle for experts and speakers. How she turned her skill set into a global brand, paid stages, and a profitable ecosystem If you care about expanding your reach, elevating your expertise, and monetizing content you’ve already created, don’t miss this! It is one of those conversations that separates casual creators from the deliberate professionals. #SpeakerSuccess #Podcasting #Publishing #ThoughtLeadership #LiveInterview

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At a time when only 1 in 4 people trust public institutions, Executive Thought Leadership is a brand’s best asset for breaking through. But, how do you know if its working?! My latest byline for Raffetto Herman Strategic Communications, published in Bulldog Reporter, breaks down how to tap into #thoughtleadership to advance your PR goals - and how you know you’ve reached the tipping point. 💡

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