Powerful Communication Podcast

About This Episode: What does it truly take to build a successful communications team or improve your business reputation? In this episode of the Powerful Communication podcast, Colin Kelly explores the mindset of winning by looking at the 15-year era of almost total dominance by Celtic Football Club. Whether you are navigating a corporate landscape, handling PR, or managing crisis comms, the psyc...

Are you replacing your workforce with Artificial Intelligence to save a few pounds? It might actually be the quickest way to kill your business. In this episode, we break down the fatal 30-second cycle companies are blindly walking into: adopting AI, achieving early success, and allowing spreadsheet-focused management to eliminate human roles in the name of "efficiency savings." But a massive hidd...

In this episode of the Powerful Communication Podcast from Comsteria, professional media trainer Colin Kelly breaks down the communication styles and debate performances of the politicians on the May 21st edition of BBC Question Time in Dumfries.   Tune in for an expert analysis of the panel's rhetoric, body language, and audience connection:   The Fall of the Big Two: Discover why Labour's Kirsty...

In this episode, we analyse what I consider to be the recent crisis communication missteps by the CEO of Channel 4 following serious allegations surrounding the reality television show Married at First Sight. We translate these real-world PR mistakes into actionable leadership lessons for your organisation. Listeners will learn why leaders must face journalists with honesty and empathy rather than...

In this episode, Comsteria's media trainer Colin Kelly addresses one of the most common concerns raised during our sessions as a media training and presentation skills training provider: what to do when you are asked a question during a media interview and you genuinely don't know the answer. We explain why "busking it" or faking a response is never the right approach, as audiences can tell and it...

In this episode of the Powerful Communication Podcast, Colin Kelly from Comsteria dives deep into the fascinating world of costly signaling theory and the controversial small penis rule. This communication theory suggests that when a public figure admits a devastatingly uncomfortable truth, the public automatically assumes they are being honest about everything else. From Donald Trump and Boris Jo...

In this short and powerful episode, host Colin Kelly from Comsteria shares a personal story from his vocal coaching sessions to reveal a crucial lesson in leadership and self-development.     Discover why we sometimes fail to hit the high notes during routine "warm-ups" but manage to reach them when we are "up on the tight rope" of an actual performance. Colin explores how stepping out of your com...

Are you tired of just getting through your presentations and thinking, "Thank God that's over"? In this episode, we share a much better way to speak in public, whether you are chatting in a small team briefing or presenting on a massive conference stage. We dive into Comsteria Limited's signature "Purpose, Audience, Message" method to help you turn presentation panic into a genuine glow and sense...

Think you don't need media training just because you want to keep journalists at arm's length? Think again. In this episode, we break down why media training remains a crucial investment for senior professionals, politicians, and business leaders, even if you never plan on doing a traditional TV, radio, or newspaper interview. We explore two hidden realities of the modern professional landscape.  ...

This guide from Comsteria provides essential advice for high-profile individuals on how to handle difficult media inquiries without resorting to dishonesty. Media trainer Colin Kelly argues that claiming an inability to comment is often a transparent lie that makes a speaker look defensive and invites further aggressive questioning. Instead, Colin advocates for total candour , suggesting that prof...

Colin Kelly of the communications firm Comsteria expresses deep gratitude for his company's recent growth and credits their success to a client-focused philosophy that prioritizes value over profit.  The core of his message encourages organizations to look beyond traditional corporate writing by harnessing the creative hobbies of their employees, such as music, fiction writing or animation. Kelly...

In this podcast, Colin Kelly highlights trading card games like Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic: The Gathering as undervalued media assets with immense marketing potential. He compares the current independent media surrounding these games to the underground football fanzines of the 1990s, which allowed brands like Oasis to reach dedicated audiences at a fraction of typical costs. Kelly argues that because thes...

In this podcast Colin Kelly highlights how personalized touches and unexpected generosity can significantly strengthen the bond between e-commerce businesses and their customers. He shares a story about receiving a hand-written note and a small gift with an online order, suggesting that such gestures of goodwill c reate advocacy even if they do not lead to immediate repeat sales. Kelly also encour...

In an ultra competitive environment, don't get your friends to run your media training and crisis comms. It's absoltuely essential you get an insight into what people are saying about you. What assumptions the media are making about you and what stories they are looking to tell. A sympathetic outsider will be worth their weight in gold. Someone who isn't afraid to spell out how it is and then help...

This podcast episode from the Powerful Communication Podcast features Colin Kelly emphasizing the critical need for individuals to exercise their influence rather than deferring action until they achieve perceived success. Kelly illustrates this principle using the recent example of musician  Olivia Dean , who used her platform to successfully challenge major corporations over exorbitant secondary...

Colin Kelly from the powerful communication podcast from Comteria examines the significant lessons available following the disruptive Celtic Annual General Meeting (AGM). The meeting was closed after continuous protest and disruption, including shouting, booing, and showing red cards, preventing shareholders from asking questions in the open format.   The episode argues that Celtic PLC should have...

In this episode of the Powerful Communication Podcast, host Colin Kelly explores why it is vital for board members, owners, shareholders, and "silent partners" to cultivate some form of public profile and speak out.   The central argument is that silence creates risk: If the only time the public hears from governance leaders is when a crisis occurs, they have done nothing to build goodwill, rappor...

The Value Of Your Archive Welcome to another powerful communication podcast from Comsteria, hosted by Colin Kelly . Every business is, to some extent, in the content business, requiring written content, video, and audio to populate social media, bring internal communications to life, and drive specific business objectives. While many businesses are realizing that content holds real financial value...

Colin Kelly takes a long, deep dive sharing his personal reflections on the history of the internet from 1996 to the present day.

Colin Kelly discusses a report in The Times Scotland about unruly behaviour in our schools. A report from the Commission On School Reform says the education system is struggling to cope with a growing problem of indiscipline.  Read the full article  Colin explores the issue and looks at the SNP government record on school exclusions since it came to power in 2007.   

Welcome to Comsteria's powerful communication podcast. This is Colin Kelly, and this episode is for every academic . For years, we've watched the tension, maybe conflict, maybe just a lack of understanding between academic experts and the PR and marketing teams trying to amplify their impact. If you've ever felt misunderstood or like your brilliant work isn't getting the attention it deserves, thi...

We're going full on into a speculative vision of the future in this episode.  One where local businesses diversify into running radio stations and supermarkets employ journalists and produce local news. We also talk about the politics of Charles Dickens and how profit making enterprise can play a role in bringing communities and society back together.  Time will tell how accurate Colin Kelly's pre...

Straight talking advice for HR and comms professionals. In this episode, media trainer and strategic communications specialist Colin Kelly from Comsteria explores how businesses should respond to the current wave of protests around the UK government's immigraiton policy. If you need support with any aspect of your communications strategy, Comsteria is here to help.  Get in touch today by calling 0...

Comsteria is here to help every organisation communicate with power.  And we want public relations, marketing and communications professionals to achieve their full potential.  Subscribe our podcast for straight talking advice and insight to super charge your career. And visit our website for training and consultancy incouding media relations, presentation skills, crisis comms, video and podcast p...