Earlier this month, I had an opportunity to spend time with a group of students in Baylor University’s Public Relations Agency course.  As an elective for juniors and seniors in the Journalism, Public Relations & New Media department, the class focuses on both the creative and administrative work that occurs in an agency setting.

During our time together, teams of aspiring public relations consultants shared their experiences with what is best termed their “Meet the Client” session.  One team was particularly challenged by their client and assignment.

I listened as members of the group described their business to business PR assignment with a Waco-based organization.  With a mixture of responsible concern and uncertainty, characteristic of soon-to-be new professionals entering the world of business public relations, I heard two distinct observations from the team:

“The client knows what they want as an end product – a website – but doesn’t know what the actual site will focus on or say.”

“When we went to our first meeting, our client left us with tons of information.”

After providing encouragement about the process, we talked about what the group had taken away from the meeting, literally and figuratively:

• That the deep supply of background information provided them with both the raw materials and the license to draft some initial straw poll content
• That the straw poll content likely would serve as a means of moving the process forward, with a likely result of either confirming a direction for the website or additional guidance toward the ultimate direction of the project

As they described their experience, I realized that they hadn’t yet learned one of the core competencies of public relations advisors – using an expertise in forensic communications to shape public relations strategies and tactics.

When facing a communications opportunity or challenge, business leaders generally know what they want to accomplish for their organization or broader industry.  Where they often have uncertainty – and why they engage a public, media and community relations professional or team – is in their need to secure the how.

Fact is, the students were concerned about something that experienced professionals experience regularly.  We often serve as the sketch pad on which leaders create and formalize their organizational persona.

Moving from the conceptual to the concrete in creating, enhancing and sustaining public perception requires a skilled, experienced and trusted advisor who also can function as a positioning and messaging sherpa.

This is a great lesson for these students, and a great reminder for others engaged in shaping the direction of our nation’s institutions, big and small.

Clean TEAM recognizes and awards FINA/7-Eleven stores for clean and attractive facilities, as well as top-quality customer service. This program goes the extra mile in recognizing the hard work and persistence it takes to make a store customer-ready.

On Thursday, Feb. 2, a group of Alon Brands employees and FINA/7-Eleven store managers and employees gathered across the street from store #51703 on Menaul Blvd. in Albuquerque to honor winning store manager Christina Lopez. Joined by Trudy Jones of the Albuquerque City Council and Joy Davis of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, company leaders recognized and spoke about the importance of well-run and well-stocked convenience stores to the community.

At the end of the event, Christina received the keys to a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. This presentation is, in itself, a form of engagement. The award sets the standard for other FINA/7-Eleven stores to strive toward, as well as reinforces the engagement demonstrated by Christina and her teammates.

Going beyond the Clean TEAM event, Alon Brands sponsored a Customer Appreciation Week at all the company’s stores in Albuquerque during the week of the Clean TEAM event, providing customers with discounts and giveaways. This is another form of customer engagement, a key element to creating brand relationships.

- – -

Whether you’re a store manager organizing your employee’s daily assignments or a store employee making sure the store is ready to deliver an over-the-top customer experience, engagement connects everyone together.

Food for thought, from the public relations perspective: The realm of public relations works the same way: employees, professionals and clients are all connected through engagement. Without the buzz word “engagement” in the public relations profession’s vocabulary, our job would cease to exist.

1. Enlisted military soldier

2. Firefighter

3. Airline pilot

4. Military general

5. Police officer

6. Event coordinator

7. Public relations executive

8. Corporate executive (CEO)

9. Photojournalist

10. Taxi driver

Looking at this list, I refuse to view the public relations profession as a truly high-stress calling.

Chalk this up as another case of making a mountain out of a molehill.

Throughout a career that’s spanned more than 30 years, it seems that the public relations profession as a whole – if it’s even possible to apply such a sweeping label — has been good at creating causes. Early in my career, it was “PR for PR”, probably best referred to as “The Shoemaker’s Kids Syndrome.” As time progressed, the campaign shifted to “getting a seat at the executive table.”

Today, it’s about how our work is going to shorten our longevity and unduly deprive professional communicators of an ultimate quality of life, however that might be defined.

Aside from our professional cousins – the “event coordinators” who actually reduced our stress-out factor a bit by taking the number six slot – I feel a bit like a guy wearing wing-tips to a reunion of the Village People. Soldiers, public safety personnel and pilots all make sense to me, as well as taxi drivers… though, by extension, that should include those who ride with taxi drivers.

Prior to visible events, such as the murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl while on assignment in the Middle East, I might have questioned photojournalist, but no more.

But, public relations professionals?

We do not cure cancer. We don’t routinely rescue babies from burning buildings. We do not make decisions in an operating room at 3 a.m. Our job is to support those who make these sorts of decisions… and thousands of less significant ones… every day.

I believe that most of us prepare for our career with solid textbook teaching, and then build on this core with strong life-lesson ‘continuing education’. We are called upon to take actions that have real implications for our employers or, in the case of LPR, clients. For example:

 Yesterday, we announced a change in media relations practices on behalf of one of our clients — a decision aimed at improving their business by reducing noise and focusing on what’s important in their business.

 For another client, I helped revise messaging on a major policy change that previously had not been well received by the company’s most important audience.

 “Off the clock,” I recently tag-teamed with my public relations professional/daughter in helping very close family friends manage communications in the murder of their daughter, a case that continues to be under investigation by authorities.

In each case, our job was to make things better. It’s what we’re paid to do.

A word to the students who read the article in either extreme horror as to their career choice or thinking they had just signed up to be a modern day mercenary. Our job is to work our way up into the role of trusted advisor to one or more organizations, where we take steps every day to manage and mitigate the issues that otherwise put us in front of a global microphone at times of challenge or disaster. While prudence says we should prepare as if an organization’s very existence depends on us, practice says we should surround and be surrounded by colleagues in a wide range of disciplines and areas of subject matter expertise.

Dismissing the silliness of ranking our jobs at the same stress level as others on this list, the one aspect of the article I appreciate is the opportunity to thank those who truly risk their lives for the safety of us all. They deserve all the appreciation for a well-earned label of stressful career.

Richardson Real Heroes Program Seeking Selfless Residents
Call for entries honoring silent generosity in the City open now through February 12th

RICHARDSON, Texas (January 4, 2012) – With the start of the New Year, a group of Richardson volunteers has begun the process of soliciting nominations for the third annual Richardson Real Heroes Award.

The Real Heroes Award was created  in 2010 to draw attention to individuals who give of their time and talents for the betterment of the Richardson community.

According to Chelsea Schmidt, 2012 Richardson Real Heroes chair, the selection process for this year’s group of finalists and the ultimate Real Hero starts with the all-important nomination.

“From the first two years of the program, we’ve learned that the most critical – and, yet, most challenging – aspect of the program is surfacing nominees,” said Schmidt, a paramedic currently attending nursing school who personally has served in a number of volunteer capacities.  “The committee knows that thousands of people throughout the City of Richardson are making a difference in seemingly countless ways, but the humility that frequently accompanies these volunteers makes it challenging to get their nomination.  That’s why we’re working to encourage anyone in Richardson who is aware of someone who are silently generous with their time and talents to go online and make a nomination.”

Criteria for selection of the 2012 Richardson Real Hero include a review of information provided in each nomination, initial assessment of all nominees by the selection committee, an individual interview between each selected finalist and a member of the selection committee, and popular votes garnered online.

In 2010, a group of ten finalists were interviewed by the inaugural Award committee, from which two award winners – Courtney Scott and George Jones – were named.  Last year, six finalists were chosen, with Lisa Rees selected from among them for the 2011 award.  All selected Real Heroes and each year’s finalists have been recognized for their contributions at receptions held annually at the Richardson Civic Center.

This year, nominees must again represent one of two different categories for entrants:
•    Richardson residents who provide unpaid service in an exemplary manner inside or outside of the City
•    Non-residents who volunteer their time and talents to benefit Richardson community members

Additionally, candidates should not have received prior recognition for their efforts in the recent past.  Public sector employees are eligible only if the qualifying activity occurs on personal or unpaid time.  Past and present elected officials cannot be recognized for any activity.

Volunteers can nominate themselves or be nominated by another member of the community.  According to Schmidt, the selection committee invites both self-nominations and nominations submitted by another member of the community.

Nominations are now being accepted online at www.richardsonrealhero.org, with the process open through Sunday, February 12.  Public voting on the nominees will begin on Friday, March 2 and will close at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, April 6.  Finalists and the winners will be announced at a special reception to be held in Richardson on April 19.

For more information or to nominate a candidate for the Real Heroes program, visit www.richardsonrealhero.org.

# # #

I remember when my family used to gather around the dining room table on New Years Eve, and my mom would pass us each a piece of paper and a pen. I also remember writing down items like “keep my room clean, make more time for health and exercise and keep my grades up.”

As much as I’m a relative newcomer to the business world, I think the organizations of all sizes could benefit from gathering this sort of basic ‘resolutions’ view of their world from team members at all levels as part of planning for the new year. Businesses are collectively about increasing revenue and expanding client bases, but individuals oftentimes ignore or don’t think about how they could make a difference in their business as an individual, and this seems to be undervalued by business leaders, as well.

The right mentality comes when you think “how will (insert improvement here) contribute to my work environment?” Every day is full of assignments, meetings, phone calls, email exchanges, etc., but we don’t take a step back too often to simply ask ourselves how can we better our agency or business?

At LPR, we’re focused on outcomes. We want to generate the best results for our clients as possible. There’s always room for improvement, and here’s a list of a couple ideas to potentially incorporate in the corporate version of New Years’ resolutions:

• Think more consciously about how your time spent is impacting your organization as a whole, especially when factoring in your clients or customers

• Think more critically about how you can improve your work, especially if one or more practices are not generating desired results

• Think more carefully about how you make daily decisions, especially when these decisions and the reasoning behind them will make a big impact

I think the business world, in general, has become too complacent with how things are. What if more individuals chose to be proactive, taking on some responsibility of improving the business in which they work in 2012? Think about how things could be.

This week, Irving Flood Control District Section III continues work on preliminary site improvements involving electrical service at the District’s Valley Ranch pump station.

Recognizing the appropriateness of conducting a thorough evaluation of equipment and facilities that were developed more than 25 years ago, the District engaged engineering firm Freese and Nichols, Inc. last year to assess the existing electrical system at the pump station at the Southeast corner of Valley Ranch. Given the age of the equipment and changing electrical codes and best practices, Freese and Nichols recommended replacement and installation of new Oncor-supplied transformers, as well as replacement of switching equipment used to control the large pumps. The firm also recommended several associated civil and electrical engineering improvements at the station.

“This is a major capital improvement initiative for our District, creating greater redundancy in sources of power for operating pumps and other equipment, while paving the way for installation of a back-up generation system for the pump station,” said Kim Andres, Irving Flood Control District Section III president. “While many maintenance and management projects conducted by IFCD 3 are visible to the community – such ascanal maintenance to manage water levels throughout the system – others are less evident. Updating power systems for the pump station certainly is one of those unseen initiatives of great importance to individual and business residents of Valley Ranch.”

A final upgrade to the pump station as recommended by the District’s engineers is the installation of a back-up electrical generator to provide further level of electrical system redundancy. Several options are being considered for this project, which is currently planned for the 2012-2013 fiscal year.

News Release

For Immediate Release

Contact: Claudia Mideo   ClaudiaM@cisdallas.org

November 22, 2011

Communities In Schools Dallas Region Benefits from $500,000 Donation from Procter & Gamble

DALLAS – Communities In Schools Dallas Region (CISDR), a nonprofit dropout prevention program, announced today it is the recipient of a large in-kind donation by Procter & Gamble (P&G), which is sponsoring Communities In Schools at the national level.  Approximately one-third of $500,000 worth of products donated was directed to 28 Communities In Schools affiliates in Texas, including Dallas.

The P&G donation to the Dallas Region, picked up on Nov. 2 by CISDR program support staff, included 18 pallets of Puffs Tissues, 650 two-bar packs of Olay soap, 1.5 pallets of Crest sample size toothpaste, 2,500 samples of Pantene shampoo, 1 pallet of Tide laundry detergent and 1.5 pallets of Duracell AA Batteries.

“These products come at a critical time for many of our students, helping support them and their families as we enter a holiday season where household budgets can be particularly tight. Having basic toiletries and supplies can make a difference to the students and families we serve,” said Sandra Chavarria, CISDR president and CEO.  “We’re grateful to P&G for assisting in our mission to help students stay in school and achieve in life.”

The donation caps off a larger scale national relationship between Communities In Schools and P&G.  In July, the two organizations launched the GIVE Education campaign to generate additional awareness of America’s dropout crisis.  In total, the effort has raised close to $1 million in cash and product for Communities In Schools.

CISDR program support staff and AmeriCorps volunteers distributed the supplies to CISDR campus staff, who provided the items for school children and families at their assigned campuses.

For years, P&G has improved life for more than 300 million children around the world and focused its efforts on helping children in need get off to a healthy start, receive access to education and build skills for life.  Through GIVE Education, P&G touched even more lives by combining the power of P&G’s education commitment and reach, CIS’s innovative programs, and Grammy Award-winning recording artist and philanthropist John Legend’s passion for education.

About Procter & Gamble

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world.  The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B(f), Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®.  The P&G community includes approximately 135,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide.  Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

About Communities In Schools Dallas RegionCommunities In Schools Dallas Region, Inc. was founded in 1985 to address the growing number of high school dropouts in Dallas and surrounding areas. As experts in collaboration and in providing comprehensive case-managed services, CISDR’s professional staff brings community resources into schools to work in the interest of at-risk children in a coordinated, caring and cost-effective way. Currently, CISDR operates in 75 schools in 10 school districts in Dallas, Collin, Ellis, Hunt, Johnson and Rockwall counties. CISDR’s programs have a direct impact on more than 47,000 students annually. Nearly 80% of the students served by CISDR are economically disadvantaged and at-risk of academic failure. According to the Texas Education Agency, of the 12,148 case managed students, 99% stayed in school, 93% of eligible seniors graduated and 95% improved in academics, behavior, and/or attendance.  For more information about CISDR, visit http://www.cisdallas.org.

# # #

Before landing this job, I went through a period of questioning if I chose the right major and career path. I would ask questions on a daily basis – Why haven’t I heard anything back from XYZ company? Did I make a good solid first impression in the first interview? Will tomorrow be the day I get a great job offer?

I believe everything happens for a reason, and there’s a reason I’m sitting in the LPR office today, working on media relations and daily assignments.

I’ve been working at LPR since early September, and every day has been a valuable learning experience. I never know what to expect when walking into the office in the morning.

Going into this job with three internships at nonprofits, I wasn’t completely sure what the agency environment would offer. Ultimately, I wondered how I’d handle my first job.

The elevated energy level in the LPR/everitt office keeps me on my toes at all times, never knowing what kind of client’s assignment will roll in. Through comments and critique on my assignments, I’m able to improve and shape my writing and communication skills.

Since I graduated from the University of North Texas nearly a year ago, I could see my future, but it was more like visibility on a foggy day. I knew where I wanted to go, but couldn’t see how to get there. College doesn’t teach you everything you need to know to walk in the door 100-percent prepared on your first job, but it does provide a firm foundation of education to keep building upon as your resume expands.

I’ve learned a lot in this position, hands-on application of college studies. Some of the lessons include:

-Keep learning and moving forward; don’t get caught in reverse or park because of complacency with where you are.
-View every work day as a brand new day, a chance to learn something new and make improvement.
-Take criticism and edits with an open mind; don’t be scared of the bleeding pen.

LPR has been a great starting point for my career, and I look forward to seeing where this experience will take me.

Generally, I choose not to participate in these conversations.  As an issues and crisis communications counselor, I know that those on the outside rarely – if ever – have all the facts of any given situation.

Yet, my world and Penn State intersect on several fronts.  My father served on their management continuing education faculty for nearly 20 years.  It was on my short list of universities where I considered pursuing my collegiate studies.  Family and friends list the University as their alma mater.

Most importantly, the Penn State situation presents a powerful opportunity to address one of the most essential pieces of counsel available to us all:  No matter the situation, the best option is to do the next right thing.

By and large, most adults in positions of leadership and responsibility today know right and wrong.  Unfortunately, the increasingly complex world in which business and our larger society operate provides no shortage of situations in which our moral compasses can be rendered inaccurate, much as placement of a magnet near an old school compass alters its accuracy.

Reading the armchair opinions of many who comment on horrible, man-made situations, it’s easy to get the sense that following the guidance provided is simple and, clearly, the idea of doing the next right thing could be viewed as another similar installment.  It’s not.  Doing the next right thing – and appropriately communicating it to key audiences and constituents – involves balancing facts, perceptions, emotions, personal and institutional rights… all against the far-too-frequent first reaction to duck, cover and spin.

Like removing the errant magnet, the opportunity exists to re-true seemingly impossible situations by honestly – and, sometimes, painfully – asking that very question “What is the next right thing we can do?”  While doing so can’t change history nor necessarily fix the broken, it provides the first credible points on a roadmap to righting wrongs and healing people… and institutions.

** Post-Graduate Public Relations Intern **

Lewis Public Relations is now accepting applicants for a paid public relations internship in the agency’s North Dallas office.  Interviews will begin August 1 with the successful candidate joining the team in mid-August.

Responsibilities

Write for a wide range of communications outlets, including traditional media, social media and the web

Develop and maintain media lists

Identify and manage editorial calendars

Develop and use pitch materials to create or respond to media opportunities

Participate in agency/client brainstorms

Monitor and track media

Develop and maintain clip reports

Participate in team and client meetings

Assist with research for new business opportunities and client presentations

Execute administrative project management responsibilities

Minimum Qualifications

Recent college graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, public relations or related field

Experience in one or more previous public relations internships

Excellent written/verbal communication skills

Flexibility to work on a variety of projects

Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office; entry- to intermediate-experience in social media and media list management applications; capability to apply AP style to writing assignments essential

Future Opportunity

The successful post-graduate intern will be encouraged to apply for a staff position at the conclusion of the internship program.

Application Process

Applicants should send a cover letter and resume to recruiting@lewispublicrelations.com. Interviews will be held via the telephone and personal meetings in Dallas, Texas. Application deadline is 5 p.m. August 5, 2011.  Applicants must be available for a minimum of 10 consecutive weeks to be considered.  No phone calls, please.

About Lewis Public Relations

Lewis Public Relations delivers public, media and community relations programs and services to a wide variety of clients and subject areas, including agriculture, association management, nonprofit organizations, real estate, risk management and insurance, technology, telecommunications and transportation. For more information, visit www.lewispublicrelations.com.