Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Washington Women in Public Relations

How often does management ask how your marketing and social media outreach efforts are paying off? Everyone wants to know what the return on investment or ROI is on PR and communication efforts. It’s the holy grail of metrics. Earned media requires flexibility, building relationships, input, action, and reaction. It takes time and energy and the effect isn’t always immediately evident. Providing a rock solid number of hits, views, tweets and re-tweets to justify investment in time and money is an enormous challenge in any organization.

If your company has developed a well articulated communications plan, drawing a line from corporate goals to messages and outcomes will be easier. Ideally, measurement is part of the planning process. Successful outcomes are defined while goals and messages are being shaped and solidified. In order to properly measure your success, you need to define success up front.

Instead of measuring views, Facebook likes, and web traffic, why not measure actions? Actions do speak louder than words. What will prompt your stakeholders to take action? If they recommend your product or company, wouldn’t you want to know what action became of that recommendation?

In an information void, people want numbers. In today’s technology driven world, there’s an onslaught of tools to measure everything from Facebook reach and share of voice to Twitter followers and web traffic. But what does that information really tell you? It’s important to have a clear understanding of the value of the measurement as compared to the objective. If you are clear about where you’re going, it’s easier to measure your progress. The trick is to start with the business objective and then ‘bridge’ to the transactional metrics, which are easy to track, to drive business outcomes. Figure out what a successful outcome looks like and measuring it becomes much easier.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Washington Women in Public Relations

Revolution Time

When I first learned that Sheryl Sandberg was writing a book focusing on women’s leadership and personal career advancement, I was eager to hear what one of the most famous female executives in the country had to say about a subject that affects everyone, not just women.That Sandberg is “… attempting nothing less than a Friedan-like feat: a national discussion of a gender-problem-that-has-no-name, this time in the workplace, and a movement to address it” is commendable but the book has received both praise and derision from all corners and speaks volumes to the level of discourse—or lack thereof—on the issue.

Lean In, Sandberg’s first foray into authorship, is very accessible and written in a voice that often feels as though Facebook’s chief operating officer were one of your female colleagues or acquaintances.Her experience in the working world is not unfamiliar, in spite of naysayers’ criticism that her current high-level, executive position and salary makes her an elite and therefore unlikely advisor to the average, middle-class working woman.For those of us who are also mothers, Sandberg’s personal struggles to balance parenthood and a career are relatable as much as they are sobering.

As I made my way through the book and then sifted through the numerous reviews and articles exploring the positive, the negative and everything-in-between about Sandberg’s advice, I was struck by the obvious parallels to public relations.Yes, “Sandberg wants to take women through a collective self-awareness exercise” but she also underscores how critical it is for us to strategically think about how we will manage our career, steer it in the right direction, create our own brand or image, and examine how we intend to connect with our respective audiences over the course of our careers: coworkers, supervisors, hiring managers, clients, customers, and even our families.

Sandberg writes in the introduction that “increasing the number of women in positions of power is a necessary element of true equality” and women “can reignite the revolution by internalizing the revolution…to shift to a more equal world…”Leaving aside the controversy about her call to action that addresses only women (not men or institutions), I read Lean In as a call to also view one’s career as though it were a public relations campaign.After all, any strategic and successful career plan incorporates many of the same elements of a PR strategy.

Your Career Campaign

Overview: What is your career about? What does it mean to you?

All About You

It’s easy when you first start out in the working world, fresh out of college, to know only that you need a job.But how that first job will translate into a career track becomes less clear, especially if you’re like me who came into the PR/communications field indirectly after positions in other industries.However, the long-term benefits of thinking about the answers to these questions can be surprising and critical.Following Sandberg’s approach means that by leaning in, not back, we should all look at our long-term career paths and consciously decide to continue in them, even if marriage and children occur along the way, so that we don’t lose our place at the table—whether it leads us to the boardroom or not.

Goal: What do you want to achieve?

Eyes on the Prize

One of the first questions you ask a client or project team when starting a new strategy plan is “what do you want to accomplish”?Like me, goal-setting is something you may do every year as part of your annual workplan, and yet I realized after reading Lean In that rarely had I given the same treatment to my own personal goals other than knowing only about my most immediate needs.

Sometimes life just got in the way and I didn’t take the time to do this, certainly not when I was devoting every waking moment to finishing my Master’s degree while working full-time or managing all the necessary arrangements for relocating back to the U.S. after living abroad for several years with a family in tow.Without answering this question, you may struggle to get your immediate, short-term plans to align with your long-term goals.

Strategy: How are you going to achieve your goal and what methods are you going to use?

Climbing the Career Jungle Gym

Sandberg writes that a career really takes place on a jungle gym rather than a ladder which is “…limiting…jungle gyms offer more creative exploration” and I could not agree more.At many points in my career I have been frustrated with what I perceived as walls, not opportunities, in front of me and believed they were stifling my professional development.I can see though that the jungle gym metaphor provides a much better way to look at the proverbial “big picture” and indeed, my overall career trajectory.

I also agree with Sandberg that ascending the ladder straight to the top rarely happens so simply or in the same way anymore.And much like a PR campaign that doesn’t stay on the path you think it should or may have planned, so too will all of our careers as we also try to manage our personal lives within the greater context of a hopefully well-balanced life.“Taking risks, choosing growth, challenge ourselves and asking for promotions…are all important elements of managing a career,” Sandberg writes, and I would add always thinking about what skills you need to learn now for your next position is key as well.

Key targets: Who do you need to market yourself to? Who will be your audience during the course of your career?

Audience Reach

When I finished my Bachelor’s degree, LinkedIn was years on the horizon and cultivating a network took considerable effort given that technology had yet to provide us with such life-changing tools as smartphones and therefore instant access to email, Facebook, Twitter and all the other social media platforms that make communication and keeping in touch so easy.Now we can create our own mini-audiences of followers, friends and connections at the touch of a button.

Fundamental to any successful career, as anyone would agree, is creating an image to our respective audiences that matches up with who you are and what you want do, ultimately helping you get to where you want to be.The old adage that a reputation is “hard to build but easily destroyed” is worth remembering as is the reality that maintaining long-lasting, fruitful relationships with people takes time and effort.

By “urg[ing] women to believe in themselves and aspire to lead,” Sandberg believes we can start countering the stereotype of the unattractive working woman à la Sigourney Weaver in Working Girl or Sandra Bullock in The Proposal.This unfair characterization gives an audience of prospective clients, bosses and colleagues the preconceived notion that a woman in power is someone to be loathed and feared, ultimately undermining those who want to ascend, and rightly deserve in getting, a leadership position.

Key Messages: What are your key messages? Do they align with your goal(s)? What is your audience telling you?

Communication is a Two-Way Street

Good communications skills are integral to anyone’s career, regardless of industry.As communications professionals, we know this perhaps better than anyone else as it can make or break a career or PR campaign.Sandberg is remarkably candid, offering personal stories relaying how she had to learn the hard way that she wasn’t communicating effectively or had to change tactics in order to get her message across.

Having worked closely with executives in both the private and non-profit sector over the years, it has been illuminating to see some of them struggle at times with communication and message development since it’s easy to think someone in their top position should have all, or at least most, of the answers.Where messaging concerns a career plan, however, “being open to hearing the truth”, understanding that “miscommunication is always a two-way street”, and trying to “foster authentic communication is to speak openly about [your] own weaknesses” are key takeaways from Lean In.

Me, Inc.

At WWPR’s recent Minute Mentoring event, held in partnership with Edelman’s Global Women’s Executive Network (GWEN), attendees had the opportunity to learn from and ask questions of several professional women in a variety of positions and industries.The common refrain I heard in the Q&A sessions I attended was rather simple: your career is all about you.Ultimately, it’s up to each of us to decide how we approach and achieve our professional goals as CEOs of our careers.

“Whoever has the power takes over the noun—and the norm—while the less powerful get an adjective,” was once observed by Gloria Steinem and is used by Sandberg in Lean In to point out that we, as women, “all just want to be the noun” and yet “the world has a way of reminding women that they are women, and girls that they are girls.” We all decided to connect as colleagues when we joined as members of WWPR, becoming part of a greater audience of professionals who believe in supporting and advancing women in the PR profession.By doing so, I believe we can take over the noun, and the norm, that women can lead in the PR field ably and successfully.Lean In the book may mirror the elements of a PR campaign but LeanIn.org is the living community that now exists helping women with their professional ambitions.

For all the criticism Sandberg has received by leading the charge—calling on women to lean in to their ambitions—treating your career as though it were a campaign is never a fruitless exercise. Rather, it ultimately helps us understand what we want in our lives, not just our jobs, and be fulfilled in ways that only we, individually, can know and appreciate.

Jessica Williams is a communications professional at a non-profit organization in Washington, DC.Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/oysterviewpoint

At last week’s minute mentoring event at a few major themes surfaced as places where mentees turned to mentors for help: work-life balance, navigating work situations and career development.

Work Life Balance

It’s no secret that a 9-to-5 schedule doesn’t exist in the PR world. The news cycle is 24/7 and PR practitioners need to be ready to take action at any time, but taking a break from work can make you a more effective and engaged professional. Everyone should unplug from work and focus on other activities that bring them joy. By doing something as simple as going for a run or mastering a new culinary feat, you will come back to work refreshed. Try it – you may be surprised at the new ideas that can arise just by stepping away from your desk. At the WWPR event, one mentor mentioned that her company implemented a 7-to-7 rule where staff may only send out emails from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. She said enforcing this rule resulted in happier employees.

Navigating Work Situations

If you have ever had a situation pop up in your professional life that you weren’t sure how to handle, talking with a mentor could be a great way to solicit feedback and help you find a solution. Unsure how to negotiate a vendor contract? Find a suitable mentor who has experienced the same situations you are now dealing with. This person can share their tips on how he or she has worked with vendors and help you learn to become a more successful employee. Your boss will thank you when you’ve saved the company money with your newfound negotiating skills!

Advancing on Your Career Path

Many mentors at the WWPR event advised attendees to “be heard.” They all reiterated the importance of “speaking up” in the workplace. Many mentees mentioned that they work hard and only hope that their work will speak for itself, but as the mentors explained, it’s not enough. Professionals everywhere need to stop waiting to be invited to the conversation. You can do this by expressing your interest in joining a project and sharing your ideas with organization leadership. Having a mentor can help you define an effective strategy to help you stand out within your company. While your ideas may not make the final cut, people will notice that you are thinking, and working hard. You’ll soon realize that by speaking up, you are also advancing your career.

Your Role as a Mentee

Interested in finding a mentor? A number of organizations – including Adfero – already have great mentoring programs in place, so ask your HR department! If your company does not have a mentoring program in effect, local industry organizations often have programs to help you establish a mentoring relationship. You can also simply email someone you admire at your own company. No matter how you find a mentor, it is important to define what your goals are, find the best person who can help guide you in achieving your goals and then work at that relationship. Schedule and optimize your interactions by having a topic of discussion and be ready to listen and learn. Mentors only want you to succeed. All you need to do is trust and listen!

Andrea Summers is an Account Executive at Adfero Group. She also currently serves on the WWPR Board as the Membership Chair. She blogs at Adfero’s News and Insights blog, where a version of this story first appeared.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Washington Women in Public Relations

There is something about history, perhaps the subject itself or the way in which it is (sometimes) taught in schools and universities that causes many students’ eyes to glaze over. Perhaps some level of maturity and perspective is needed before it can become a subject one regards with interest and not boredom.

For communicators, knowing about the history of public relations can be beneficial and insightful-whether you are a PR flack, corporate/institutional communications or marketing specialist.   Public relations as a professional practice has undergone enormous changes since it began in the early 1900s and its history follows closely with the development of viewing “communications as vital to the good functioning of corporate enterprises.” The work of PR professionals is integral to the success of organizations and companies in a wide variety of industries, in both the public and private sectors.

When Daniel J. Edelman died on January, 15, 2013 at the age of 92, I was struck by the widespread praise bestowed upon him and by how little I knew about the founder of modern PR. Edelman, Inc. is the global PR leader with more than 4,500 employees in 65 offices, affiliates in more than 30 cities worldwide, and fee income of over $600 million in 2011. It is also one of WWPR’s corporate sponsors and employer of 6 WWPR members. Edelman’s stature in the industry-both the man and the company-is unparalleled. Edelman helped “transform the field of public relations from a circus surrounded by gimmicks, to a field designed around building relationships of trust and meeting customers’ needs.”

Values

In post-World War II America, public relations was the field that promoted and connected American audiences with new and wonderful products and services, designed to make life easier and better. In 1952, Daniel J. Edelman struck out on his own, creating his eponymous firm after achieving national success as public relations director of the Toni home hair care campaign. Over the next several decades Edelman Inc.’s client list would grow to include the Toni Company, Sara Lee, Microsoft, Pfizer, Wal-Mart, Johnson & Johnson-all iconic brands.

Through various campaigns, Edelman solidified certain values that became the foundation of the agency’s culture: quality, integrity, respect, entrepreneurial spirit, mutual benefits and citizenship. Edelman Senior Vice President and former WWPR Board Member Amy Malerba Hemingway says, “Whether I’m striving for quality of performance, thinking, service, people and relationships or witnessing the innovative results of Edelman’s commitment to entrepreneurial spirit, the culture-often a theoretical pursuit-is tangible to me.”

Succeeding & Exceeding Expectations

Success in one’s field requires a degree of understanding about what came before and what lies ahead. In PR, when we understand the evolution of our industry, we become better at spotting the trends before they occur and also when they are on their way out. Daniel Edelman was constantly striving to advance and progress, famously asking, “If you’re not enthusiastic, how can you expect the client to be enthusiastic about what you’re doing?”

Many have written about Edelman’s model of global citizenship, including his son John. It may be a corporate buzzword but it is a useful one for many reasons. For PR professionals, our work may or may not include international clients or companies, but being a “global citizen” can also mean remaining informed of the greater world around us. Since public relations often involves communicating with audiences at any given time, it is our job to understand the context in which our work is playing out.

Globalization spread into the PR world early and Edelman recognized this before many others did. By expanding the company into Europe first and then Asia, he understood that the U.S. was a small part of the greater global marketplace. So too is our work today in an age of globalized information and technology that sends our messages around the world to audiences in a matter of seconds but leaving impressions that last much longer than that.

Timeless Advice

Edelman’s advice to PR professionals remains timeless and applicable to anyone desiring to succeed in their chosen field:

• Read. Every day. Devour important books, newspapers, magazines, and blogs.
• Learn to write. Well.
• Remember the importance of networking.
• Volunteer. Do work for a hospital, art or music institutions, or a nonprofit organization.
• Continue your education throughout your life. Take classes at night.
• Keep in shape, exercising regularly.
• Be creative. Strive for the big idea. Be realistic, but dare to be different.
• Every good answer begins with proper research. Start with penetrating analysis of the problem and objectives.
• Work hard. There is no such thing as a shortcut.
• Work hard, but don’t be a workaholic. Be sure you have a rich and balanced social life.
• Love and be loved. That experiences keeps refreshing you and helps you to reach even higher levels of achievement.
• Have fun.

Pioneer Lessons

The work of all of history’s pioneers is marked by incredible dedication, hard work and vision. Edelman’s vision of “PR as a more effective way to market a company’s reputation and brands…” led to “his role in creating the modern PR business, which spans everything from crisis management to political lobbying. The remarkable rise of our field and the respect it garners can be attributed to the work of Daniel J. Edelman. You can read more about his legacy in Frank Wisner’s book, ”Edelman and the Rise of Public Relations” and download it for free here.

The fiercely independent and family-oriented nature of the company which fosters deep employee loyalty, as described by Amy Malerba Hemingway, is inspiring. It also serves as a reminder that history and the lessons of its pioneers like Edelman, are never boring. Rather, their values can become ours too as professionals in a field which will only continue to grow and change in tandem with the world around us-as it did for Daniel J. Edelman and Edelman, Inc. sixty years ago.

Jessica Williams is a communications professional at a non-profit organization in Washington, DC.  Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/oysterviewpoint

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Washington Women in Public Relations

Everyone likes a good story but like telling a joke it requires great skill. Having a good topic, a target audience, plot, point of view and setting all require creativity and focus.

I think all companies, regardless of their industry, have a great story to tell, whether it’s about clients, products or services, employees or about solutions and challenges. Success stories about clients are some of the best subjects as they highlight your ability to connect with an audience and tell a story to which most readers can relate.

Take for instance the story behind New Belgium Brewing Company. Founded in 1989 by Jeff Lebesch and Kim Jordan, a couple in Ft. Collins, Colorado, New Belgium is now the second largest craft brewer in the United States. From humble but passionate beginnings they created a brand that inspires both their employees and their customers. And Kim Jordan is now the CEO. They have a great story of developing their brand while staying true to their core values. In doing so, they not only make great beer (if you like that sort of thing, which I do) but also do good things for communities and the environment. Their success story with beginnings as a small home business to a nearly national brewing company that has stayed true to their humble but well-thought out core values earns them loyal customers and passionate employees. And they make great beer that is always fun and never boring.

On the other end of the spectrum is a little known government agency tasked with expanding exports of American-made goods and services. The International Trade Administration (ITA) helps U.S. companies find customers in overseas markets. One of the best ways they market their services and value is to talk about the successes of their clients, like DeFeet International, a manufacturer of performance clothing and socks. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, DeFeet is a virtual anomaly in the textile industry. They make quality socks and cycling gear in the United States. DeFeet is but one of thousands of clients that can demonstrate the variety of services provided by ITA to clients. In holding up the international expansion efforts of DeFeet, ITA can demonstrate their value to other clients or potential clients. Being able to tap into a global network of experts who can help any business large or small reach new clients is the essence of ITA’s story but telling it through DeFeet allows other companies to imagine themselves in the same position.

What’s your story? How do you tell it to engage your clients and customers? Are they able to picture themselves in the story? These are all questions to ask when you’re developing content for websites, marketing materials, or even for social media sites. A great story can do much more for you than power point presentations and sales pitches.

Let’s talk about trends. I don’t mean Faith Popcorn or Bill Gross type of predicted trends, although they’re probably two people to tap into for good overall trends.

I’m talking more about trends, both good and bad, in the communication and public relations area. I don’t purport to be a predictor of trends nor do I have any special insight in what will be hot and hip six months from now. What I do know is how we as communicators relate to our audiences, how we can be more effective in reaching out to them, and how we can incorporate new technologies and channels to be better at what we do.

Washington communicators walk the line between heavy jargon, acronym laden “government speak” and “corporate speak”(both of which can be fraught with insider terms) yet plain speak is what resonates with most readers. Communicating to the average reader without reducing language to the lowest common denominator is a trend I’d like to see take root.

This is by no means a new trend, mind you. It’s just a trend that keeps cycling through and needing to be reinforced.

Companies should be talking to and with their clients and partners rather than at them. Too often we are stuck in the same routine of reusing talking points and staid attorney-approved speak to communicate with our internal and external audiences.

I spent more than a decade deciphering the acronyms of “government speak” and look forward to having a true blue conversation with someone face-to-face or via Twitter that is void of any jargon or acronyms. Clear and concise communication is a trend that I hope continues long into the future. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Value the connection you’re making with your reader. Treat them like you care what they think.

If you have a trend, either good or bad, that you’d like to discuss, please be in touch and we can make this a bigger conversation. I look forward to hearing from you!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Washington Women in Public Relations.

Be Prepared

Founded in 1910, Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is one of the largest youth scouting organizations in the country (along with the Girl Scouts of America) and has more than 2.6 million members.  A private organization, it is funded by membership dues, product sales, contributions and sponsorships.

BSA’s overarching goal is to guide boys into becoming responsible citizens.  Through outdoor activities, community service and educational programs, Boy Scouts are also supposed to learn self-reliance and fortitude.  Most Americans are familiar with their motto, “be prepared” and yet the BSA has been unprepared to deal with major scandals that have rocked the organization to its core.  From a public relations perspective, there are many lessons and cautionary tales to be learned from what could easily become a communications case study in years to come.

On February 7, the BSA Council agreed to postpone until May, a final decision on whether to lift its ban on gay members and leaders which was reaffirmed in July 2012 to significant opposition.  The media spotlight will remain harsh but the public eye even more so as the BSA decides on a highly controversial policy—one that if finally lifted will mark a historic shift for the organization.

Changing With the Times

Throughout American history, scouting activities have mirrored the times.  In both World War I and II, Boy Scouts were active participants in wartime efforts.  In post-war America, segregated Boy Scout troops were common in both the North and South, not dissimilar to public schools and other institutions throughout the country.  Some troops in the South threatened to leave BSA and burn their uniforms in protest.  Even the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which outlawed discrimination against women and racial, ethnic, national and religious minorities were no match for an organization whose practices were deeply entrenched and left largely to the discretion of individual troop leaders giving new meaning to the adage, “everything is local.”

Often called a “hidebound association”, the BSA has been forced, over its 103 years in existence, to change with the times but often with much reluctance.  In the aftermath of the “perversion files” release in October 2012, the BSA was confronted with the most awful of deeds—scout leaders who had molested boys and abused their trust in the early 1960s through 1980s.  Worse still, the vast cover-up that occurred at all levels of the organization would become the focus of several lawsuits, the most high profile of which served as a damning indictment—to the tune of a $20 million judgment by Oregon’s Supreme Court.  If ever there was a time that proved wrong the saying “all press is good press”, it was this one.

Image & Messaging

Living in the age of the Internet, we all know that websites can serve as powerful image-making platforms, providing an initial “look” at an organization or company.  It is therefore very unfortunate that BSA’s website is remarkably unforthcoming in acknowledging its past.  Under “History”, it makes no mention of when African American boys or leaders began joining troops as part of desegregation efforts.  Instead, one finds a bland timeline, a cursory listing of scouting events giving visitors little sense of the prevailing culture of the organization.  Dynamic is not the image one is left with.

In vivid contrast, the Girl Scouts of America’s “Timeline” provides a detailed, engaging narrative covering every decade of its organization’s history.  Highlights of the each time period are offered and an explanation of how that affected Girl Scout activities.  Photographs, including girls of all races, ages and backgrounds, are abundant and add to the narrative in ways that are nonexistent on the BSA website.

The impression of each organization one is left with from a web standpoint could not be more different.  Based on their websites alone, Girl Scouts appear modern, diverse, all-embracing whereas Boy Scouts live up to every stereotype imaginable (old-fashioned, military-like, white, middle-class).  I have to wonder: is this truly the image the BSA wants for its organization in the wake of serious scandals and controversy?  On such a contentious issue as the gay member ban, it is incredibly important that BSA’s leadership shows that it cares deeply about the nature of the debate, boosting not only its image but its credibility as an organization that is ahead of bad press, not behind it.

The Next Chapter

The future direction of the BSA now rests in the hands of its 1,400 national council members who will vote in May on the issue of whether or not gay members and leaders can participate in Boy Scouts.  Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scout movement in America, once said, “A Scout is never taken by surprise; he knows exactly what to do when anything unexpected happens.” And yet, here we are at a moment in time when the opposite appears to be true.

From a PR standpoint, I am reminded of the Public Relations Society of America code of ethics which states, “We adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and truth in advancing the interests of those we represent and in communicating with the public.”  Granted, these are meant for PR professionals, but I believe these principles are applicable to even a scouting organization’s leadership.  Namely, that BSA policy to date runs incongruous to both Baden-Powell’s statement and their own vision of “train[ing] young people in citizenship, service and leadership” and “helping youth puts us on a path toward a more conscientious, responsible, and productive society.”

Communicating with the public about why the ban on gay members should remain in place has never been clearly laid out without running straight into the pedophilia myth.

The canard that gay scout leaders would put young boys at greater risk of sexual abuse is often used by supporters of the ban[1].  However, according to the American Psychological Association, “Despite a common myth, homosexual men are not more likely to sexually abuse children than heterosexual men are.”  Any observer can read between the lines and surmise that the ban has more to do with plain old-fashioned prejudice—the antithesis of being accurate and truthful.

Many have argued that BSA is a private organization and as such, it cannot be held to the same rules as public institutions regarding discriminatory membership policies.  However, their “…policy is at odds with the nation’s diminishing acceptance of antigay discrimination and is destined to hurt many young people and their families.”  Now that President Obama has publicly voiced his opposition to the ban and mentioned gay rights in his inaugural address alongside civil and women’s rights, we would be remiss in not recognizing that “[t]he organization boasts on its Web site that it has a charter from Congress and that every president since William Howard Taft has served as its honorary chairman. That now puts the government in the untenable position of implicitly endorsing the discriminatory policies of the Boy Scouts.”

Gay men and women are our neighbors, colleagues, friends, and family members.  They are also boys who want to be Boy Scouts and mothers and fathers who want to be involved in their son’s scouting experience.  It is high time BSA recognized this reality and fully embodied the leadership values it tries to instill in its members: giving kids the confidence to take on any challenge.  The challenge today is guiding the organization into a new chapter of scouting, one that is truly inclusive.  And that seems to be the best image for the Boy Scouts I can imagine.

PR & the Presidency

Public relations can be broadly defined as the “flow of information between an individual or an organization and the public” and the “professional maintenance of a favorable public image by an organization or a famous person.”  With the pomp and circumstance of President Barack Obama’s second inauguration now over and as the next term gets underway, the country’s first African American commander-in-chief faces many unenviable challenges over the next four years — one of which is maintaining his high approval rating and public image while moving forward on an ambitious policy agenda.

For a president who ran on the principles of racial inclusion, opportunity and success for all, the bar has been set high. The Obama administration will be challenged to counter the perception that he may be falling back on his pledge to “faithfully execute” and ensure equality for all. He will need to put together a faithful coterie of advisories that is not exclusively made up of white men lest he be accused of “…suffer[ing] from Groucho Marx syndrome: He favors those in the club he doesn’t belong to.”  Image is paramount, especially for a president.

In the weeks leading up to the inauguration, as several first term Cabinet members announced their departures, hope for a diverse slate of nominees was soon followed by dismay as a worrisome trend emerged that the second term Cabinet would be far less diverse than the first. With the “big three” posts going to white men in Treasury (Jack Lew), Defense (Chuck Hagel) and State (John Kerry), I know I joined many others in wondering “why”?

Even though Susan Rice removed herself from consideration for Secretary of State after considerable controversy over the American consulate attack in Benghazi, Libya, if confirmed she would have been a female African American nominee and the third consecutive woman to lead the State Department.  Still, one had to wonder why there couldn’t be more Cabinet nominees who represent the diversity that is today’s America-one which Obama repeatedly referred to in his inaugural speech and on the campaign trail.

Inaugural Hopes & Dreams

Inauguration rituals are steeped in historical tradition and American ceremonies are no exception. It provides a unique and singular opportunity for the incoming or re-elected president to lay out his (and hopefully a “her” at some point) vision of the country’s future.

What captivated me this time was Obama’s inaugural address that seemed to acknowledge that as our President, Obama needs to connect with the American public in a way like never before while forcefully conveying how he intends to lead the country over the next four years. The bold vision that America “…holds these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” is not new as the President emphasized — it was written in the Declaration of Independence over two hundred years ago.

When the President says, “We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American; she is free, and she is equal…” we all want to believe that that is true. I know I’m not the only one who hopes that Obama will be true to his words, that by taking the oath of president, he and his administration will “…faithfully execute that pledge during the duration of our service.”  As a woman, mother and working professional, these compelling words resonate with me and undoubtedly many others who believe in the same principles and values that Obama campaigned so strongly on.

Reality Bites

If Obama’s reassurances in January that his Cabinet and top advisors did indeed include minorities and women, well, the optics left much to be desired. Even Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), when sworn in on January 3 as Hawaii’s first female senator, the country’s first Asian-American and first Buddhist senator, remarked on the glass ceiling in the Senate “…there need to be many more of us in here. I am going to make sure that happens.” Amen.

Obama’s inaugural speech mentioned “equal” or “equality” no less than seven times over the course of 18 minutes. The President’s Cabinet is an exclusive group of public servants who help create policy and inform the president on areas including education, health, transportation, defense, foreign affairs, labor, treasury, interior, agriculture, commerce, health, housing, energy, veteran affairs and homeland security.  These 15 top-level officials, not to mention the rest of the White House staff, should be truly representative of the country’s diversity, helping to project a positive image of America to an ever-watchful international community.

Offering some hope that Obama recognizes the need for his administration to comprise women and minorities is the recent announcement of Mary Jo White as nominee to head the Securities and Exchanges Commissions and rumblings that Penny Pritzker will be given the nod for Commerce Secretary.  Another welcome nominee would be former Michigan governor  Jennifer Granholm as Secretary of Labor, especially after Michigan turned into a right-to-work state under a new Republican governor last fall in a historically pro-labor state and home of the auto industry.  May the shuffle of top-level appointments continue to include more high-powered and highly accomplished women and minority nominees-after all, there are plenty of qualified candidates to choose from.

The PR View

Over the next four years, as PR professionals we will watch-and perhaps some will more directly participate in-the administration’s engagement with the American public as it maps out a political agenda that will touch and shape all of our lives. It is also important that we learn when, where and how the Office of the President succeeds, or fails, in its public engagement.

You don’t need to be the White House press secretary to understand the ramifications of speaking “off message” or not using a strategic communications plan. And sometimes, how the President communicates through his actions is a more powerful indication of his thoughts or intentions. Case in point: continuing to nominate women and minorities to high-level posts speaks a thousand words that Obama is committed to improving the diversity of his administration.

Just as we “flacks” (or “communicators” if you prefer) are aware of the need to embrace diversity in all aspects of our work), we must remember that connecting with and remaining attuned to audiences and clients alike is vital to our success as well. “We know these truths to be self-evident…” that good PR is earned and maintained and is not something that anyone-not even the President of the United States-has the luxury of taking for granted.

Jessica Williams is a WWPR member and communications professional at a non-profit organization in Washington, DC. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/oysterviewpoint

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Washington Women in Public Relations.

A recent Gallup poll found that exceptional leaders exhibit the following traits: clarity, agility, and perspective. Exhibiting these qualities as a leader can greatly enhance an intern’s experience at the company. Professional mentors should set clear expectations with their intern, discussing exactly what tasks are (and are not) expected of them during their employment. A sense of clarity helps the intern adapt to tasks that would be expected of them as a professional in the industry as well as see themselves as part of the solution, rather than feeling like they are doing the undesired work from colleagues. Lack of clarity can make an intern question whether or not they add value to the organization, if not given the proper feedback. Without clarity, an intern has fewer opportunities to succeed.

Professional mentors who are engaged with their interns helps to produce better work for the company as a whole. Continual engagement with an intern helps to surface expectations outside of the tasks that were originally discussed; this requires agility from the mentor. Each individual is unique and each may be looking for a different focus from the internship to set themselves apart from other candidates. The mentor should be prepared to tailor the internship experience distinctively for each intern.

Finally, the leader should consider the real purpose of an internship—that is, for an intern to gain from the perspective and experience of a professional who has had years of experience. Providing frequent guidance with specific examples from past experiences help interns benefit from perspective they may lack early on in their careers. Sharing stories of how personal obstacles were overcome or how new solutions were found for difficult problems may help the intern feel less uncertain about their future.

Good or bad internship experiences can greatly affect the career path of future professionals in the PR industry. Considering how interconnected students are, negative internship experiences can affect a PR firm’s reputation just as much as a dissatisfied client or poor financial performance. As multiple internship positions are essentially a requirement for full-time work in today’s economy, professional mentors and managers should be prepared to ensure that each intern leaves with a positive experience.

Panelists:

• Amanda Terkel, Senior Political Reporter and Politics Managing Editor, The Huffington Post
• Melissa Romero, Staff Writer for Washingtonian and Health and Wellness manager of Washingtonian’s blog Well+Being
• Molly Walker, Editor, for trade publication FierceMarkets‘ Enterprise IT group
• Amy Harder, Energy and Environment Correspondent, National Journal
• Moderated by: Tina Beaty, president, WWPR & Account Supervisor, PorterNovelli

How can PR professionals help you get the content you need, besides a well formulated pitch?

Harder: “Make all pitches short and sweet with no attachments.  Just tell me the facts – once we connect then you can provide more assets for the story.”

How effective is social media in pitching a story to journalists?

Terkel: “I don’t like to be pitched on social media.  I tend to ignore messages like that on these platforms.  Sure try to stay in touch on Twitter with me but I do miss a lot.”

Harder: “If a PR person sends me a targeted follow-up tweet to something I pushed out that’s great but don’t pitch a cold new story to me on social media.”

Walker: “If you are an active, credible voice on Twitter I will follow you but I don’t typically get pitched on social media.”

How do you feel about the current state of media bias and the negative feedback the media receives?

Terkel: “Readers have choices.  You can get your media from wherever you want – a whole host of outlets.  Media has always been bias.  Judge stories for what they are and read different sources.  When candidates blame media they are just looking for a scapegoat.”

Has the ‘exclusive’ become less relevant in today’s lightning-fast, crowd-sourced digital news environment?
Terkel: “Exclusives are more important than ever.  I am far less likely to cover a story that has already been covered somewhere but I will spend more time with it if it is really newsworthy for the Huffington Post.”
Harder: “For National Journal exclusives are even more important  – I love studies but only if the data is new, if it has been published multiple times I don’t need it.”

When weighing news value, what factors do you consider today that didn’t exist five or even three years ago, such as virality?
Terkel: “It is hard to break-through the clutter with a story – I do use social media to share a story I have written.  A strong headline is important but it is not just about creating traffic – it is about starting a conversation.”

How has fact checking changing from traditional print to digital media?

Romero: “Online content moves quickly, less fact checking versus print editions which goes through a month of fact checking.  With an online story we can update a story if something needs to be corrected.”

Harder: “The role of fact checker has changed and at many places has been reduced due to budgets.  The responsibility is on the reporter to get the facts right.  We will print corrections when needed.”

In response to the Adobe survey reporting that only 11 percent of people think PR is a ‘valuable job’ what’s your perception of our profession?
Terkel:  “I couldn’t do my job without PR professionals; I need a good PR person to do my job.”
Harder: “I have a positive perception of PR as a profession but sometimes it is overwhelming – so many stories and so many pitches.”
Walker: “PR is essential to media.  I don’t envy a PR person’s position though!”

What is the best way to pitch you with a well researched and targeted story?

Terkel: “A relevant subject is best.  When you send an email don’t follow-up with a call immediately – that is basic advice but it still happens frequently.  Research, target, and tell me how it’s a story fit for me.”

Walker: “My beat is broad based on the topic so know how the story you are pitching really fits my audience within the topic.”

Is digital media the death of print?

Walker: “Online enhances credibility as we can link to other stories and bolster content with digital assets like videos.  Academic world still needs to teach traditional journalism – digital media is a channel in which strong journalism still needs to exist.”