James Lukaszewski on Negative Language and PR

The following video interview with James E. Lukaszewski, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA was taken after a recent area Communications and Public Relations workshop. The day-long professional development opportunity was provided by the Texas School Public Relations Association.
(Note: apologies for the slight shakiness of the video. Lesson-learned: Use a tripod.)


Lukaszewski's workshop focused on three man areas:

1. Crisis-proofing your organization
2. Building Community Relationships
3. Being a Strategic Advisor

Image by hyku via FlickrThis was the second time for me to hear Lukaszewski and he didn't disappoint. Here's the PR gold that was mined from his presentations:

• We need to change the language we use; Readiness vs. Crisis Management
• Readiness means being ready for adverse things.
• Old-fashioned definition of PR - Do good; take credit
• New definition of PR - Do good and let it speak for itself
• Strategic Communicators need to ask/answer, "What do we contribute to the mix?"
• Candor in a crisis - "If you want to be trusted, get the truth out there."
• Truth = Absence of fear
• In a crisis, communications becomes an operating function
• Crises happen explosively but are resolved incrementally

On Victims and Critics during a PR crisis (and other challenging times):

• Victimization is a totally irrational and voluntary state; it is self-maintaining and self-terminating
• Victims use language like betrayed, loneliness, personal/personnel failure, grief, why me/us, why now, etc.
• Victims require validation, visibility, vindication, and apology (This is part of why our media friends like to talk to the victims)
• The strategy for negotiations need to start with what is possible instead of what organization is not going to do.
• "Create as few critics everyday."
• Keep your base supporters and avoid making new angry people.
• Silence is a toxic strategy
• You must manage the victims dimension 
• Don't forget the obvious - Stop the activity that is creating more victims
• The art of crisis management is to know what the mistakes are going to be
• "When there's a crisis that needs management, management is in crisis."
• Take in big picture without taking it personal; go to 50,000 feet and stay at 50,000 feet

This is just some of the great material Lukaszewski shared along with some fantastic information on strategically advising leadership during a crisis. He gave valuable tactics on providing operational advice and how to provide the next useful thing to management.

As a communications professional, if you ever have the opportunity to hear from Lukaszewski at a conference or other speaking engagement, I would highly recommend carving out some time and sharpen your skills.

Peaks and valleys lead to what's next (or 2009 can suck it)

Image by ccferg via Flickr

One line has been stated, repeated, tweeted, retweeted and for some, even provides some relief: "2009 can suck it."

I don't consider myself to be mean-spirited or anything like that. My family just had a very difficult year. I won't bore you with the details, all I will say is peaks and valleys. Peaks and valleys.

No complaining about the past. We should always learn from the past upon going through life's (and work's) peaks and valleys and decide to move forward.

That's why I like some of the social media, communications and public relations predictions and dream posts for 2010. I think taking time to reflect on where we've been in the communications industry and look forward to organizational, collective and individual potential in the coming year is inspired.

So what's next? 
I will leave the predictions for others who have down such a good job of taking their best shots at 2010. As for me, I have some plans:

• APR - it's time to re-focus on getting accredited in public relations
• PRactice, PRactice, PRactice - I love soaking in great knowledge, lessons, and ideas from books, blogs, and presentations. In 2010 I want to put even more key points into play at work and in my professional life. (Most recent book is a must-read: The New Rules of Marketing and PR.)
  
• (Re)Learn conversational Spanish - I will be on a short-term mission trip to Spain in March for my church and I really need to get my act together on brushing up on the language. This is totally a personal thing and has been on my short-term goals list for quite some time.
  
• Seek Speaking Opportunities - I have really enjoyed the opportunities I've had to speak to professional organizations and other groups. I plan on continuing the trend and offering up such services. (I think I'm officially over my fear of public speaking.)
  
• Clean up Social Media Garbage - It's time to go back and shut down accounts for those random social media tools left unattended. You know the ones I'm talking about. Tools that popped up and folks flocked to try them out but then left them swaying in the constant breeze of the Internet.
  

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I know there will be more for me to add to the list next year. For now, this will be a place for me to start. What about you? What's next for you in 2010? The comments are yours.

Oh and before I forget, Cheers and Merry New Year from Next Communications.

PR Roles: Be a Strategic Adviser

I wasn't able to attend this year's PRSA International Conference. From what I gathered through presentation reviews, live-tweets, conversations, blog posts and back-channels, it seems to have been a worthwhile conference (aside from the big complaint of no wifi in the hotel and the delegate issues related to organizational governance. But that's for another time.)

One particular session caught my eye today was posted on the PRSA ComPRehension blog entitled “Developing a Strategic Mindset: How to Become a Trusted, Strategic Adviser” presented by PR thought-leader James Lukaszewski.

This is excellent information from Al Kruger and I recommend reading the full post if you're a PR practitioner who seeks wisdom on how to becoming a trusted strategic adviser for your organization. Here's an excerpt:

The Top Things That Leaders Are Looking for in Strategic Counselors

1. Advice on the spot — Management is a real-time activity. It happens now, so leaving a meeting and offering recommendations later in the day isn’t valuable to them.
2. Say things that matter from the boss’s perspective … not your perspective — Put yourself in your boss’s shoes. When you offer advice and talk in meetings, you have to ask yourself — Is this really important? Is this what we’re here to talk about? 
3. Provide focus — In meetings you may need to pull leaders back and get them centered on what’s important and relevant in the problem/issue you are discussing right now.
4. Leaders want help with things they don’t already know — Pointing out the obvious isn’t valuable. What can you bring to the table that is lacking?
5. They want options to consider — If you only offer one option they will likely question it to death, so give them other ideas that can work.
6. Bosses want help with what to do next — They already know what has happened. Give them ideas on what the company should do and offer insight about what will happen because of it.

This review post by Al Krueger is well worth the read and bookmark. Kruger also touches on a way to break down discussions into their most important parts for efficiency and so you can offer appropriate PR counsel.

What other things are looked for by leadership in strategic counselors? The comments are yours.

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