Driver of Change.

To be a driver of change is apparently not so very highly rated amongst employees. Perhaps this is because change can often be uncomfortable. This is a quality that top management of company will probably value much higher than majority of staff.

Charismatic.

This was ranked lower still, but I suggest that this is not something that exists in isolation anyway. You either have charisma (or you don’t) because of your other qualities. It doesn’t exist on its own.

Entrepreneurial and Risk Taker.

These two were ranked lower than all those previously listed and at a similar level. Is this perhaps a reflection on fact that it was employees who were asked rather than captains of industry? By nature of things majority of employees do not have these qualities themselves in large doses, and so they probably don’t want their leaders to take a lot of risks affecting them either. In uncertain times employees put a high value on stability and security.

So what can be learnt from this survey?

If you want to stand out as a leader in business you must persuade others to follow. That much is obvious. But to get them to follow you have to take account of what they think themselves. You cannot ignore it. So you need to be an amalgam of what is popular with what is less popular but necessary all same.

With that in mind, I draw following conclusions from above survey ...

1. You must be, and show yourself to be, honest in all that you do and say. 2. You must have a precise and steadfast view of where you want yourself and your company to go and you must be able to communicate it clearly and unambiguously. 3. You must take decisions quickly and decisively, and having taken them you must stick firmly to them. 4. You must consider at all times well being of your staff.

It doesn’t sound too difficult. Now is your chance to take lead.

Reaching your public relations goal, however, requires a strategy that shows you HOW to get there. You may be surprised that you have only three to choose from in these matters of opinion and perception: create opinion where none exists, change existing perception, or reinforce it. But always make sure that strategy you choose is an obvious fit with your new public relations goal.

Good writing is always a prize, and always worth effort. Especially for you as you reposition your public relations effort to influence behaviors of your most important outside audiences.

Your message is charged with changing perception of people who make up that target audience, and that’s no easy job. It must be clear about errant perception and why it is untrue, and thus unfair. It must be both persuasive and compelling if it is to be believable. So take time to run a draft by a few colleagues so that it winds up making your point in most convincing manner.

Like a bullet, your message must be fired directly at members of your target audience using a delivery system made up of communications tactics. Fortunately, they are in good supply and include “weapons” like speeches, newsletters, special events, newsletters, newspaper and radio interviews, brochures, news announcements and many others. By way, for this very sensitive, corrective message, you may wish to build it into other announcements or presentations rather than using a high-profile news release.

Before questions are asked about program’s progress, you and public relations team assigned to your unit must return to field and resume questioning members of your target audience. While using questions similar to those used in your earlier monitoring session, you’re now looking for indications that communications tactics have worked. In other words, signs that negative perception, and thus behaviors, are being altered in your direction.

You always have option of increasing pace of program by adding new communications tactics to mix, as well as increasing their frequencies.

Whether you call it fundamental premise of public relations, or simply “best practice PR,” it lays out a workable pathway to achieving many unit manager’s operating objectives.

end

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net Visit:http://www.prcommentary.com