Either way, while perception monitoring effort is proceeding, all questioners must stay alert to misconceptions about your unit, as well as inaccuracies, exaggerations, rumors or false assumptions. And keep an eye out for evasive and hesitant responses to your queries.

Once all answers are in-hand, you’re ready to establish your public relations goal, thus fixing what needs correcting most. And that may well be to clear up a potentially damaging misconception, shoot down a hurtful rumor, or clarify that misleading exaggeration.

Now, how do you reach that new goal? The right strategy is what you need and that means one of these: create perception where there may be none at all, change that offensive opinion/perception, or reinforce an existing perception. But make sure strategy you pick fits naturally with your PR goal.

You still need a message that will correct/alter negative perception turned up during your monitoring activity among members of your target audience. It must be a compelling message, one that is completely believable and one that explains why offending perception is either untrue or unfair. The message must be clearly presented because you want to alter what people believe in a way that leads to target audience behaviors you need to achieve your unit objectives.

Fortunately, delivering message to those who need to hear it and read it is a simple matter. You have a real variety of communications tactics to help you from speeches, luncheon presentations, media interviews and emails to newsletters, facility tours, brochures and electronic magazines. Just be certain tactics you use have a good record of reaching people similar to those who make up your target audience. So as not to call too much attention to original misperception, your PR team may wish to deliver corrective message as part of various presentations to target audience members rather than risk a high profile, news release transmission.

Now, to demonstrate program progress, you and your team must once again monitor perceptions among your target audience watching carefully for indications that your message and tactics have moved those perceptions towards your views.

Of course, to speed up process, you can always add new communications tactics to mix and increase their frequencies.

Finally, at this point you should be reassured that your new public relations effort has (1) persuaded your most important outside audiences to your way of thinking, (2) moved them to take actions leading to your success, thus (3) helping achieve your department, division or subsidiary 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

Operations

7.Are individuals encouraged to increase competency and enhance their skill set to better serve socially responsible organization? An organization’s people are one of its greatest assets. Each staff member has potential to take ordinary and make it extraordinary. From front line to top management, organization’s people must be encouraged to participate directly in strategic thinking and progressing agenda. Staff should be encouraged and rewarded for pursuing professional development opportunities that make them more valuable and versatile.

8.What considerations were incorporated into organization’s facilities to stimulate creativity? The work environment contributes positively or negatively to productivity and creativity. The organization’s people spend majority of their waking hours in workplace. There is a tremendous opportunity to use this time to stimulate creative process and establish an environment that fosters harmonious interactions. From color schemes, to ergonomic furniture, or use of advanced technology, organization’s facilities should be given appropriate consideration.

9.How has technology been employed to bring organization closer to its customers, suppliers, and internal resources? The world wide web has reduced our farthest neighbor to “boy next door”. We have ability to provide our customers, suppliers and internal concerns with access to information and a convenient method of communication that 10 years ago would not have been imagined. Customers and suppliers are literally a click away. By using technology wisely, we can provide them with information they need to help us serve them better or vice versa.

Global Impact

10.Has organization studied and demonstrated that it understands how it contributes to global marketplace? Every organization contributes to global marketplace in some way. There is a chain of influence that needs to be understood to fully embrace importance of incorporating social responsibility initiatives into an organization’s mission. You can begin by tracing your product or service as it moves through its life cycle. As you begin to recognize how even a small change can accumulate and make a global difference, you will be inspired to take an intentional first step towards social responsibility. The Top 10 Questions for Socially Responsible Leaders have been excerpted from a FREE Report “40 Questions for Socially Responsible Leaders” available at http://www.WholisticBusiness.com. At Wholistic Business, we believe that business literally makes world go around. It will be business owners and managers that will ultimately change world for better. By incorporating a new set of values and priorities into what has proven to be a successful formula on many levels, we believe that business will be platform for a new agenda - Social Responsibility Agenda.

Regardless of size of your business, you make a contribution to global marketplace that impacts humanity with a rippling effect. As an organization’s leader, you choose whether that ripple will be felt positively or negatively. Even a small movement or change in a socially responsible direction can have a dramatic effect. Every day produces a new opportunity for change!

Wholistic Business (http://www.WholisticBusiness.com), a division of MetaComm International, LLC, is committed to assisting organizations in developing socially responsible business practices with a keen eye on productivity and profitability. Gala Gorman, MetaComm’s CEO, holds a Master’s Degree in Human Development, is a certified public accountant, certified financial planner, published author, executive coach and business consultant with 25 years of experience.