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COMMUNICATION &PUBLIC RELATIONSExecutive MBA Program facilitated By Gabriel Lubale

Communications Skills PR ProfessionalsPR Leadership PR versus Related Fields

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DEFINITIONSCORPORATE COMMUNICATION• “is the communication(s) issued by a corporate /

organization / body / institute to all its public(s)”. Publics here - can be both internal and external. Corporate communications serves as the liaison between an organization and its publics.

• Organizations can strategically communicate to their audiences through public relations and advertising. This may involve an employee newsletter or video, crisis management with the news media, special events planning, building product value and communicating with stockholders or shareholders, clients or donors.

from Wikipedia,

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DEFINITIONS .. contdCommunication SkillsThe basic communication skills are: writing speaking and listening. A person who communicates well will

succeed in his /her academic work and professional life. Communication skill is an important managerial / leadership skill.

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DEFINITIONS .. contdWRITING …… CONTDThe writer needs to know the following aspects before

he/she commences to write so as to write a readable writing

Know the audience. These are the some of the demographic attributes

about the audience that are helpful to know: Age, education, income and gender, Interests, opinions, values and Knowledge of the topic – determine the Fog index,

which is the level of sophistication of the audience. Obviously, the reading level for high school teacher and University professor is different. Now if you are targeting the general public.

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DEFINITIONS .. contdWRITING …… CONTDThese are the common types of audiences : Laypersons – No motivation to read Expert – interested in process and detailExecutive - wants to know the bottom lineUser- wants to know how to use the

informationComplex - Fits more than one typeMixed - all the types in the audience e.g.

readers’ of daily news paper. 

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DEFINITIONS .. contdWRITING …… CONTD

Know the purpose of the write up. – What your writing should do? These are some of the purposes of most professional and or business writing. Also bear in mind the tone of the message.

Inform, Persuade, teach and entertainrecord or document

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DEFINITIONS .. contdWRITING …… CONTD Know the power of words to express and not impress. Write with clarity that is the opposite of ambiguity Economy use of words - Use no more words than it is necessary. Cardinal rule: try to

keep sentences under 17 words in length. Use straightforwardness, keeping subjects near the verbs. Avoid these:- wordiness and redundancy; trites and clichés; negative writing by

featuring positive; passive voice by using active voice; noun and adjective stacks, use one word rather than many descriptions; italics and ALL CAPS.

The writer should work on the structure and the style of the document be it a letter, a paper, a memo and a circulars. Either in soft or hard form.

These are the tips: Use easy formats to guide the reader Apply the power of visual, spacing and heading Know where to start and when to stop Always brush up your grammar Use the action verbsKey tip: The writer should keep the reader in mind and write effectively.

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DEFINITIONS .. contdPUBLIC SPEAKINGPublic speaking is skill that can be learned. There are

many tricks of the “trade” that can be perfected with practice. One of the first things (rule) journalists are taught and we pass on to the students of Communication / Public Relations (PR) in the Public Speaking lesson is that every story must cover:

Who?What?Why?When?Where?How?Mnemonic : 1Hubby with 5Wives

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DEFINITIONS .. contd7 C’s of communication. 1.Credibility – Communication starts with climate belief.2.Context – A communication program must square with the

realities of its environment.3.Content – the message must have meaning for the receiver

and it must be compatible with the persons’ value system.4.Clarity – message must be put in simple terms. No

ambiguity.5.Continuity and Consistency – communication is an

unending process. 6.Channels – established channels of communication must

be used.7.Capability of the audience – communication must take into

account the capability of the audience.

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DEFINITIONS .. contdPUBLIC RELATIONS (PR)Founding Fathers of PR defined PR as:EDWARD LOUIS BERNAYS and

IVY LEDBETTER LEE are considered the founding fathers of modern public relations, in the early 1900s.

• These two Gurus defined public relations as “a management function which tabulates public attitudes, defines the policies, procedures and interests of an organization. . . followed by executing a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance".

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DEFINITIONS .. contdPUBLIC RELATIONS (PR)The Public Relations Society of America

(PRSA) defines PR as: "Public Relations helps an organization and

its publics adapt mutually to each other."

According to the PRSA, the essential functions of public relations include research, planning, communications dialogue and evaluation.

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DEFINITIONS .. contdPUBLIC RELATIONS (PR)UK Chartered Institute of Public Relations

(CIPR) defines PR as: “the role of managing relationships with a

whole range of key stakeholders”.

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DEFINITIONS .. contdPUBLIC RELATIONS (PR)Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia defines PR as: • Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing the flow of information between an

organization and its publics. Public relations - often referred to as PR - gains an organization or individual exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that do not require direct payment. Because public relations places exposure in credible third-party outlets, it offers a third-party legitimacy that advertising does not have. Common activities include speaking at conferences, working with the press, and employee communication.

• PR can be used to build rapport with employees, customers, investors, voters, or the general public. Almost any organization that has a stake in how it is portrayed in the public arena employs some level of public relations. A number of specialties exist within the field of public relations, such as Media Relations, Investor Relations or Labor Relations.

• Today, "Public Relations is a set of management, supervisory, and technical functions that foster an organization's ability to strategically listen to, appreciate, and respond to those persons whose mutually beneficial relationships with the organization are necessary if it is to achieve its missions and values." Essentially it is a management function that focuses on two-way communication and fostering of mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and its publics.

• Building and managing relationships with those who influence an organization or individual’s important audiences has a central role in doing public relations.

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DEFINITIONS .. contdPUBLIC RELATIONS (PR)Don Bates in 2006, a fellow of PRSA defined PR as:• “the management function that seeks to establish and maintain mutually

beneficial relationships between an organization, commercial or non-commercial, and the audiences or "publics" on which the success of these entities depends. These publics may include any of several possible constituencies: customers, investors, employees, suppliers, legislators, competitors, government officials and other “influentials.”

• Unlike advertising or marketing, with which it is often confused, professional public relations is more “soft sell” than “hard sell.” It emphasizes information and persuasion as opposed to packaging and paid media, diplomacy as opposed to force. Owing to its subtleties, it is occasionally viewed as “propaganda” or, in more current jargon, “spin,” the intentional manipulation of public opinion without regard for what is accurate or true.

•  Although professional public relations has certainly been misused from time to time, its record of historical achievement suggests a much deeper and abiding respect for and adherence to openness and honesty in its dealings and communications. Public relations blossomed as a professional endeavor in the 20th Century, most conspicuously in the United States, but its roots, both philosophical and pragmatic, can be traced throughout civilization.

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DEFINITIONS .. contdPUBLIC RELATIONS (PR) unknown Author or …. (me)

A management function that helps organizational objectives, define philosophy and facilitate organizational change.

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DEFINITIONS .. contdElements of PR Process PR is a process that involves a series of actions,

changes or functions that bring about a result. The process consists of four key elements. These elements are :

•  R – Research – What is the situation?• A – Action or Program Planning – What is to be

done?• C – Communication or Execution – How will the

public be told?• E – Evaluation – Was the target audience reached?

And what was the effect?Mnemonic R.A.C.E.

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Communication Skills• According to the research conducted by Dr Tom Watson – The Deputy Dean and Dr Chindu

Sreedharan – A Lecturer, the Media School of Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom. Their Research Title was “The Senior Communicator of the Future – Competencies and Training Needs”. They quoted Sanchez Paul. M. (2005). Who wrote an article in Communication World, May-June: What color is your future? Sanchez Paul had said that the future leading communicator as the true professional [who] will be an adroit strategist, a creative technician and a skilled facilitator – a friend of technology and an exponent of life-long learning. The future is a global voyage into the art and science of communication, where the successful communicator will be like the men and women of the Renaissance, pulling it all together, but in the high tech environment of the 21st century”

• Since the 1980s, many studies on the nature of public relations / Communication Officers employment and professionalism have been done. The key areas of discussion are:

• the career paths, • competencies and training needs, • the role of, and• The place of (at the Executive Board Level?).• The research analyzed the responses of leading European and international senior-level

communicators as to the knowledge, skills, relationships, 360-degree vision, and managerial abilities that senior communications professionals will need in five years’ time, and what it takes to prepare the next generation of leaders in globally integrated organizations. The Research also reflects on recent academic and practice literature about the nature of these competencies and discusses the potential methods and routes of their delivery.

• The reputation of organizations is increasingly challenged in this age of rapid response. Communicators need to be educated and trained on higher skills than ever before. The situation is that communicators are now operating in ‘flat world’ of working without borders for corporations that are global entities with new engagement rules. It is also an information age that is ever more intricate and more complex. These some of the challenges and the future needs of corporate communicators:

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Communication Skills .. contdCurrent Challenges• PR and corporate communicators are “behind the curve” on social media. They have

been slower to adopt more technologically complicated tools.

• There is urgent need to change PR and corporate communications from being a broadcast machine to building stronger relations with stakeholders.

 • Greater importance will be given to ethics, corporate social responsibility and

sustainability  • More and complex demands for communication are arising from ‘internal audiences’.  • Culturally-sensitive communication needs to be operationalised in a changing world.  • Corporate communicators increasingly seek C-Level roles, that executive board

place.  • Proof of PR and corporate communication's contributions to strategic decision-

making, strategy development and realization, value creation and organisational functioning is increasingly sought.

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Communication Skills .. contd• Future needs •  • Be flexible communicators, capable of adapting quickly; “one key role of our

profession in the decades ahead will be to master the skills and dynamics of these new media”, as the Arthur W. Page Society says.

•  • Able to interpret changes and trends in communication practices and technology;

guide implementation, but not necessarily be a communication technologist. •  • Have broader analytical and critical skills in order that they become respected at C-

Level •  • Become closer to trends and policy-making, especially on CSR/sustainability; often

actively participating in the discourse. •  • Possess a wider inter-disciplinary set of competencies so they can act as advisors

with equal standing to other senior operational colleagues.•  • Have negotiation and relationship-building and management skills.•  • Coach and mentor senior management to communicate, manage relationships and

deal with new demands.

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Communication Skills .. contd• Outcomes • In summary, the outcomes from the study were: •  • 1. The primary focus for future senior communicators is for training and knowledge

of competencies in strategic management, organisation knowledge and cross-disciplinary skills. This links with many previous studies.

• 2. There was strong support for senior corporate communicators to undertake the role of cross-discipline Chief Reputation Officer; also to lead on stakeholder relationship development and management.

• 3. The sixth ranking for Proof of Performance is lower than previous studies where it is normally ranked as 2nd or 3rd. The emphasis was away from clip counts and social media traffic and towards the impact of communication upon business objectives and of value creation.

• 4. Social media is seen as important development but senior communicators will be the interpreter of trends, not the implementer.

• 5. Media relations is perceived to be a mid-level communication manager task, other than in times of crisis or major change when the C-Level voice must be evidenced.

•  • 6. The low rank (9th) for culturally-sensitive communication was counter-intuitive,

especially as many of the respondents operate already across many countries and continents.

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Communication Skills .. contdPreparing for Future • After considering the outcomes of the study, three areas of development are indicated. Namely:

practice, training and development, and proof of performance. These developments are vital for senior corporate communicators to achieve personal progression to C-Level and for higher levels of business effectiveness.

• Practice: Communication strategy must be linked to or part of business strategy. The days of communication or public relations activity as a publicity-only activity are both past and constantly threatened with budget cuts. Communicators should understand the whole business environment, not just media and communication. Operational experience across the whole of a business, not just the communication areas, is needed in order that senior communicators can represent the organisation externally with authority. They must “speak language of the business” with fellow senior managers.

• Training and Education: The key investment subjects for senior communicators are business strategy, financial literacy, economics, public affairs and public diplomacy, and relationship management. These can be delivered through training programmes or via executive programmes in universities. There also needs to be a “stronger focus on research skills” and more training on market and business analysis methods such as PEST and qualitative data interpretation.

• Proof of Performance: The ability to interpret and apply the most appropriate research methods is more important than technical measurement skills, which can be undertaken by middle or junior communicators or external suppliers. Evaluation frameworks, said the respondents, need to be developed for judgment on organisational impact, not clip measurement. With these more powerful, interpretive methods, communication planning skills will improve and offer more effective implementation of communication that is fully integrated with business strategy.

 

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Communication Skills .. contdConclusion • This report opened with Sanchez’s recipe for the

future corporate communicator as “an adroit strategist, a creative technician and a skilled facilitator – a friend of technology and an exponent of life-long learning”. This study agrees with most of these characteristics, with the exception of the senior communicator as a “creative technician” which is a role that others will undertaken by the future communicator will have more focus on relationship development, reputation management and the integration of communication strategy within the broader business strategy. It is an exciting and challenging future and one that corporate communicators have to drive forward themselves.

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PR Professionals• There is growth of Public Relation courses around the

World. Full-time undergraduate and graduate course are providing a pool of knowledgeable entrants to the industry and part-time courses for working practitioners are helping to improve standards of qualifications and performance.

• These courses demonstrate that PR is beginning to fulfill one of the key requirements for gaining recognition as fully fledged profession: that is a solid, articulate knowledge-based discipline. building its own ‘body of knowledge’ through research

and curricula development for the courses. This commitment to education and training depicts a level of maturity in the industry and mirrors the development of other professions such as Law, Medicine, Engineering and Accountancy.

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PR Professionals … contd• PR has not only arrived but it is also thriving and

making headway into heights where other professions are.

 • PR professionals are being employed (and / or self-

employed) in virtually all forms of organizations set-ups and management.

• For example according to the UK Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) all the FTSE 100 companies have PR Departments and PR is one of the top three careers choices for graduates. Also an increasing number of Communicators are full board members within companies and, in the public sector, the developing stakeholder engagement provided opportunity for PR Professionals.

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PR Leadership

See the Article in Ms Word title – EMBA Communication Skills – PR Leadership

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PR versus Related FieldsMarketing – the activity of presenting, advertising and

selling a company’s products in the best possible way.Advertising – tell the public about a product in order

to encourage / woo them to buy or to use. Also to let people to be aware something is going to happen before it occurs.

Unlike advertising or marketing, PR is more “soft sell” than “hard sell.”

PR emphasizes information and persuasion as opposed to packaging and paid media.

PR emphasizes diplomacy as opposed to force. PR, owing to its subtleties is occasionally viewed

either as “propaganda” or, “spin”. Propaganda is the intentional manipulation of public

opinion without regard for what is accurate or true.27

PR versus Related FieldsAlthough PR has certainly been misused from time to

time, its record of historical achievement suggests a much deeper and abiding respect for and adherence to openness and honesty in its dealings and communications. PR has blossomed as a professional endeavor in the 20th Century, most conspicuously in the United States and other Europe, but its roots, both philosophical and pragmatic, can be traced throughout civilization.

Journalism – the work of collecting and writing stories for newspapers, magazines, radio or television.

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