by | Jan 13, 2021 | Featured, Food for thought
Welcome to a new year and a new PRSA Kansas Board! Many of the faces remain the same, but we have two new members joining our board: Ashtyn Rottinghaus, Communications Specialist at Textron Aviation, has joined as the Social Media & PR Chair, and Ashton Maxfield, President of Master Plan Communications, has joined us as an at-large member based out of Garden City. I look forward to serving with both of them this year and know they will do outstanding work for our chapter.
This is my third year to serve on the board, and I am pleased to be serving as your president in 2021. We’ve already had our first board meeting of the year, and I’m excited about the momentum and excitement we have going into 2021.
I would like to thank Kim Kufahl, our immediate past president, for her leadership during 2020. She found a way to keep us on schedule and accomplished great things during her term. Akeam Ashford is our president-elect and is in charge of programming this year. If you have thoughts or ideas, please reach out to him.
We plan to continue to host our monthly programs virtually through the month of June. We hope that we can see each other in person by mid-year, but all plans at this point are tentative. To help cover our chapter’s administrative expenses, we will start charging a minimal fee for virtual meetings starting in January. We hope this does not discourage you from attending the monthly meetings, as we have a great slate of speakers lined up and we don’t want you to miss out!
Wishing you great things in 2021 and hoping to see you all in person later this year.
Kristy Bansemer, PRSA Kansas Chapter President
by | Sep 22, 2020 | Food for thought, National, Professional Development
September 2020
Compiled by PRSA Kansas Board Member Jamie Reed
The provisions of ethical conduct defined by PRSA – advancing the free flow of accurate and truthful information, safeguarding confidences, building trust by revealing information needed to make a responsible decision – have never seemed more relevant than in the era of COVID-19.
As we work to continue counseling our leaders and clients six months into this pandemic, Linjuan Rita Men’s article on “Wartime Leadership Communication: How Should CEOs Communicate During the COVID-19 Pandemic?” (instituteforpr.org) has insightful tips for us as public relations professionals and those we advise:
- Be transparent. Share information in a frequent and timely manner and be honest about the true impact to your organization or business. Listen – really listen – to employees as they share their opinions and concerns.
- Convey authenticity. Leaders should admit there is no playbook for a pandemic, and that they have many of the same worries as other employees. Yes, there will be a need for some tough decisions, but the human side of leaders is what will resonate with employees.
- Show empathy. Demonstrate a sense of caring with phrases like “I feel you,” “those emotions are legitimate and understandable” or “we are in this together.”
- Demonstrate optimism. Foster hope and gratitude by focusing on some of the silver linings of the pandemic, such as adapting to new ways of working and connecting and a stronger sense of community.
September is PRSA’s Ethics Month. For a refresher on the PRSA code of ethical principles, visit: www.prsa.org/about/ethics/prsa-code-of-ethics.
by | Mar 12, 2020 | Food for thought
During times of uncertainty, it’s no secret that employers turn to its PR and communication professionals to help ease tensions and navigate next steps. Take advantage of the resources and articles below to help in your internal and external communication efforts.
Interim Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Advice and Resources from PR Daily
Tips from PR Week
Sedgwick County Information
CDC Information on Preparing for a Large Event
Recommended practices to implement in your organization:
- Wash your hands properly and often – sing the 20-second chorus to these songs
- Make hand sanitizers available in all heavily trafficked areas
- Disinfect often-touched items: elevator buttons, phones, door handles, etc.
- Create a plan for continuity if workers need to work remote
- Urge employees who aren’t feeling well to stay home and seek medical attention when necessary
The PRSA communities is another great resource for PR pros researching the coronavirus. As a member benefit of PRSA, the online communities allow members to post resources, share ideas and network. There were several threads about the coronavirus in the PRSA forums, one in the crisis communication community and one in the open forum community. You must be a PRSA member to access the links. Members shared plans, posted tips for internal and external communication and other information.
by | Feb 6, 2020 | Food for thought, Uncategorized
Written by Rachel Bell
Director of Business Services and Customer Relations
Kansas Turnpike Authority
My daughter just turned 14 which means she’s eligible to take the test for a learner’s permit. To help apply what she’s learning to real life, I’ve been pointing out driving behaviors whenever we are in the car. As I’ve been teaching her, it has occurred to me that driving is like good communication.
- Be clear about your intentions. In driving, we use our turn signals and brake lights to tell other drivers where we are heading. In communication, we must clearly state what we need the audience to know. In this fast-paced society, most audiences do not have time for the prose and no one wants to hear corporate speak fluff.
- Use your tools wisely. Don’t leave your blinker on or honk your horn unless absolutely needed. In good communication, we must choose the tools that are effective to get our message out.
- Anticipate the actions of others. On the roadway, this is called defensive driving. In communication, it helps shape key messages and reflects positively on you and your organization. What do you want your audience to know and, more importantly, what do they need to know?
- Agree upon rules (goals). We have traffic laws that are mutually agreed upon or you won’t receive a driver’s license. Good communication also involves clearly understanding and agreeing upon the rules (goals) within your or your clients’ organizations. What are you trying to accomplish? On the roadway, you want to get to your destination safely and on time. In communication, you want to avoid being blindsided.
In communication and public relations, you’re never done learning. Join PRSA Kansas to accelerate your learning, network and advance the PR profession. Learn more on the PRSA Kansas membership page.
by | Jan 29, 2019 | Food for thought
By Susan Dyer, At-Large Director
Thank you to those of you who filled out our fall survey. PRSA’s mission is to “make communications professionals smarter, better prepared and more connected through all stages of their career,” and your survey feedback will help our chapter provide value to PR pros in Kansas. Last year, we told you we’d be more transparent and honest with you, so we’re sharing the survey results here.
This infographic gives an overview. Scroll down to read the full results.
Full Survey Results
How long have you been in the Communications field?
0% Less than 5 years
8% 5-10 years
76% 10+ years
16% 25+ years
Which best describes your organization?
38% Nonprofit/Association
19% Academia
15% Agency
15% Corporate
8% Government
4% Freelance
What industry are you in?
15% Education
15% Agency with serving several industries
15% Social Services
12% Travel/Tourism
12% Financial/Insurance
12% Government
4% Health Care/Hospital
4% Law Enforcement/Safety
4% Manufacturing
7% Other: Retail, Business Association
0% Entertainment/Sports; Food; Energy/Utilities; Mass Media/Publication; Technology
Which topics would you like to learn more about during events/meetings? Percent of respondents who chose topic as first, second or third choice.
73% Emerging trends/technology
58% Measurement/data analytics
54% Content creation
42% Storytelling
42% Brand/reputation management
19% Crisis management
27% Media relations
19% Advancing your career
Other topics not listed: Communication law and ethics–new issues
Which time works best for you to attend events/meetings?
81% Lunch
8% After work
0% Morning
11% Other (weekends, during work hours, lunch or after work)
What is your preferred format for meetings? Choose all that apply.
96% Meal with speaker
31% Networking/social
23% Group webinar
8% Other (conference, speaker or webinar)
How often should we have meetings/events?
62% Monthly
19% Every other month
12% Quarterly
8% Other (monthly supplemented by other activities, monthly but change format)
Which month(s) are you most likely to attend meetings? (In order of most votes).
92% October
85% April
77% February
73% January
73% March
73% August
73% November
69% May
65% September
54% June
46% December
42% July
How much are you willing to pay for a lunch meeting with a program?
35% $18 members/$28 non-members
42% $20 members/$30 non-members
8% $25 members/$35 non-members
15% Other
Which best describes you?
69% I am a current member of PRSA
19% I am a former member of PRSA
12% I have never been a member of PRSA
If former member or never been a member, why not?
27% Too expensive
18% Little value
9% I let my membership lapse
45% Other
Comments:
Member of IABC; little value to a veteran practitioners; Clients didn’t appreciate the need for an APR, which became expensive to maintain.
If current member of PRSA, would you recommend becoming a member of PRSA?
71% Yes
0% No
14% Not sure
14% Other:
Comments: I would absolutely encourage people to join our local chapter, which means, sadly, they have to join national, too. I think there is much more value in the local chapter than national.
What is the most important reason to join or stay in PRSA?
36% Monthly meetings
28% Networking
16% Educational training through PRSA webinars and conferences
12% Career advancement and certification
8% Other
Comments:
I don’t have just one reason …I appreciate the learning opportunities at the monthly meetings and development day, the friendships with others who work in communications and the knowledge they share and it’s also challenging because it provides the chance to get out of my comfort zone and try and learn new things.
Both monthly meetings and networking with other pros.
Contact Susan: sdyer@heartlandcua.org / LinkedIn
by | Jun 12, 2018 | Food for thought, Uncategorized
By Jennifer Strong Worrell, PRSA Kansas At-Large Director
Did you know that PRSA has several apps?
Through the PRSA app, members have convenient access to the latest edition of PRSA’s Issues and Trends publication, webinars, association web portals, exclusive content, a new podcast series, and more. The PRSA Membership App is the official member app of the Public Relations Society of America and the PR industry.
Ethics App
PRSA also has an Ethics app for members to always have at their fingertips, a must-have for PRSA members in today’s media environment.
The PRSA Ethics app is based on the PRSA Code of Ethics, public relations’ oldest code of professional conduct. The PRSA Code of Ethics helps practitioners navigate ethics principles and applications. The code sets out guidelines built on core PRSA values like advocacy, honesty, loyalty, professional development and objectivity.
All valuable information for PRSA Kansas members to have and apply in our daily practice.
Download the PRSA app: iOS | Google Play
Please note: you must create an account. Your MYPRSA log in will not work. Click here for more information.
Contact Jennifer: jens@nyeandassciates.com | LinkedIn
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