T-Mobile’s Erasmo Nuñez Baeza on curating diverse inspirations to spark creative internal communications

Erasmo Nuñez Baeza, T-Mobile’s internal communications manager for people leader engagement, leads better communications by drawing inspiration from all corners.

At T-Mobile, Nuñez Baeza leads the strategy for reaching and engaging people leaders as a communications manager. Previously, he worked at Evergy, where he was a member of the social media and internal communications team. 

Nuñez Baeza believes in the value of looking at things from different perspectives. For him, this starts with being intentional about where he finds inspiration. Whether it’s through social media or following content creators and publishers, the comms leader makes it a point to explore new ideas outside of his usual work. By regularly checking in on these sources, he refreshes his creativity and gains insights that help him think differently and bring new energy to his work.

The most underrated skill in my profession is: 

Content creation skills such as graphic design, video production, photography, and social media copywriting are becoming increasingly important. As media preferences evolve, internal communication strategies will incorporate a wider variety of media formats, which can be used across multiple channels in integrated communication plans that combine both internal and external tactics to effectively reach your audience. In my experience, the most efficient communications teams bring together a diverse set of complementary skills, often including expertise in graphic design and social media. Developing and applying these skills could involve taking formal classes in tools like the Adobe Creative Suite or even starting your own social media blog to create a space to flex your skills.

The thing I’m most excited about for the future of my profession is:

 AI-augmented communication skills will soon be the norm, where more efficient approaches to writing and content creation will give us the ability to be more intentional and strategic with our storytelling and communications. I think what’s left is room to show up more proactively, the north star for most internal communicators. I’m excited to see how artificial intelligence will democratize some skills needed for communications and what we can do if we are more efficient as a byproduct.

A book or song that changed the way I think about my career is: 

A few books over the pandemic stuck with me about work and team dynamics. By the end of it, I approached problem-solving in more authentic and collaborative ways. In no particular order; Thinking In Systems, Donnella Meadows; Impact Players, Liz Wiseman; and Dare to Lead, Brene Brown. (Special shoutout for the Defining Decade, Meg Jay, PhD, for any twenty-something out there in spirit or not!)

 One piece of advice I would give other people in my profession is: 

In my experience, being curious about the industry I communicate about, my connections in my network, and innovation in communications have brought me so many opportunities and people that I’m thankful for. For me, it’s looked like reaching out to people on LinkedIn in direct messages, following content creators or publications focused on my industry, or saying ‘Hi’ first at the table at Ragan Conferences. It’s cool to be a nerd! For anyone like me who has felt othered at some point, foster a community around you with perspectives that nurture you. Either by joining an Employee Resource Group or setting up a coffee chat with someone, a community that understands your work and your background is worth searching for.

 The key to excellence in storytelling is: 

Finding ways to preserve the authenticity of the story you are sharing. I can think of a few times when I found a story in the wild and felt like it was forced to grow, bend, and snap to a larger plan, to reach a general audience. Either in how I source the story or amplify it, I try to ask myself if I’m going about it as authentically as I can. Either by deciding to sit down for a phone call with someone, including more photography and video, or making sure the person gets to approve the final product. 

A lesson I learned the hard way is: 

There have been times when I was forced to step up and take on more of an ownership or leadership role, rather than just being an individual contributor, in the projects or roles I’ve had. Some of the most valuable lessons from these experiences revolve around taking ownership and building strong partnerships. From the start, whether you’re in a new role or on a new project, it’s crucial to clarify your responsibilities and the expectations surrounding your work. Additionally, focus on building a strong rapport with the partners you work with regularly by proactively asking how you can improve your support for them before they have to tell you.

T-Mobile is on Ragan’s Communications Leadership Council. Learn more about joining here.

Isis Simpson-Mersha is a conference producer/ reporter for Ragan. Follow her on LinkedIn.