Bulletin No. 2 | March – April 2001

COMMUNICATIONS

Why communication is important?

• All business  functions require communications. That is why communications skill are highly valued by organizations. Check these functions, how often you practice them :
  
• Instructing – directing – informing – reporting – disseminating – information – exchanging opinion – generating enthusiasm – resolving conflicts – analyzing situations and problems – motivating – negotiating – selling – refusing – evaluating – persuading – agreeing – granting – requests – congratulating – proposing – transmitting documents – maintaining business relationship
  
• Is your communication effective?
  Does it have a positive impact? Do you know that <10% of the impact comes from words we say and >90% of the impact is determined by non verbal communication (facial expression, eye contact, gestures, leg movement, body posture, special distance, clothes, general appearance, tone of voice)

• Effective communicator needs to be congruent : your body language and tone of voice

For example – if you want to come across as confident or assertive, then you must look and sound it as well as saying the right words, if you want people to believe you.

Observe the characteristics of high performing organizations

• Communications professionals in high-performing organizations play a strategic role
• High performing organizations do a better job of explaining change
• High performing organizations focus on communicating with and educating their employees
• High performing organizations channels for upward communication and listen to what employees say

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PUBLIC RELATIONS

Do you really want to know the Career Path
in public relations and the scope of responsibility?

• Entry-level technician
  • Performs tasks assigned by others
  • Technical & Craft skill needed
    
    Writer – Artist – Desktop Publisher – Photographer – Video Technician – Assistant Editor – Research Assistant – Special Event Assistant

• Technician 2
  • Gathers and disseminates information
  • Responsible for small functions
    Public Affairs Specialist – Public Informations Specialist – Publications Editor – Special Event Coordinator – Account Executive

• Supervisor 1
  • Manages processes, projects and functional units
  • Plans, budgets, schedules, organizes and leads
    Public Relations Supervisor – Public Information Coordinator – Public Affairs Supervisor – Media Relations Supervisor – Senior Editor

• Supervisor 2
  • Supervises organizational units
  • Planning, budgeting, scheduling, organizing, leading, controlling, problem solving
    Public Relations Supervisor – Public Information Supervisor – Public Relations Affairs Supervisor – Media Relations Supervisor – Investor Relations Supervisor

• Manager
  • Responsible for departmental operations and for constituency and issue trend analysis
  • Planning, organizing, leading, controlling, evaluating, problem solving
    Internal Communications Manager – Investor Relations Manager – Marketing Communications Manager – Community Relations Manager

• Director
  • Responsible for departmental level communication and operational planning
  • Constituency and issue trend analysis
  • Planning , organizing, leading, controlling, evaluating, problem solving
    Public Relations Director – Public Affair Director – Corporate Relations Director – V.P Public Relations – V.P Corporate Relations – V.P Public Affairs

(Source : Brett St. Clair, APR, Public Relations World Congress 2000)

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CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Do you want to get a raise?

• Just answer honestly the following questions?
  1. Do you deserve a raise?
  2. Can the organization afford to give you a raise?
  3. Are you willing to ask for a raise?
  4. Are you prepared to go somewhere if you don’t get one?

• Who controls your raise?  YOU.
  1. Know what you are worth : Skills, experience, years of service, level organization type and size, competition
  2. Assess your job performance : what’s your contribution to the success of the organization? What problems do you solve? What initiative do you take? How do you make your supervisor’s life easier?
  3. Evaluate your employer’s economic health : Do you think they can afford it?
  4. Determine how much to ask for : How much you are worth and What you are paid now. Be realistic. Consider your whole ‘package’
  5. Build your case : Keep an Accomplishment file. Develop a portfolio. Prepare for your annual evaluation. Write a memo outlining your case
  6. Have a plan for ‘No’. Don’t deliver any ultimatums you aren’t prepared to back up. Never ‘drop’ before you ‘add’
  7. Timing is everything

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