Bill Buff sat down with Capitol Communicator to talk about his path to Stratacomm, the decision to become an independent agency again and what it takes to lead a communications firm through a period of uncertainty.
“You’re either winning or you’re learning.” It’s a motto Bill Buff has carried from Little League coaching experience to the C-suite as CEO of Stratacomm. And at the end of the day, he says the business of communication comes down to something very human: relationships.
Buff sees plenty of parallels between coaching a team of young baseball players and leading a team of communications professionals: understand what makes each person tick, play to their strengths, offer real-time feedback, learn from setbacks — and, perhaps hardest of all for a coach or CEO, know when to get out of the way and let the team perform.
Buff has put those lessons to work, navigating enormous changes in Washington and in the communications business, including the unusual decision to buy the firm back from FleishmanHillard after a decade within its massive global network. He says the return to independence changed the trajectory of the agency. And the firm is still evolving: Stratacomm recently reorganized into three practice groups and expanded its leadership structure as it continues to evolve as a full-service agency, with expertise in public affairs, public relations and advertising.
