April 04, 2012 |
I learned a long time ago that no one is perfect. However, I continue to be amazed when ineffective people are promoted to high levels of organizations and empowered to make decisions that impact thousands of people. These ineffective people are typically highly educated and no spring chickens. They should have learned effective leadership skills along the way, right? One would think. Read the rest of this article »
February 15, 2012 |
Part 11 concludes the series of posts taken from my interview by a PR student working on a course paper.
Question:
Is there any other advice you would like to inform upcoming public relations majors about? Read the rest of this article »
November 09, 2011 |
I was recently asked by a friend and colleague to offer advice she might share with emerging female leaders in the public relations field.
Please see part I of my advice, which focused on interpersonal communication. Part II focuses on effective communication using email.
Use email appropriately.
- Do not email your colleagues and then go to their offices to tell them that you just emailed them. They can read, and they will see your email message when they are ready.
- If someone copies others on an email message, reply to all if appropriate. The others were copied for a reason.
- Maintain email trails. If your boss sends you a message with the subject line of “Need your ideas for the client meeting on Monday,” respond from that email message with your ideas. There is no reason for you to start a new email trail with the subject line of “Here are my ideas for the client meeting on Monday.”
Using email appropriately may be the least challenging aspect of your job. Therefore, if you cannot follow simple email protocol, your boss may think you cannot handle more challenging aspects of your position. Email is a wonderful communication tool, yet it is a tool that is often misused.
How do you use email effectively? How have you seen others misuse email to communicate?
Posted in Leadership, Public Relations | Tagged Business, Communication, e-mail, email, email communications, Employment, leadership, public relations, Women, Written communication | November 02, 2011 |
I was recently asked by a friend and colleague to offer advice she might share with emerging female leaders in the public relations field. This is what I came up with.
Following are effective communication tactics I have learned and practice each day:
- If you have a problem with someone, tell that person first and work to resolve it. If you tell everyone else first, it will get back to the person, making the relationship difficult to repair.
- Communicate openly and honestly. Do not make people guess what you want and what you are trying to communicate. Be confident and tell them directly. If you do not have confidence in yourself, no one else will.
- If a person is reluctant to put something in writing, that is more reason for you to do so. Document everything so that you can defend yourself and cover your hide if need be. It is better to have documentation and not need it than to need it and not have it.
- Know your audience. Do not communicate with your boss or a board member the same way you communicate with your parents or best friend.
- Do not allow others to steal your ideas without standing up for yourself. However, do not become combative. If you propose an idea during a meeting and it is blown off, then the same idea is accepted when a male proposes it, remind your colleagues that you just communicated that same idea. Some men are famous for stealing ideas, but women allow them to get away with it. And if you don’t think it matters, say nothing and watch that same man get promoted within six months because you allowed him to steal your ideas.
What effective communication tactics would you add? Please feel free to post a comment. Thank you!
July 20, 2011 |
While talking with a colleague recently, the name of a mutual acquaintance came up. The person said she admired the acquaintance but that others had mixed feelings about the person. My colleague then said, “You either love her or you hate her.” This statement sparked an interesting conversation about leadership.
Our acquaintance is a high-level administrator within a prominent organization. I know the person pretty well, including her strengths and weaknesses. When I asked why someone might hate our acquaintance, my colleague could not provide legitimate reasons. Read the rest of this article »
