Balancing art and science: Crafting powerful leadership communication with Lisa Colella, Managing Director at CRA Admired Leadership

Episode 80
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About the episode

This episode features an interview with Lisa Colella, Managing Director of Strategic Communications & Leadership Advisory at CRA Admired Leadership. With more than 18 years of professional experience, Lisa has worked with clients across agency, consultancy, and in-house settings. Her portfolio spans multiple industries, including fast-moving consumer goods, financial services, healthcare, and more. Previously, she was the Founder and CEO of a boutique consultancy and Global Head of Talent Communications and Marketing at Philips.

In this episode, Simpplr’s Vice President of Corporate Communications and Employee Experience Strategy, Carolyn Clark, and Lisa discuss balancing formal and informal communication for effective leadership, the challenges and benefits of integrating AI tools into leadership practices, and how behavioral science and creativity can improve communication strategies.

Balancing art and science: Crafting powerful leadership communication with Lisa Colella, Managing Director at CRA Admired Leadership

Playlist

  • 02:33
    Getting to know Lisa
  • 07:27
    An unconventional path to internal communications
  • 12:42
    Balancing informal and formal communication
  • 19:12
    How psychology influences communication
  • 32:24
    How CRA is navigating the AI space
  • 38:29
    Blending science and creativity for better communication strategies

Guest information

Lisa Colella

Lisa partners with leaders to design and deploy strategic communication and development programs that drive organizational change, transform cultures, and elevate brands and the people behind them.

With more than 18 years of professional experience, Lisa has worked with clients across agency, consultancy, and in-house settings. Her portfolio spans multiple industries, including fast-moving consumer goods, financial services, healthcare, high tech, hospitality, insurance, pharmaceuticals, retail, and telecommunications. She brings unique perspectives to her work from previous roles, including Founder / CEO of a boutique consultancy and Global Head of Talent Communications & Marketing for Philips.

Lisa holds a BS in Communications & Business Marketing from The University of Miami, and she completed the Harvard Business Review Breakthrough Leadership program in 2013. She is a frequent speaker, content contributor, and workshop facilitator, in addition to serving as a trusted partner on complex organizational projects.

Lisa is based in Massachusetts, where she coaches basketball and youth leadership skills at the Inly School. In her spare time, she enjoys adventures with her husband and two daughters, fitness challenges, home improvement projects, and cooking new recipes.