Strong communicators do more than listen to what people say. They pay attention to how it is said, what is changing, and what may be happening beneath the surface.

In this episode, Erin Vogt, Partner and COO at Peritus PR, explores what she calls the “art of sensing”—the ability to read a room, recognize patterns, and respond to subtle shifts in client, prospect, and team behavior. She explains why experienced communicators often develop this instinct intuitively, but also why the skill can be taught and strengthened over time.

Erin breaks the practice into three simple steps: listen closely, spot patterns, and act early. From new business meetings to long-term client relationships, she shares how curiosity, nonverbal cues, communication patterns, and thoughtful questions can reveal whether someone is engaged, skeptical, distracted, or quietly pulling away.

She also discusses why agencies need to create enough psychological safety for team members to raise concerns early—and why leaders should listen to understand rather than defend when a relationship feels off.

Key Takeaways

• Reading the room means paying attention to more than words, including tone, energy, body language, curiosity, and changes in communication patterns.
• The “art of sensing” can be developed by practicing three habits: listening carefully, spotting patterns, and acting early.
• Curiosity is one of the most important tools in relationship-building, especially when engagement is unclear or a conversation is not going as expected.
• Small changes in client behavior can be early warning signs. Addressing them while the stakes are still low creates more opportunity to strengthen the relationship.
• Teams need psychological safety to surface concerns without fear of blame, and leaders need to respond by listening to understand rather than becoming defensive.

About the Guest

Erin Vogt serves as Chief Operating Officer and Partner at Peritus PR, where she works alongside leaders to navigate complex situations with clarity, steadiness and empathy. With nearly 20 years of communications experience, she specializes in crisis management, internal communications and executive positioning — helping organizations anticipate challenges and respond with confidence when it matters most. A big part of Erin’s work is sensing — the art and science of reading between the lines, spotting emerging risks, and understanding what clients and teams may not be saying out loud. Known for quickly identifying gaps and building alignment, she serves as both a strategist and a steady partner to leadership teams across industries. She’s an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America, a national speaker on agency operations and crisis communications, and deeply invested in strengthening both her community and the communications profession.

About the Hosts

Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations in Phoenix, Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. Her marketing communications background includes skills in media relations, digital communications, social media strategies, special event management, crisis communications, community relations, issues management, and marketing promotions for both the private and public sectors, including such industries as healthcare, financial services, professional services, government affairs and tribal affairs, as well as not-for-profit organizations.

Dr. Adrian McIntyre is a cultural anthropologist, media personality, speaker, and strategic communications consultant for PR agencies and marketing firms. He's lived in over 30 countries and spent more than a decade in the Middle East and Africa as a researcher, journalist, communications adviser, media spokesperson, and storytelling consultant. He earned a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was a Fulbright scholar and National Science Foundation fellow. Adrian helps agency leaders strengthen their positioning, sharpen their messaging, boost their visibility, and win new clients by replacing impersonal, intrusive and ineffective marketing tactics with authentic human conversations.

PRGN Presents is brought to you by Public Relations Global Network, the world’s local public relations agency. Our executive producer is Adrian McIntyre. The show is produced by the team at Speed of Story, a B2B communications firm in Phoenix, AZ.

Follow the Podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow PRGN Presents in Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other podcast app. We publish new episodes every other Thursday. To have them delivered automatically and free of charge, just choose your preferred podcast player from this list, open the app, and click the button to “Follow” the show: https://prgnpodcast.com/listen

Need to hire a PR firm?

Leading a business effectively in today's fast-paced world requires expert guidance and a strong communications strategy. No matter where you do business, PRGN has a member agency in your region with the deep industry expertise, international experience, and local market knowledge you need to connect with your target audience and achieve your goals. Find a PR firm near you »