Fagan, Fowler, Gallagher & Leicht: Notes

 
  June Fowler

    
  Susan Gallagher

  
Judy Jasper Leicht

• It didn't matter which of the panelists was speaking. The words of wisdom kept coming and coming for the entire length of the program.
  
  The annual meeting at which PRSA collaborates with the local chapters of IABC (the International Association of Business Communicators) and CSPRC (the Community Services Public Relations Council) featured a panel discussion designed to help make sure that public relations "gets a seat at the table" at your organization.
  
  More than 180 people (127 of whom were PRSA members/friends and 10 CSPRC members who registered through us) gathered at the Sheraton Clayton on Thursday, Jan. 27, for the presentation.

• The esteemed panelists included:
  * Beth Fagan - vice president of public affairs at Brown Shoe Company
  * June Fowler - vice president, corporate and public communication, BJC HealthCare
  * Susan Gallagher - director of corporate communications and public policy for AmerenUE
  * Judy Leicht - executive director of university communications, Washington University
  
• Moderator Jerry Bryan, APR, Fellow PRSA, began the afternoon by explaining that most public relations professionals are looking to help shape the messages that we will ultimately be expected to explain and justify and determine the best way to show that we should be a participant in forming policy because we have a unique perspective that adds value.
  
• And with not much more prodding than that, the following "Pearls of Wisdom" were shared:
  
  * Make sure that your company understands the value of the public relations function
  * The PR professional's job is to protect the company's reputation - make sure you work for a company with a reputation that will give you a reason to be sitting at the table.
  * Develop reasons why there should be a multi-disciplinary representation at the table - teams, task forces, all different resources. Leadership should recognize that communications needs to be part of the representation.
  * Anticipate those issues that could affect your company or your company's reputation - position yourself as a forward-thinking catalyst.
  * Don't buy into some perception that public relations is the "softer" side of business; public relations actually is the strategic side of business as it helps shape the perceptions of the audiences.
  * Continually communicate what you can with your team so that they can also proactively serve the organization's needs - getting to the table often requires a department-wide effort.
  * Make certain that you have developed allies within the organization that can "go to bat" for you - even the attorneys, who often seem to be interested in communicating from the opposite side of disclosure from public relations.
  * Advocate and show the value of media training for all executive leadership - especially if you are the one able to identify examples of poor media relations execution.
  * Develop a great relationship with the organization's top executive's assistant, so that you can ultimately request (and get) a large chunk of time on his/her calendar to describe how the media works and how different media are in need of different things.
  
  And if you are able to "get to the table" yet feel that you are not being taken seriously by executive leadership:
  
  * Give examples of successful counsel you have given
  * Discuss the importance of scenario planning and offer to lead a session
  * Give examples of poor judgment and what not to do - and why!
  * Rely primarily on your knowledge of issues and strategy

             _{Notes taken by Jeff Waldman, PRSA-St. Louis}