Interview with Stephen Waddington, Founder and Managing Partner, Wadds Inc

Stephen is a professional advisor to agencies and communication teams, an author and teacher, He has a track record of founding, growing and managing change within creative agencies. We met many moons ago when we were colleagues on the CIPR social media panel - considered to be quite ahead of its time back then with an amazing group of people around the table. Founded in April 2010 the panel was made up of CIPR members (and me!) who were considered to be some of the foremost social media thought leaders and contributors at the time. They collectively input into the Institute's policy guidance, education, training and digital media output, and co-authored two books on social media.Stephen has reflected that he has benefitted at every stage in his career in a shift in technology - he started in tech PR at the end of the 90s, then moved into digital media and social - having previously studied engineering at university.Even now in the last 12 months with his new business Wadds Inc, he is interested in the world of work and life following the impact of covid. One of the great things he does is work out loud, he loves the idea of a shared space where people can create, and learn. In many ways he is 'a collaborative doer'. Stephen has reservations about the way social media has been weaponised, but he believes it still has many benefits. The social web enables you to share your ideas, and invites others to improve on them, with the creation of community and shared spaces where people can come and think. During lockdown we've need to use tools like Zoom and Shooglebox to enable shared creative thinking - but nothing replaces the energy in the room when you are able to think around a creative problem.Stephen has held the role of Visiting Professor in Practice at Newcastle University since 2014, supporting the university and students through teaching and mentoring.He is also an author - and most recently collaborated with my dissertation tutor from Leeds Met (now Director of Research at Leeds Business School), Ralph Tench - updating the must-have PR manual for every practitioner and student - Exploring PR & Management Communication (first co-authored by Liz Yeomans and Ralph). Which Stephen and Ralph attempted to rewrite while walking the North Yorkshire moors, thrashing out the chapters as they hiked. The advice he would tell himself now if he was 25 again - would be learning to manage your emotions. Noticing the frustration or anger means something needs to change.  It's the most important lesson in life he's learned. Send us a text🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, and please rate or share if it resonated.

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