In this interview, James E. Lukaszewski recounts his unconventional entry into public relations at age 32 after a series of sales jobs. By sheer luck he secured an internship in the press office of Minnesota Governor Wendell Anderson, becoming the oldest intern and gaining unprecedented access to high‑level meetings and visitors such as Dan Rather. He meticulously observed senior leaders, took notes, and after a 14‑month internship was hired by the state. Over several years he rose to Deputy Commissioner of an agency, absorbing practical lessons on advising and influencing senior officials. When he later left government to start his own consulting business, he leveraged those observations and experiences as the foundation for his leadership consulting practice.
Chapters
I came into public relations at age 32. I'd been in sales and all kinds of other things, and through, through really blind luck, I got an internship in the office of Governor Wendell Anderson, State of Minnesota, in the press office. I was a deputy deputy something intern. And this gave the opportunity that is really unparalleled in terms of learning, and that is watching important people do important things. Interesting, because at 32, I was the oldest intern. The next person in line was 18, so they called me the old guy, which actually helped me. I got to go to meetings and listen to people talk. And this governor was very popular nationally. So I was actually at the biggest desk in the office by the door to the press room. So when Dan Rather walked in, I greeted Dan Rather. You name the famous person coming in. I mean, they didn't know me from anything. They sat in a chair at my desk and we made conversation, but that was it. But it was, it was the meetings I got to go to and watch people advise. leaders that got me interested. Why does the governor pay attention to this person? This person seems pretty smart. And so I began to write down things about and keep track of what people were doing. And so by the time I finished the internship, after 14 months, they actually hired me. So I went to work for the state of Minnesota for several years. And when I actually began, when I decided to go to business by myself. That's where all this material came from. So I mean, that's really how all this came about. I was really— I, I, I was like quarterbacking these people in my mind, but I had no platform to use it until I actually was in the office for some time. And then I began being the person doing the helping, doing the consulting, doing the advising. And by the time I left government, I was the Deputy Commissioner of an agency, and I'd learned a ton about working with senior people.
