In this episode of The Little Questions, Apella Partners and hosts Jenny Scott and James Kirkup explore how promises to listen to employees are coming back to bite some organisations.

Jenny and James discuss the changing balance of power in the workplace, the growing expectation that colleagues should have a voice in decisions that affect them, and the importance of understanding different perspectives. They consider how organisations can create meaningful opportunities for dialogue, particularly with younger employees, and why listening needs to be more than a box-ticking exercise.

The conversation also touches on what happens when employees raise concerns, and the challenges of responding to feedback when it conflicts with corporate decisions or wider organisational priorities. As expectations continue to shift, Jenny and James reflect on why employees increasingly expect a conversation rather than a decree, and how communications teams can help organisations navigate that change.

If you work in internal communications, corporate affairs or leadership, this episode offers food for thought on building trust, listening to employees and creating a workplace culture where people feel heard.

Jenny Scott is a former Executive Director of Communications at the Bank of England. She was an advisor to the Governor and sat on the Bank's executive committee and risk committee. She was formerly economics and politics correspondent for the BBC and presenter of the Daily Politics. Vice Chair of Pro Bono Economics. Independent Board Member at HM Treasury

James Kirkup has over 20 years in high-profile Westminster roles including Political Editor of the Daily Telegraph and Director of the Social Market Foundation. Extensive experience of thought leadership and advocacy work, with a particular focus on the relationship between business, politics and public policy. Continues to contribute regularly to national media outlets as a columnist at the Times and Spectator.

We'd love to know what you think. Email us at podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.

This podcast was produced by The Podcast Coach.

How long should it take to get a communications project approved? The answer can either be hours or an entire annual cycle.

In this episode of Little Questions, Apella partners and hosts Jenny Scott and James Kirkup explore why sign-off gets stuck and how communications leaders can help projects move forward without sacrificing trust or reputation.

Jenny recommends understanding an organisation's culture, choosing your battles, and listening carefully before making your case. She shares how she appraoched the boardroom: let others speak, reflect back what you've heard, then offer a few considered observations that address concerns already raised. The conversation also considers when to seek senior buy-in early, how trust gives communications teams room to act, and why some difficult feedback is better delivered in private.

From internal approvals, Jenny and James turn to reactive communications. They discuss how pre-cleared holding lines and empowered first responders can help teams respond promptly to journalists, while recognising that technical facts may need careful verification. They also consider how communications teams can demonstrate their value, not only through visible outputs but also through the risks and crises they help prevent.

If you work in communications, corporate affairs, or any role that depends on cross-functional approval, this episode offers practical ideas for building relationships, handling objections, and getting the right response out in time.

Jenny Scott is a former Executive Director of Communications at the Bank of England. She was an advisor to the Governor and sat on the Bank's executive committee and risk committee. She was formerly economics and politics correspondent for the BBC and presenter of the Daily Politics. Trustee of Pro Bono Economics.

James Kirkup has over 20 years in high-profile Westminster roles including Political Editor of the Daily Telegraph and Director of the Social Market Foundation. Extensive experience of thought leadership and advocacy work, with a particular focus on the relationship between business, politics and public policy. Continues to contribute regularly to national media outlets as a columnist at the Times and Spectator.

We'd love to know what you think. Email us at podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

Is the press release dead, or just living on in a different form? In this episode of The Little Questions, hosts Jenny Scott and James Kirkup, both Partners at Apella Advisors, compare journalist habits and modern comms strategy. They discuss how AI, owned channels, and trusted relationships are reshaping story traction.

Jenny and James ask if press releases still have a meaningful role in modern communications. They discuss why mass distribution rarely works, and why a press release is more effective when it supports a relevant story and an established journalist relationship.

The conversation explores how press releases can function as briefing notes, sources of factual information and become part of a company's searchable public record in the age of AI. The press release itself is only one element of a wider communications strategy.

They also consider the growing importance of owned channels, CEO communications, blogs, podcasts and direct audience engagement. They give examples from Octopus Energy, Relx, and Games Workshop to help illustrate different approaches to corporate storytelling and media relations.

The episode provides practical advice for comms teams: focus on the corporate narrative first, share concrete evidence rather than speculation, use clear facts and bullet points, and treat the press release as one tool within a broader communications toolbox.

We'd love to know what you think. Email us at podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.

This episode was produced by The Podcast Coach.