Corey duBrowa, Burson’s Global CEO and a top global communications leader, shares transformative ideas, critical lessons learned over his career, and the relationship between creativity and leadership on Taking the Lead podcast.

Here are excerpts from the full video interview:

What were the three most important leadership, not PR, lessons you've learned in 2024?

First, be ready for anything, like the possibility of a merger if your boss asks you to do it. Second, be a listener. We have two ears and one mouth for a reason. I think that should be a signal to everyone. Third, as Harold Burson said, "Be in the know." I can't tell you how many newsletters I subscribe to, but to name a few: Casey Newton’s Platformer, Ben Thompson’s Stratechery, Eleanor Hawkins’ Axios Communicators, and Brian Stelter’s Reliable Sources are all terrific resources. All of that helps us to be able to not just do our jobs, but be humans moving about the planet in 2024.

What's your secret sauce in leading leaders who may be as experienced as you or even as talented as you, or hopefully even better?

The point of a leadership team is to empower your colleagues and let leaders excel at what they do best. The smartest thing you can do is let them lead, offering guidance or direction as needed. As a leader of leaders, you’re more like an orchestra conductor than a player. As the saying goes, “Hire the best people and get out of their way.” I’ve built a career stepping aside for talented people, many of whom were as good or better than I was at parts of the job.

That said, a good leader must hold senior leaders accountable for high standards and be willing to step in when necessary. Paul Graham’s Founder Mode article comes to mind—it shows two things can be true: you can let your leaders lead while selectively diving in to stay close to the work and add value.

What are the leadership lessons from Harold Burson that most inspire you?

I only met Harold once at a meeting years ago, but it was a formative encounter with an industry hero. Harold once said public relations is fundamentally a problem-solving discipline, which perfectly aligns with what we do—solve problems with creative communication solutions to create breakthrough moments for clients, their brands, and companies.

As we discussed, being in the know isn’t just a leadership lesson; it’s a life lesson. Knowledge informs client counsel, its context, and helps nurture relationships with clients, colleagues, and media in areas of shared interest. All of this stems from relentless curiosity, which is critical for any endeavor. At our place, we aspire to be "learn-it-alls" rather than "know-it-alls"—a mindset rooted in humility and growth. That aspiration resonates deeply and shapes our people, culture, and company.

Anyone who knows anything about you knows that music plays a very big role in your life. You were a music journalist for decades. You've got more than a thousand bylines. Rolling Stone GQ published your first book about music. How has your involvement in music made you a more effective leader?

Over my 25-year side hustle as a music journalist, I’ve learned a great deal about creativity, a crucial part of my profession. Creativity manifests through storytelling, which is central to our work. Watching artists bring their creations into the world has given me a unique perspective on how we generate ideas, campaigns, and energy for clients. It’s also fueled my respect for and obsession with the creative process.

Around my office are framed original lyrics. Beyond their historic or artistic value, they reveal the creative journey—showing the artist's initial intent, the iterations they went through, and the refinement needed to reach the final product. That process fascinates me and informs the work I do with clients.

As for music, I still find time to enjoy live shows and connect with friends I’ve made through years of writing. Though my day job keeps me too busy for bylines, I love seeing the next generation of writers get excited about new music, just as I did when I first started.

There has been pushback this year, against DE&I programs, including the elimination of these efforts in a number of corporations, organizations, state governments and institutions of higher learning. What should the PR industry be doing to ensure that at least that industry continues to achieve these goals?

The critical part of this conversation that often gets overlooked is how essential DEI goals are to a company’s business. Throughout my career—whether at Google in tech, Starbucks in food service, or in my current role—our job has been to represent the whole of humanity. This means connecting companies’ products and services to both existing and underserved customers, creating bridges to reach new audiences who may have lacked access before. Stepping away from these commitments misses the business imperative to build those connections. In a world where societal and political forces may push the other way, our role is to uphold the values and guiding principles of the clients and companies we represent.

As Harold Burson, a DEI champion long before it had a name, demonstrated, it’s vital to stay true to those values—even when it’s unpopular or challenging. I feel a responsibility to our employees, clients, and stakeholders to ensure those principles guide us, keeping businesses aligned with their mission and connected to the communities they serve.

Please share a significant leadership mistake or faux pas that you’ve made and what you learned from it.

I think people often mistakenly believe they can’t lead a project or role without expertise in that area. Over the years, I’ve learned that diving into the unknown can be transformative.

For instance, at Nike, I was tasked with helping renegotiate distribution deals in Latin and South America to reclaim the brand in countries like Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico. I had little experience, but my boss had faith in our team. His advice: don’t lose the ticket, stay out of the papers, and avoid jail. He was humorous about it, but the message was clear—we didn’t need perfect expertise, just a willingness to learn and collaborate.

We made mistakes—overpaying for office space, hiring missteps—but ultimately succeeded in liberating the Nike brand in the region. That success paved the way for moments like Nike’s swoosh on Brazil’s soccer kit, a proud legacy built on collective energy and belief in the brand.

What are the top three things any leader should do to become a more effective and inspiring leader in 2025?

The principles of sound leadership are timeless. First, recognize that everyone in your organization contributes to its success—it’s a team sport. As a leader, instill pride and ownership in your team to inspire hard work and collective achievement. My coach’s child’s upbringing taught me the importance of "we, not me," a mindset that’s essential to effective leadership.

Second, stay curious. After more than three decades in leadership, I still learn something new every day. Curiosity keeps you connected to your humanity—asking questions, seeking answers, and exploring ideas ensures continuous growth. When you stop learning, you stop living, and by extension, leading.

Finally, for 2025, it’s critical to ensure your teams are fluent in AI. AI won’t replace us, but those skilled in AI will. Leaders must shift from experimentation to applying learned insights, staying ahead of technological and business developments to drive innovation.

These evergreen principles—teamwork, curiosity, and adaptability—are essential for leadership in any era. If you’re not learning, you’re not living or leading.

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Ken Jacobs is the principal of Jacobs Consulting & Executive Coaching, which empowers PR and communications leaders and executives to breakthrough results via executive coaching, and helps communications agencies achieve their business development, profitability, and client service goals, via consulting and training. You can find him at www.jacobscomm.com, [email protected] @KensViews, or on LinkedIn. You can also subscribe to the Jacobs Consulting and Executive Coaching YouTube channel.