What communication theories can help you address power imbalances in client work?

In my life experiences I learned customer care in the thrid grade at my Dad's grocery store 'McGills Market.' I waited tables through college. I have a Masters Degree in Education, and have taught in all levels from Middle-School to Colleges and Universities. Owned a Variety Store, A Inn in Minnesota for dinning, bar and off-sale. In 1996 I Started my Speaking and Trainng Company. I taught in the power of fives. One of my many sets are as follows: 1. Don't be a Jerk. 2. Listen spells Silent. 3. Honor the person not in the room. 4. Don't nibble on a Turd. 5. Do not catch the 5-B FLU. When we become, Bittle. Brittle. Break. B- - - - and Blame. Grateful, with gratitude, faith, grit, grace and active hope, Patricia McGill

Communication theories like Empowerment Theory and Social Learning Theory can help address power imbalances in client work. Empowerment Theory encourages fostering a sense of control and self-efficacy in clients, while Social Learning Theory supports the idea of modeling and observational learning to promote positive behavioral changes.

Some great ways to deploy narrative theory in communications and marketing is to allow your organization or the client to self-assess. They can tell you what their story is, highlight what they want their story to be, and define risks, and opportunities that can help tell that narrative. In my work I use storytelling most often, it allows me to create content that shares the emotional challenges and benefits one can experience, and to also personalize the organization or client's product to the audience. Another example of narrative marketing is building stories that highlight positive testimonials as well.

Narrative theory is often (unknowingly) also applied in product management. The role of a product manager is to understand the customers’ problems and solve them. Good product marketing comes from good research and tells the story they heard during research back to their customers with the product as the solution.

Feminist theory is always intersectional. When crafting communications that are led by feminist theories you highlight the systemic challenges women face and in doing so connect them to their intersection with other equity seeking groups. Black trans women, trans women, and working class women experiences multi-faceted challenges in securing equity at work, and in society. Elevating the intersection of injustice and providing meaningful solutions is at the core of feminism. Things you can particularly focus on are human impact stories, stories of success from resilience, and highlighting the cost benefit that comes when the heteronormative models are challenged by showing the brilliance of women that has led the way to equity for all.

Culture impacts all of our lives, and it is intrinsic to how one responds, engages, and values a product or company. In marketing cultural competency understands segmentation, and to best connect with users, donors, or consumers those segments should be accurate reflections of various cultures, and highlighted in ways that honors each without contributing to harmful stereotyping. Cultural humility is a great perspective to bring to new avenues and when communicating about new equity initiatives. The other approach that is helpful is centering diversity in your creative room, hiring and equipping communications folks from various backgrounds creates more equitable marketing and communications for everyone.