Anniversaries. They cause one to pause and reflect. That’s as true for an individual as it is for an organization. The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. It is doing so with a great deal of reflection on a profession that’s changing in the blink of an eye, yet remaining steadfast to a skillset that is deep-rooted in strategic insight.
It is the communications leader who brings all facets of an organization together: The messaging, the culture, the conscience and the vision. This is how today’s PR pro is influencing business and why, perhaps more than ever, communicators play a dynamic role.
The profession is truly at the strongest point for leadership in its history. Communications professionals provide strategic counsel to build trust, tell stories and engage the marketplace. Thanks to PRSA’s founders for establishing guidelines for ethical behavior, formulate communications standards and create a network for professional growth.
As national chair, I have visited communications professionals in cities of all sizes with businesses as varied as the people themselves. But, within all that diversity, I have found many of the same challenges our founders sought to overcome are still being faced today. The tools, the channels and methods of how we communicate have changed dramatically, but the need for strong counsel, writing and an understanding of business remain essential.
A New Disorder?
In the 1940s the U.S. was facing turbulent economic times after the Great Depression and WWII. In the 1960s the country was dealing with social issues, civil rights campaigns and the Vietnam War. There was a real need for communicators to convey news and help restore confidence. A landscape in disorder, sound familiar?
Fast forward to 2017 and we can draw parallels to those earlier times in the geopolitical and economic realms and in the challenges our predecessors encountered. We face an epidemic of misinformation, political upheaval, mistrust of the media and businesses, societal and economic instability, which can breed apathy, disruption and disillusionment.
These are among the reasons that honest, accurate and consistent communication have remained the cornerstone of our discipline and provide us with a unique opportunity to increase our sphere of influence.
Do Skills Change With The Times?
In 1951, a report of The National Research Committee of the Public Relations Society of America said that companies felt trusted public relations advisors with solid writing skills were highly desirable.
In the report, companies were asked, “What especially do you look for in an applicant for public relations work?” Apart from the most crucial skill requirement of “news experience or training,” the following traits ranked the highest: Intelligence and good judgment (28%), an ability to get along with people (28%) and writing ability (25%).
66 years later, the 2017 USC Annenberg Global Communications Study found communicators felt the most important skills for future growth of public relations and communications practitioners were the same as in the 1951 PRSA study: Strategic planning (89%), followed by written communications (86%) [see table, above].
Of course, the introduction of digital communications had influenced the list, with new skills like social media (84%), multimedia content development (82%) and analytics (75%) rounding out the top 5 skills that will be in demand in the future. The takeaway for incoming PR pros and those already in the profession seem obvious.
New technology, big data and multimedia content prompted the requirements for measurement to move beyond counting wins and losses to utilizing data to drive decision-making. Thus, communicators have become more agile and analytical allowing them to step into C-suite leadership positions.
A communications leadership role requires additional competencies. FMI Consulting’s leadership research identifies eight traits of agile leaders in its Peak Leader Model to include: thinking strategically; setting direction; motivating and inspiring; aligning resources; execution and follow through. These are the same core attributes of today’s communications professional.
Not only does PR continue to play a leadership role, in today’s business environment it is now more important than ever. In this rapidly changing climate, our members and practitioners have stood the test of time and continue to adapt to the demands of this fast-paced, engaging profession. It’ll be interesting to see what the next 70 years bring.
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