Jon Ekstrom

Opening Day

April 10, 2015 by Jon 1 Comment

Today is Opening Day, and Kristin, Grace and I are headed down to 20th and Blake. We treat Opening Day like a holiday, and look forward to it every year. And when you think about it, Opening Day is like a holiday.

What holiday is it? I like to think of it as the Sneak Preview to Summer. It’s like getting an advance screening of what your life will be like once the weather gods decide to stop messing with everyone. The sun shines, you’re gathered around friends, maybe drinking a few beers, and passing the afternoon with a ballgame. It’s fantastic, and it’s easy to forget that it will probably snow at least two more times before summer officially arrives.

I was having lunch recently with Reed Saunders, who is the Public Address Announcer for the Rockies (he’s also the groom in this classic Rockies commercial), and he confirmed the same thing to me. We’ve had a remarkable run of luck weather-wise for Opening Day. It will be good to hear his voice boom over the P.A. once again. I missed it last year because I was trapped on conference calls all day and into the afternoon, which made me unhappy in ways I don’t think are healthy.

This year’s Opening Day is also special because it’s the first one for Grace. When we found out Kristin was pregnant, this is how we announced it on social media:

birth announcement

So it’s cool to sort of bring it full circle with her. I hope she enjoys the experience, even though she won’t remember it.

So, if you’re headed down to Coors Field today, hit us up. We’ll be happy to share a beer or some peanuts with you. And hey, the Rockies are off to a promising start. Even better!

Happy Opening Day, everyone!

Tennis

April 8, 2015 by Jon Leave a Comment

One of my mentors was Jeff Julin, President of MGA Communications. He imparted on me wisdom that I use to this day, which guides much of my thinking when it comes to all manner of communications.

When he conducted media trainings, he likened interviews to games of tennis. A question asked is analogous to your opponent hitting the ball to a part of the court to which they want you to run. Granted, interviews shouldn’t be viewed as adversarial, and the word “opponent” is imprecise, but bear with me.

Once the question is asked, it’s then your job to run to that part of the court and receive the ball, or, in the context of an interview, answer the question. While it’s imperative to answer the question (lest you look like this), you, as the interviewee, are then presented with an opportunity. You don’t have to hit the ball back to the interviewer directly. Doing so would be an opportunity wasted.

Once you’ve answered the question, you can steer the conversation where you want it to go. To continue this extended metaphor, you can hit the ball back to anyplace on the court you wish. It’s then incumbent upon your opponent to respond accordingly. Of course, then they have an opportunity, and so on. The conversation continues to unfold in this manner until it reaches its natural conclusion.

In an interview, we don’t always know what questions are going to be asked or how they’re going to be phrased. No one can predict this with 100% accuracy. What matters is how we react to the questions that are asked, and how we achieve whatever positive outcome we desire. We do this by reacting nimbly and confidently, but also by asserting control and seizing opportunities when they arise.

This is the philosophy of our business, and why we fancy ourselves Deft. Tennis players are swift, resourceful and improvisational. They’ve honed these skills through years of practice.

So have we. We quickly assess the situation, respond appropriately, then look for opportunity. Whether this is in an interview, or in planning strategically for the next growth phase of your business, it’s the approach we bring to every project we undertake, big or small. Good communications tactics are only worth doing if they’re serving and enhancing your core business needs.

We’re nimble. We’re savvy. We’re Deft.

And we look forward to working with you.

Deft Communications: Official Launch Announcement

April 8, 2015 by Jon Leave a Comment

Laid Off From Noble Energy, Former Public Relations Representative Launches New Communications and Training Firm

DENVER (April 8, 2015) – Jonathan Ekstrom, recently let go from Noble Energy, Inc. after serving as their Denver-based Public Relations Representative for the past 4+ years, has launched Deft Communications, a communications counseling firm specializing in communications training, content creation, employee engagement and employee activation.

“There’s a famous quote from Winston Churchill,” said Ekstrom. “It goes: ‘A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.’ As Noble Energy restructures in response to the collapse in commodity prices, I could either feel sorry for myself about losing my job, or look at this as an opportunity to try something new and be my own boss. I chose the latter. It’s exciting!”

While at Noble Energy, Ekstrom served in a variety of roles. He previously served as the on-the-record spokesman for the Colorado region, managed the company’s regional charitable giving portfolio and served on a variety of boards and committees for trade groups and other organizations. Most recently, Ekstrom worked extensively on Noble Energy’s effort to further enhance the public’s understanding of the oil and gas development process – most notably “fracking” – through the company’s internal training program and community outreach events.

Deft Communications will have a similar focus, but will look to expand this philosophical approach to other industries, while continuing work in oil and gas. “What I’ve found in my time in this industry is that sometimes companies take for granted their most important stakeholders – their employees. Your employees are your ambassadors. Are you getting the most out of them you can?” asked Ekstrom. “That’s what I specialize in.”

Before working at Noble Energy, Ekstrom worked at MGA Communications, Policy Communications, and the Colorado Oil & Gas Association. He received both his Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees in Speech Communication from Colorado State University. He is a Colorado native.

In March 2014, Ekstrom launched the Jon of All Trades Podcast, where he serves as host and executive producer.

“Noble Energy wished me the best in future endeavors,” said Ekstrom. “I offer the same wish for them. I appreciate the opportunities they afforded me and I adore those I worked with in the Denver and Greeley offices, but I’m ready for the next phase of my professional life.”

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Jonathan Ekstrom
Principal
Deft Communications
720.936.2393
Jon@deftcom.us
https://www.deftcom.us