It’s no secret to many in the public relations field that I’m a supporter of the Public Relations Society of America. I’ve served the organization for many years as both a local chapter leader and a national Board member and officer. This year I’m serving as chair of PRSA’s College of Fellows. Because of the investment I’ve made in PRSA and the time I’ve spent as a volunteer I feel I’m qualified to speak out.

While I was on the PRSA national Board, and during my many years as a Leadership Assembly Delegate, I’ve seen the organization go through many changes and grow. I’ve reviewed many a member and non-member survey pointing to the needs of the membership. I’ve then watched both volunteers and our hard-working staff bend and change based on data from our members. And I don’t always agree with the changes we make. That’s because when you have 22,000 members (more than 30,000 if you include the student members) there are bound to be some people who don’t agree with everything we do. Especially in the past five years, I have been confident in PRSA’s changes and programs because they are ALWAYS based on research and data. The PRDefined project is no exception.

Three years ago, members asked for tools to help tell PR’s story to businesses and organizations. The Business Case for Public Relations was created by a broad-based group of industry leaders and is available to members and non-members alike. There are incredible resources there that I hope professionals are using. If you haven’t seen it, go look around and I’ll bet you find many useful items.

For as long as I can remember as a national leader, there has been discussion about redefining public relations. The definitions in use today are cumbersome and just not as relevant today as they were when they were created…by a committee. No one wanted to take on the challenge because it would be hard and likely controversial. In 2011, PRSA’s leadership decided the changes in the profession meant it was time to take on the challenge.

So, last September PRSA gathered a group of individuals from a broad spectrum of the industry, including groups outside the US, and put together a process to reach a definition. That process remained focused on research and data. Additionally, because of the complexity of the issue and the many facets of our industry, a representative committee was formed. Members and non-members were involved in the process and the committee set to work…on an impossible task.

Between late November and early December, professionals were asked to complete a form to create their definition. There was also an opportunity to comment, so professionals could discuss any concerns. It was hoped there would be consensus from the crowd-sourced definitions. As with all of the communications from the committee to professionals, there was an opportunity for comments. These were provided to the committee and I am confident they heard the comments that were sent to them.

Then, from January 11-23, the draft definitions were published for comment and discussion by anyone in the profession.

Earlier this week the results were sent out to vote as what was hoped would be the final step of a process. Unfortunately, the definition is…well…fairly cumbersome as one might expect from globally-sought research and a fairly broad profession. What I kept reminding myself, as I chose which option I preferred, is that this is a definition and not the explanation I use of what I do. My specialty is only one aspect of the profession.

What I was not prepared for, and I have to say I’m terribly disappointed in, is the plethora of professionals who’ve chosen to criticize the process using their own tools and mediums instead of talking directly to PRSA. I don’t believe the comments were sent to PRSA and I wonder if these individuals participated in the research process. None of the individuals who I’ve seen criticize the project has commented on PRSA’s blog on the subject.

If you are not happy with PRSA on this project, or another, please tell them. Please tell them directly. There are volunteer leaders you can talk with or you may direct your comments to COO Bill Murray. They need to hear from you on this issue and others. They do listen and they are doing as well as they can to represent the public relations field. It just really isn’t fair to take your concerns to other formats this late in the game. You should have been involved all along. And you should be okay that others’ views, as well as your own, have been taken into account.

I’ve thought about writing this post now for several days and the more I see those volunteers who worked so hard to get to this point being maligned, the more frustrated I get. This isn’t how we would counsel our clients to behave. In fact, it’s the exact behavior we often tell them is inappropriate. So, why are we doing it now.

I can guarantee you that PRSA has taken the time to listen to you. Please take the time to listen to them, learn about the process and color inside the lines. And, finally, if you don’t participate…you really have no right to complain.

Are you seeing the world through rose colored glasses?

This phrase has often been on my mind recently as we’re mired in divisive political discussions and this last week in the Komen/Planned Parenthood debacle. It has caused me to wonder if we can ever be unbiased, or ever read straight news stories. I realized we all have filters but they are often in our subconscious. It’s amazing we can hear the same words and listen to the same news story and come away with different interpretations.

When we read the paper, a magazine article, watch TV news or even (my favorites) Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert, it is the reporter/anchor’s interpretation of a story; their version of an event. But what we actually hear is yet another version that’s colored by our own beliefs and background. It’s really not something we can control.

As concerned citizens and especially as public relations and communications professionals, we need to make sure we’re doing our best to remove those filters before advising clients or making decisions. I find one of the easiest ways to remove the filters is to gather information from many sources.

• Watch TV news on MSNCB and Fox.
• Read the local underground paper as well as the traditional daily.
• Listen to NPR and talk radio.
• Read a blog you like and then one that’s cited by that person as completely biased and wrong.
• Talk with – and listen to — people you know are on both sides of the issue.

One of the things I like about social media sites like Facebook is when people are excited about a subject, there are lots of posts/messages where I can learn. I suggest you read them critically. It may seem there are many different filters on a subject, but studies show we gravitate to people who are similar to us. It’s only natural.

So, while social media provides new sources, they might not present an opposing view. It’s easy to gain a false sense of security around an issue.

When next you are faced with learning about a subject, check your sources and add a few you might not normally review. Look beyond the normal websites and blogs to those sites, people and blogs you know will offer an opposing view. 

And for heaven’s sake, listen to what’s provided on all the sites, and from friends. If you read but don’t listen or learn, you’re just wasting your time. As a communications professional that’s a very dangerous road. You need to understand both sides if you’re going to offer advice.

If we’re going to make this world a better place we can only do this if we look at issues and situations through multiple filters. We will only be able to collaborate on an issue once we realize and accept the many different filters through which others see the same world.

How do you make sure you’re listening to multiple sides of each story?

This week’s news regarding the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Planned Parenthood sent shock waves around the world. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, this has been an important lesson in the power of social media and individuals to affect a decision.

This has affected me, and many of my friends and colleagues, in a variety of ways:

• As a communications professional I have read many posts analyzing the communication strategies of both organizations. There will undoubtedly be many more.
• The situation also puts the spotlight on the research smart corporations should complete before selecting community partners.
• As an individual, there are also obvious implications for personal funding choices.

The need for this research doesn’t change because the issue changes. Research and a strategic focus should always be part of a giving strategy.

I don’t want to get into who’s right and who’s wrong here but instead provide a guide to choosing nonprofits you support – as an individual or as a corporation. If we haven’t seen anything else this week, we’ve certainly seen the power social media has in swaying public opinion.

I’m sure you’d agree you want to know where your hard-earned dollars are going. It’s not that time consuming to make sure the vast majority of your check will go to direct services. Merriam Webster defines these as:

“active service on cases and work with patients as distinguished from staff functions”

While I understand completely the need for administrative costs, it’s important to understand the details behind those numbers. Here’s a portion of my post from January 20, 2010 detailing the research you can do before writing that check:

In talking with my children about the importance of giving and the school’s drive, we’ve also had to teach them a bit about what unfortunately might be called the seamier side of fundraising. As we saw after 9/11 and the 2005 tsunami, there are unscrupulous fundraisers who are more than happy to take your hard-earned dollars. It’s important to take a few minutes to make sure your money goes where you want it to go. Make sure you give to organizations you trust, or that your friends trust.

Guidestar and Charity Navigator both offer services that help you learn about nonprofits. United Way of America is another organization that thoroughly screens their partners before providing them funds. And, of course, there are any number of blogs and experts out there to tell you what to do as well. One of my favorite public relations people, Shonali Burke, offered her thoughts about the aftershocks on fundraising.

If you have the time, an organization’s IRS Form 990 is a great source of information. Pay close attention to the percentages of funds that go to “program services” as compared to administrative costs. Program services funds are actually getting to those the organization helps while administrative costs are generally overhead. Personally, organizations I like to support keep their overhead to no more than 10% of expenses.

Living in an area that’s such a distance from the Lower 48/rest of the United States (AKA Outside) has many challenges, and even more benefits. Our cold and snowy winters are just one of the challenges we embrace living in Alaska. This year has been no exception…in fact the snowfall has been exceptional.

Many of us “make it through” winter with the promise of trips Outside to warmer places. Since it’s very difficult and time consuming to drive, we rely on air travel. That’s why when there’s a storm Outside that affects air travel we all take notice. We probably know someone affected.

This week’s snow and ice storm in the Pacific Northwest dramatically affects Alaskans because our hub, Seattle, is essentially shutdown. My Twitter and Facebook feeds are full of folks stuck in Seattle, Houston, Portland, etc., all trying to get home. The news covers stories from passengers trying to get out.

What’s amazing is how folks are just riding the wave and adjusting, even while frustrated. The common theme is Alaska Airlines and how well they are communicating with customers via social media tools. Using Facebook and Twitter especially, the airline regularly updates its followers with travel schedules. Reading the comments and following along they are engaging stranded customers one-on-one and offering suggestions, sympathy and even injecting humor. As a result their customers are, for the most part, relatively content to ride this out.

Does this take an investment on the part of Alaska Airlines? Definitely it does, but it also appears to be paying dividends for customers who appreciate the follow-up and the treatment. Is everyone happy? Goodness no, but the “thank yous” are far outweighing the #fails.

Because many people are likely beginning their trips in areas not affected by the storm and therefore might not understand what’s really happening in Seattle, Alaska Airlines posted pictures of its icy planes on Facebook. They tweeted them as well, helping people understand the situation. I mean…who would question why a flight is delayed or cancelled after seeing a plane that looks like that!

In this age where we always focus on the bad customer service and the poor use of social media, it’s important to also talk about the organizations that are doing it correctly. And, it’s also important for us, as customers, to say thanks. I did that yesterday…did you? And then there’s their mileage program…but that’s another post!

Do you have examples of good customer service that makes you more loyal? What company and why?

Happy New Year everyone. I hope you had a wonderful holiday season.

While much of the continental United States is enjoying a warmer than normal winter, Alaska has been bitterly cold with higher than average snowfall. It doesn’t make the news because most of you think it’s normal. For Alaska’s remote communities, their lives in winter depend on shipments that arrive before ice forms in the water preventing additional deliveries, except by air.

For those living in the west coast city of Nome and nearby villages, this winter has been anything but normal. An intense winter storm battered Alaska’s west coast much earlier than expected, meaning the last fuel delivery could not be made. With temperatures in the winter as low as -60 (without wind chills) the loss of this fuel delivery is truly a life or death matter.

What happened next was a series of discussions among local, state and federal governments to find a solution. The Sitnasuak Native Corporation signed a contract with Vitus Marine to have a Russian tanker deliver the fuel. What has happened since is an amazing lesson in international maritime law, federal maritime regulations and immense cooperation between private and federal entities. It was clear to most involved this was a critical situation. In fact, the tanker Renda began its mission (first heading to Korea) before all clearances were secured so it could arrive in Nome as early as possible.

Today the fuel is on its way to Nome and is expected to arrive roughly eight weeks after the originally scheduled delivery was prevented and in time for residents to remain warm this winter. The Renda is headed to Nome escorted by USCG Cutter Healy, the Coast Guard’s only operating Arctic icebreaker. The cooperation of various government entities and the (relatively) fast cutting of red tape and regulations to let a foreign ship conduct this mission have been amazing to read.

What has been interesting to watch, from a public relations/communications perspective, is the communication coming from those on the ship. Note that two reporters were asked to leave the ship at its last port since their presence violates the Jones Act. However:

• The Alaska Dispatch, a web-only “newspaper” is hosting a blog from the state marine pilot onboard the boat with the Russian-based crew
• That captain is also tweeting his progress and challenges using the handle @akicemission
• Traditional media coverage has also been extensive (Google Renda Nome for the latest)

Many are likening this lifesaving mission to the 1925 Serum Run when diphtheria was raced to Nome via dogsleds. Those involved are credited with saving many lives in the area. Today’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is along roughly the same routes. What’s unique about today’s mission from a communication standpoint is the use of web-based tools to tell the story while the mission is unfolding.

I have made this story as uncomplicated as I could but thought my readers would enjoy learning a little about winter in remote Alaska with a modern-day communications twist.

PS – As I was getting ready to publish this, Caray published another update reporting the crew is celebrating Russian Christmas aboard the ship.

However you celebrate the many holidays of this winter season, I hope you take time to enjoy it with family and friends who are most important to you. It is my wish that your season be stress-free and you can spend all the time you wish with loved ones.

This will be my last post in 2011. My eldest is home from college and enjoying time with his younger brother. I want to spend time with them as well. Both are teens but the Legos are back out in the basement for the many games that have occupied their creative minds for years. We’ve already had some wonderful conversations about nearly any topic imaginable and I know there is more to come.

We’ve just finished decorating our tree which means it’s time for a spirited game of “I Spy” with the ornaments. The clues are getting more and more inventive each year as we hide our favorites when decorating only to reveal their location during the game.

This week, we’ll also be baking cookies together, just as I did when I was a child, using the recipes my grandmother passed down. It’s time for gingerbread, “children’s cookies” (sugar) and cherry cookies.

Then there is the annual tour of Anchorage to see the holiday light displays. When the boys were little, they dressed in PJs and were asleep by the time we returned home.

Thank you for all you have done this year to help me build this community. I will be back just after the first of the year. In the meantime, please spend time with those you care about.

If you want to share your plans and memories here I would love to know what’s important to you this season.

Once again, I wish you the most wonderful holiday season ever with those you love.

2001 Family Christmas Picture

Guest Post from DeAnn Baxter, APR 

Job seekers should take heed from guest post. DeAnn Baxter knows from personal experience in this recession the trials and tribulations of job seeking. Her story has a happy ending as she landed HER dream job. So will you, by following her advice:

We all know seeking a job is tough, especially these days. While things are improving on the job front, you still need to be patient. Your search may take weeks or months, but if you approach it the way you would a public relations campaign, your strategies and tactics will help you. The key is to stay focused and keep at it!

Target your search.

Understanding that link between what you want and what the employer needs is the way to secure employment. Don’t grasp at straws, applying for every job out there, hoping something will eventually stick. What interests you? What do you like about public relations? What kind of work environment do you find stimulating? That area where the Venn diagram overlaps is your sweet spot; apply for jobs in that space and don’t stray, or you’ll be looking again in six months.

Prove your worth.

Provide helpful tips in social media spaces. Start a blog to share your knowledge and demonstrate what you’re learning about a specific industry. Comment on industry blogs or answer questions on LinkedIn. Read industry newsletters to stay on top of trends and educate yourself on areas where you’re weakest. Whatever you do, don’t waste your time!

Watch your online profile.

When you post on Twitter, it’s there for the world to see. When you announce each job you’ve applied for, and follow-up with “…and it’s my dream job!!!!” people will not take you seriously. Instead, link to articles about public relations or your target industry to position yourself as an expert.

Looking for a PR job? join the Help A PR Pro Out tweet chat December 15 at 1 PM ET to get resume writing tips from professionals. Use #HAPPO on Tweetchat.com to join in.

Be persistent, but don’t overdo it.

When you’re in front of a potential employer, ask questions like “When will I hear from you again?” or “Would next Tuesday afternoon be a good time to follow-up with you?” Put your mind at ease knowing that you have a firm date as to when you and your potential employer will be in touch again. If you don’t hear from them by that time, you know you can call without being annoying.

Don’t take no for an answer.

So, you didn’t get the job. Ask what you could’ve done better. Some HR folks are unable to give that kind of feedback, while others are willing to give you pointers. Listen carefully, take their advice to heart, and press Keep the faith.

Don’t get discouraged. Find others in the same boat, or find a mentor willing to help. A second set of eyes on your resume can go a long way, as can a word of advice, a positive message, or a note of support.

Be prepared.

When the call for an interview does come, be ready! Until that day comes, practice at least one interview question every day, update and have copies of your resume, get your portfolio in order, and dry clean your best suit. The last thing you want to do is scramble for an interview when your nerves are already kicking in for an impending interview.

What do you think? How can unemployment help focus a job search? What tips do you have to stay upbeat and persistent in this economy?

DeAnn Baxter, APR, works in corporate public relations. She holds bachelor’s degrees in public relations and speech communication from Penn State and a master’s in PR from Johns Hopkins University. Connect with DeAnn on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Other job search posts here: 

Navigating the Job Market: The Interview

Tips for the Recent Grad Job Search

Networking, Follow-up Key to Job Hunt

Job Seeking PR Pros – The First Move is Yours

Always behave like a duck – keep calm and unruffled on the surface but paddle like the devil underneath.

~ Jacob Braude

Public relations professionals are often known for their calm demeanor in stressful situations. However, most I know subscribe to this quotation as we often feel as though we’re moving as fast as we can to keep 95 balls in the air at once. It’s a good sign when our clients or bosses don’t realize we’re paddling so fast. During the holiday season, the paddling becomes positively ferocious!

Another factor facing all of us is the seemingly ever-increasing speed of change. As communications professionals, we are expected to be savvy about the latest social media tools and understand their uses for our clients and bosses. Staying on top of things can be stressful in and of itself.

Not that I always stay stress-free by any stretch of the imagination but I thought I would offer some of my techniques to keep up to date on trends and the latest widget to help us do our jobs, and also ask you for yours:

Read Later

Instapaper is a wonderful application on my computer that give me the flexibility to read great articles later in the day or week. I mark them to “read later” and then read them on my iPad while relaxing in the evening so it doesn’t take time away from the workday.

Bookmarks

Articles with interesting techniques or thoughtful messages get bookmarked immediately so I can always find them later. Using a tool like Diigo means others can access my bookmarks as well. This helps greatly with what we call the “tire kickers” who really just want to pick my brain, rather than hire me to help them. It’s easy to say – check out the articles I’ve bookmarked about “such and such.” I feel I’m still helping them but it’s not time consuming for me.

Dedicate a certain amount of time each week to learning

It’s very easy for me to get sidetracked and lose focus on what I’m supposed to be doing. So I try to set aside an hour (or two) a day just to learn from the social networks where I’m engaged. This could mean reading tweets, participating in a Twitter chat, or talking with other professionals about what they are learning.

Engage in professional organization networking

Throughout my career I’ve made it a point to be engaged with my professional organization – in my case PRSA. The dividends that involvement pays are absolutely enormous. Find the professional group that’s most active in your area and get engaged. Or, create your own network of people you share with. Set aside a regular time to get together and talk about business issues.

I don’t expect to be paid by clients for all the research I do to learn new tools but consider it a business investment. However, the fact that I work hard to stay on top of trends is a reason they seek my advice. That makes it an important part of my workweek.

As far as keeping the stress to myself, sometimes that’s harder than it I want it to be. But, I find focusing on slowing down and deep, slow breathing often do the trick. If I am heading to a client’s office, I purposely slow my pace before I get there, and walk slowly to the building/office.

How do you stay on top of trends and the “latest” widget? How do you keep from displaying your stress to clients or your boss?

In 1951, acclaimed journalist Edward R Murrow asked Americans to write essays about the guiding principles of their lives. The concept was revived in 2004 when a not-for-profit organization formed to invite Americans to share their core values. I became an active listener of “this I believe” essays on NPR in 2005. Each has touched me, and many have been “driveway moments.”

I’ve always thought I would write an essay. The other day, as I was thinking about the holiday season and what it means to me, the following kind of spilled out:

I believe in the humanity of man

I believe that we all have, in our heart of hearts, the overwhelming desire to do good

I believe in love

I believe in the power of love, the power of listening and of hearing

I believe in our desire to work together to make the world a better place, and to care for it for our children

I believe there is more than one way to do everything; that collaboration & compromise is the name of the game

I believe in God. I believe your god might be different from mine but yours is just as wonderful a guiding light as mine.

I believe it is my duty to help others.

It’s why I am supporting the Blue Key initiative to help the UN Refugee Agency help the 43 million people in need of food and shelter…basic necessities we take for granted.

For just $5 you can join me by purchasing a key to help these folks improve the lives of thousands.

It’s difficult for me, with a roof over my head and food on the table, to imagine a life without that. But, I am so incredibly thankful that the people in the UNHCR are there to help those in this situation.

Together we can make a difference. Together we can affect positive change. Together we can…do just about anything we want to do.

This I believe.

What do you believe?

Who are you helping this holiday season?

This phrase from Sir Walter Scott (Scottish author & novelist, 1771 – 1832) has been coming to mind a lot lately as we learn of communicators practicing in deceiving manners. It’s very frustrating for the thousands of professionals who practice with ethical standards and commitment. It doesn’t seem that hard to me to observe the tenets of the professional Code of Ethics.

The basic tenets that guide my personal life also guide my professional life. I wouldn’t have it any other way:

I pledge to conduct myself professionally, with truth, accuracy, fairness, and responsibility to the public; to improve my individual competence and advance the knowledge and proficiency of the profession through continuing research and education.

While the basic premise of the PRSA Code might seem fairly easy to understand and abide by, it seems some in the profession, and also many in the media, are hell-bent on showing what unethical professionals we are.

Take a few of the most recent examples. In each of these cases, professionalism, honesty, fairness and responsibility were overtaken by greed and ego. Additionally, once uncovered the perpetrators really didn’t seem to understand what they had done was wrong.

• Utah Mayor Mike Winder created a fake identity and provided his local newspaper with articles about his town…quoting the Mayor. He also used a guy’s photo found on Google Images as his alter ego.

He says he just used a different name to get the publicity his city deserved. But he had to lie to get it so did his city really win in this case? I don’t think so.

• LA-based Coglan Consulting Group created fake news sites for their clients so it looked like their clients were getting more news coverage. Gini Dietrich covered this quite well last week on SpinSucks as did PR pro Denis Wolcott when the story first broke in September.

In this case, I can’t really find a statement from either Coglan or their clients, namely the Central Basin Water District. So…no apology?  No commitment to make changes in how you do business? Unbelievable.

• Facebook hired Burson-Marsteller to smear Google in the press. Then, when exposed, the agency deleted Facebook posts on its page about the incident. Burson really didn’t do a great job of cleaning up the mess.

This one hit especially hard because Burson is one of the oldest and most respected agencies in the US. It was founded by Hal Burson, one of the fathers of modern public relations. The agency apologized (called lukewarm by many) and promised to make sure their employees understand more about the code of ethics.

• Reverb Communication wrote fake product reviews for their software customers about a year ago. The FTC cited them but many media put all PR pros in this bucket.

In this case, Reverb said there were no rules against what they did. I was reminded of my Mom who would regularly ask us…if he asked you to jump off a bridge would you do that too? The answer, of course, was a sheepish no.

What’s missing from each of these stories is someone to say – hey don’t do that. It’s wrong. But also, what were the leaders at each company, client, agency or organization saying? For that matter, where were all the employees involved? It’s hard to believe it got this far without someone raising a flag. But I think it takes some guts to raise the flag today, when jobs are tight. However, one still has to feel good about going to work.

We need to feel okay in our jobs when we question a decision, especially when it’s a question based on honesty, transparency and decency.

One that’s so far from what we were taught as children we know it’s wrong. And, as senior leaders, we need to provide an environment where that line of questioning is allowed and even supported. We need to listen respectfully and promise to change. In fact, we need to teach ethical practices, demonstrate what high standards are, and reward those who support the ethical practice of public relations.