Powering through the day with Dell’s Thom Lytle

What does it take to rise to the top of the communications industry? For the senior director of social business for Dell, it’s all about teamwork—and a steady supply of soda.

The PR industry is always changing—and that means the daily workload of the average communicator is changing, too.

We’ve asked some industry leaders to share their experiences working on the front lines, what keeps them up at night, what makes them hopeful about the future of communications and more.

One communicator with a finely tuned sense of humor about his role is Thom Lytle, the senior director of social business at Dell.

Lytle says he is part of the crowd that rises early. When we asked just how early he gets up every day, he quipped: “Earlier than yesterday, always.”

Just how many cups of coffee do you have to drink to pull that off?

“I’ve never been a coffee drinker,” he says. “I am, however, addicted to sugar and soda.” He’s a little sheepish about his reliance on carbonated beverages. “I’m working on it,” he adds.

Once he’s in the office, who’s the most important person Lytle speaks to every day? Instead of focusing on an individual, Lytle focused on his team—and on receiving rather than giving.

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