If I were the boss

Public Relations is one of the most underestimated professions in the world.  If it is us not being perceived as “PR Poppies” then our work is not measurable because “it is really not rocket science.” Our role is seen as a role within a marketing, human resource, advertising or events co-coordinating function. Yes, Public Relations is a skill – but all skills need to be nurtured and applied to a specific activity or organisation.

This takes time and much research. It cannot be done by one person at all. Ask yourself why organisations outsource the PR function to external agencies? Well, the answer mainly because there is seldom a Public Relations/ Communications department or rather, there is but all that this department does is; internal communications, CSI and put in place spokespeople to comment on crisis regarding the company that should arise.

The above mentioned are just a small portions of what public relations is about. Public Relations include media liaison, drafting press releases that are strategically aligned to the objectives of the company. It is about making people aware of a service/ product that your organisation offers. PR is about stakeholder relations, corporate affairs and international relations and taking them into consideration when making public relations based decisions. It requires research about the environment in which the company operates in i.e. 3P’s.

In order for all thee to be taken into account – someone who is familiar with these factors is needed to show direction. As you may/ may not know – PR needs some kind of a budget to make all of the above possible.

If I were the boss then, I’d recruit people from the various PR agencies who have these expertise’s and create a Public Relations/ Communications department –which is separate to the marketing, human resource, advertising and events department. This will allow my organisation to cut costs of outsourcing a role that can be brought into the organisations and also establishing the PR profession within corporates.

Let's Grow Up

My mother used to tell me a story about two sisters who loved each other dearly, but the story ended in tragedy. One sister stole the other’s radio. The owner of the radio went to a sangoma to put a curse on the “thief” – not realizing that it is her own precious sister. When her sister fell ill, the curse could not be reversed and she died.

Of course this created a great split between the two families – the one side believing that their sister was murdered and the other thinking that a thief got her just reward. The feuding continues to this day and nothing remains of the sisters’ once inseparable closeness.

For me it drove home the point that vengeful or intentionally harmful actions can escalate into a life-and-death situation. Each time I had to make a decision or take action, I would literally think. “What if someone I love dies?” I have clearly always been a drama queen! Despite my melodramatics, I definitely learned the lesson of consequences.

For every action there is a reaction, whether it is in science or everyday life.  Part of being an adult is taking responsibility for our actions and dealing with the consequences - even when it was unintentional or by accident. Unfortunately, many times instead of facing up to the consequences our actions, we pass the buck and look for someone else to take the blame.

When matric results are disappointing, the teachers who lack a culture for teaching blame the pupils, while the pupils who lack a culture of learning, blame the teachers. Everyone is forever trying to shift the blame, rather than putting their heads together and coming up with a joint solution to a problem that has been jointly created.

Many people believe that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) achieved nothing. Many because people had to be forced by the TRC to face up to the consequence of their actions as they continued to deny any wrongdoing. Admitting to mistakes and apologizing for it, is a much more endearing characteristic than obstinate denials. 

Owning up to your mistakes in seldom pleasant, but it’s part of the growing up process. When we grow up, let us show our children that they can say, “I broke the cookie jar, I stole the sugar, I lied and stayed out all night with my friends drinking, I did not study, I cheated on my boyfriend. I am sorry; I take full responsibility for the consequences of my actions.” Let’s grow up.