Many executives have taken their PR careers to the next level by honing a special skill, while others credit a mentoring relationship. Still others think their performance on a
specific project helped them to stand out. Whatever the case, each of these individuals had no one clear path to the pinnacle of PR.
"There isn't any one road that will guarantee success," says Bill Heyman, president-CEO of executive search firm Heyman Associates, which specializes in PR and communications.
"Rather, each successful communicator has found and developed his or her own path."
Taking the road less traveled could be the overriding theme of a recent study, commissioned by Heyman Associates
examining the "critical patterns" of PR success. The three-
month study, conducted in concert with the University of Alabama's advertising and PR graduate program, involved telephone interviews with 97 senior PR execs at U.S. companies, PR
agencies, nonprofit organizations and universities, each having an average of 23 years experience in the communications business.
Respondents defined success in more than 90 ways. The top spots belong to the ability of being a trusted adviser, gaining personal financial rewards and growing the
organization. About 11% said they were simply in the "right place at the right time." Skill sets? Take your pick. About 18% said experience made the difference, while 16% said
their analytic skills carried the day, and 16% cited leadership abilities. But, 15% said it was their "curiosity" that gave them a boost.
Experience counts, of course, but it is not just a question of years logged behind a desk. Rather, it is the breadth of one's experience that makes a difference. Asked to give
advice to burgeoning PR professionals, 43% of respondents urged newcomers to "obtain strong professional skills" while 22% said younger people would benefit by gaining "broad,
diverse experience."
While time served may count toward advancement, "what the executives suggest counted more was a diversity of experiences," said Bruce Berger, chairman of the Department of
Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Alabama.
"If you want to get to the top and to really be a leader, you need to do lots of different things and work in every part of the company," he added. "It is those diverse
experiences that build your knowledge and your connections with people."
Despite the automation of the workplace, however, the human touch still counts for a great deal. Almost 30% of respondents said communications skills had driven their success,
while 22% cited "relationships and networking" and 18% referred to interpersonal skills as a crucial factor.
Nearly half of the executives said the most valuable source of influence is their relationships with senior executives, peers and subordinates. "While building external
relationships is important, it also is critical to nurture relationships inside the organization," Heyman said.
Berger was more blunt: "The most important finding was that relationships may give you more power as a professional, beyond your actual title or reporting level," he said. "If
you are a director of PR and you have a solid relationship with the CEO, that may be worth more than your boss -- the executive director of PR -- who does not have such a good
relationship with the CEO."
Want to succeed in PR? Do your job well. It may sound corny, but respondents offered up a pile of metrics to prove it. About 12% said passion for their work had given them a
leg up, while nearly 10% said the willingness to seize an opportunity had marked a turning point. Almost one quarter said they look for employees who are positive self-starters,
and 12% said they would advise newcomers to "work hard."
Likewise, the big career hurdles all relate directly to performance. Lack of focus, lack of motivation and "general incompetence" (each at 13%) are some of the main reasons why
PR careers sputter. "Whatever you are doing, do it as well as you can, because good performance really does lead to increased opportunities," Berger said.
How to know if you are doing well? It is largely in the eye of the beholder. Respondents defined success through column inches, public opinion polls and how well their events
are attended. "They threw out every type of measure you can think of," Berger said. He urges the PR field to work toward establishing some common measures of career achievement.
"If we can't agree as a profession on what constitutes success, how can we expect others to do that?" he asked.
PR execs in the trenches say the survey reflects the reality. Take Victoria Welch, executive director of PR at International Cruise & Excursions (ICE) in Phoenix. She
agrees with the researchers' finding that breadth of experience is a key to success. "I've written radio commercials, earnings reports, speeches, thousands of press releases," she
said. "The key for me has been the ability to bounce back and forth between different industries. I have worked with NASCAR, an investment firm, and now with a leisure industry
firm. You have to adjust to whatever the company is and the atmosphere that it gives off."
Others say this research points the way toward needed improvements in the profession. Maria Russell is PRSA treasurer and a professor of PR at Syracuse University's Newhouse
School of Public Communications. While diverse experience is a good thing, she says, it also can create fissures that make it difficult for professionals to share their wisdom.
"Because we don't come from a single background in this profession, you don't have a common foundation of education," she said. She'd like to see a greater push toward formal
education throughout the field, not just as an avenue toward professional advancement but also as a means of strengthening the entire PR profession.
Contacts: Bruce K. Berger, 205.348.6010, [email protected]; Bill Heyman, 212.784.2717, [email protected]; Maria Russell, 315.443.4066, [email protected]; Victoria Welch,
602.308.1988, [email protected]
Climbing the [PR] ladder
| Factors Contributing to PR Success: | |
|---|---|
| % Sample | |
| Communication skills |
28.9
|
| Proactive nature |
25.8
|
| Relationships and networking |
22.7
|
| Interpersonal skills |
8.6
|
| Professional experience |
18.6
|
| Analytical skills |
16.5
|
| Leadership skills |
16.5
|
| Curiosity |
15.5
|
| Passion for work |
12.4
|
| Business knowledge |
11.3
|
| Strong ethics and values |
9.3
|
| Persuasive ability |
8.3
|
| Stumbling Blocks in PR Careers: | |
|---|---|
| % Sample | |
| Poor interpersonal skills |
19.6
|
| Lack of focus |
18.6
|
| Inflated ego |
15.5
|
| Lack of motivation |
13.4
|
| Poor project management skills |
13.4
|
| General incompetence |
13.4
|
| Poor leadership skills |
12.4
|
| Lack understanding of job, organization |
11.3
|
| Poor technical skills |
10.3
|
| Lack of organizational support |
8.2
|
| Inflexible |
7.2
|
| Lack of integrity |
7.2
|
| Limitations on PR Practice and Influence: | |
|---|---|
| % Sample | |
| View of PR role, value by other execs |
45
|
| Limited financial, people resources |
20
|
| Limited power; not member of inner circle |
18
|
| Lack of measures for PR |
9
|
| Low-level reporting position |
9
|
Source for all tables: Heyman Associates/University of Alabama
*Answers may exceed 100% because PR execs answered questions with more than one response