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 | May 14, 2020 | Professional Development
May 14, 2020
By Jamie Reed, Starkey Director of Communications
The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management released the following tips for providing responsible communication during COVID-19. As PR professionals, it’s important to be aware of best practices in the industry, especially during a crisis that has left no person, employee or stakeholder unaffected. 
Source
1. Before [you] communicate, think about the impact of your message beyond your organization.
2. Do not hide the impact of the pandemic. Be realistic in your communications, based on facts.
3. Use straightforward, plain language to minimize dramatizing the situation.
4. Include hope in the spirit of the communications.
5. Spread good examples and practices.
6. Identify and legitimize people’s emotions.
7. Give priority to messaging from official sources.
8. Avoid sharing fake news. Be critical of sources of information.
9. Don’t saturate networks with messages.
10. Don’t spend time criticizing public communication. Try to cooperate with them to improve.
11. Support the work of the media providing accurate information in the right moment.
by | Jan 14, 2020 | National, Professional Development
Achieve your 2020 careers goals with a PRSA membership. Sign up with code JAN20 to get a FREE 1-year Chapter (up to $100 value) or a FREE 1-year Section (up to $65 value). Some restrictions apply. Mark one resolution off your list and become a member today at: https://apps.prsa.org/JoinUs/membershipApplication
by | Mar 31, 2017 | National, Professional Development
Truth is the foundation of all effective communications. By being truthful, we build and maintain trust with the media and our customers, clients and employees. As professional communicators, we take very seriously our responsibility to communicate with honesty and accuracy.
The Public Relations Society of America, the nation’s largest communications association, sets the standard of ethical behavior for our 22,000 members through our Code of Ethics. Encouraging and perpetuating the use of alternative facts by a high-profile spokesperson reflects poorly on all communications professionals.
PRSA strongly objects to any effort to deliberately misrepresent information. Honest, ethical professionals never spin, mislead or alter facts. We applaud our colleagues and professional journalists who work hard to find and report the truth.
– Jane Dvorak, APR, Fellow PRSA, Chair of the Society for 2017
by | Mar 7, 2017 | Professional Development
As we discussed during our August 25 chapter meeting, utilizing photos, videos, and other images is the most effective tactic for optimizing your 2015 marketing and communication messages. Texas-based Creative Director and nationally-known blogger, Jeff Sieh, will share his tips on creating and cross-promoting effective visual content on Thursday, September 24, when he visits Wichita. Sieh will deliver ready-to-use information to help you boost engagement with your most important messages during a two-hour luncheon at Century II. The discounted price for registering by Tuesday, September 1 is $25 (includes lunch). Registration increases to $40 after that date. Follow this link to register for the event.
Special bonus – Sieh’s presentation takes place adjacent to the Wichita Metro Chamber’s annual business-to-business trade show, Exposure. Reserve some time before or after the luncheon to see all the new products and services offered by local businesses and organizations.
Follow Jeff on Twitter or Instagram @jeffsieh, Facebook (jeff.sieh), YouTube (TheJeffSieh) Blog (http://manlypinteresttips.com/blog/) and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/jeffsieh). Sieh has 64 boards on Pinterest where he’s collected useful tips and the latest information on effectively utilizing social media, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook,Pinterest and YouTube.
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