#BehindtheSelfie with... Daniel Munslow

Where to now? Life isn’t only about work. You aren’t what you do; but you do what you are.

1. Where do you live, work and play?

Munslow: I live in Johannesburg but work and play all over the world – what a privilege.

2. What’s your claim to fame?

Munslow: I’d have to ask others what they think it is. Fame is about how others see you.

3. Describe your career so far.

Munslow: It’s been exciting to move from journalism and media, which gave me an amazing foundation in radio and television; through corporate communication; and on to consulting, first nationally and then internationally. Each phase has really empowered and equipped me for the next phase. You need to earn your stripes in the sectors you work in – respect is earned.

4. Tell us a few of your favourite things.

Munslow: Family. There’s nothing like being at home and inviting friends over for a braai, sipping good whiskey and laughing all evening. Friends are important. I love good coffee, so that’s important at the start of every day. Then of course there is exploring – I had the privilege of climbing and summiting Kilimanjaro in 2012. A lot of sights from around the world have been romanticised in movies over the years, but nothing replaces the feeling of standing there, taking in a deep breath and experiencing it for yourself.

5. What do you love about your industry?

Munslow: The constant change and dynamic needs. It’s amazing to see how agile we, as an industry, have become over the past few years in order to meet the demands of business. No two days are ever the same, and it makes for interesting work. And the people are just amazing.

6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.

Munslow: A what? I could be on a plane; a workshop in Sandton; training heads of comms in Bangkok; or working on crisis comms in Iraq. No matter what you do, always stay in the present – that’s key to living life and enjoying the moment you are in. We were walking down a market in Erbil, Iraq, in December. It wasn’t about getting through the market to the restaurant on the other side, but rather about taking it all in. If I breathe in deeply now, I can still take myself back to that road and can almost smell the spices the vendors were selling.

7. What are the tools of your trade?

Munslow: My laptop and cell phone. And vitamins.

8. Who is getting it right in your industry?

Munslow: There are many who are doing things right, or on a journey to do things differently, and the progress is amazing to see. Those who do get it right in corporate comms are those who are agile, dynamic, measure their work, and have the support of their chief execs. Simply put, the most successful communicators are not only genuine strategic advisors but also trusted advisors.

9. List a few pain points the industry can improve on.

Munslow: We really need to get better at measurement, leadership and executive communication, and start thinking more strategically about our work. Many communicators get caught up in business as usual and take months to get business to make decisions for communication. Today, if you table something for approval, you may turn the approval down if it takes three months or longer. It’s just old news. We have to be smarter, faster, and more willing to take quick decisions. Also, we have to work in a less linear fashion.

10. What are you working on right now?

Munslow: Some really ground-breaking work around strategic, leadership, and crisis communication, as well as measurement.

11. Tell us some of the buzzwords floating around in your industry at the moment, and some of the catchphrases you utter yourself.

Munslow: In the crisis space, ‘resilience’ is a big word. Crisis communication might get you through the crisis, but you need a minimum three-month plan post-crisis to rebuild equity. Everyone has started talking about aspiring to be a ‘strategic advisor’ – very exciting space!

12. Where and when do you have your best ideas?

Munslow: Actually right about now; at 3am… (it’s 7am somewhere) flying at 35,000ft and writing this. You have time to think and jot down ideas, then you look at your screen later and say, ‘wow’.

13. What’s your secret talent/party trick?

Munslow: It’s a secret!

14. Are you a technophobe or a technophile?

Munslow: Hey, I just use the stuff. If it works I like it.

15. What would we find if we scrolled through your phone?

Munslow: There’s a lot… not sure I could find it, so doubt you could! Seriously though, you would find pictures from so many adventures, work and otherwise.

16. What advice would you give to newbies hoping to crack it as entrepreneurs?

Munslow: Hang in there and make it work. Be willing to take risks and be willing to make the best decisions you can on imperfect information. It will be better than making no decisions at all. Be agile – don’t think that because you’ve cracked it you’ve made it; because tomorrow, what you thought was cutting edge today, will actually be old news and you need to continuously reinvent yourself. Above all else, you have to be brave to go the extra mile. Doing business as usual is easy, but pushing the boundaries requires courage of conviction.

Simple as that. Click here for Munslow’s trends predictions for the coming months and contact him on LinkedIn or Twitter for more.

*Interviewed by Leigh Andrews.