Leadership in Public RelationsMichal LibermanCommunication and PR MajorEastern Michigan University, Class of ‘19

Different Leaders –

Define Leadership

11 Ways to define leadership / Business Today

1. Constant wish in bettering your environment: expression of your unique personality in pursuit of bettering whatever environment you are in." (Christy, 2017).

2. Know the team, know yourself: Cohen (2017) said that in order to set up success, it's important to know the team and yourself, use the strengths and address the weaknesses in an efficient approach.

3. Give people the tools to success: serve the people that work for you and help them develop, inspire. "Genuine praise for what goes well and leading by taking responsibility early and immediately if things go bad." (French, 2017)

4. Open, authentic and positive influence: "influence can come from anyone at any level and in any role" (Uhlir, 2017). Emphasizes help to people develop and create influence in a positive way.

5. The three C: Clarity, confidence and courage: Has the clarity of the right thing, confidence to recognize when he is wrong, and courage to do the right thing even when it is not simple. (Eikenberg, 2017)

6. Build general agreement with common goals: good leaders helps their followers to accomplish more than what they could have without their help. "Leaders do this not through fear, intimidation or title, but rather by building consensus around a common goal."Madine, 2017)

7. Be the solution to the problem: "So many people are willing to talk about problems or can even empathize, but not many can see the problem or challenge and rise to it" (Walker-Leidy, 2017). see problems as challanges and drive towards it.

8. Help others achieve the not possible: coach people with passion to develop them and help them think they can get what seems impossible to them. create an environment where people valued and fulfilled. (Stocklin, 2017)

9. Build the next generation of leaders: leader is someone who builds up a team by developing the talent around him. (Hoey, 2017)

10.Building followership: inspire others to support the main goal with your vision and guidance's. Prioritize good communication and develop others. Your job is no longer about what you can accomplish, but what your entire team can achieve. Good leaders focus on 'we' not 'me' "(Hedges, 2017).

11.Active listening: Make sure you really understand the person't point of view. In that way you can learn from them and create better fundamental basis of trust and collaboration. Listen, inspire and empower. (Garfield, 2017)

• (Post, 2017)

Leadership Approaches

Leader Approach among PR practitioners.• Morass Northouse argues that leadership is a process throughout an

individual influences a group of people to achieve a common goal.

• This view is constructing the trait theory apposing that people were born with special characteristics that makes them leader. In the PR approach, the leadership is a process.

• “The real leader in a football team is not always the captain, while an employee may have a greater influence over other collogues on a particular issue than their head of department.” (Gregory & Willis, 2013).

• Given the process is situational, leaders need to repertoire to operate in different contexts. Effective leaders change their style to fit the situation.

• The difference of a leader from a manager is that a manager co-ordinates resources and focuses on process and systems, while a leader, leads and inspires people. being a manager doesn't automatically means you are a leader. (Gregory & Willis, 2013).

Purpose and Principles in PR’s Leadership

• Leadership's principle in public relations are forming rules that guide behaviors, and decision making process. Those principles become values, with time. The combination of purpose and principles are at the heart of organizational character and these are most viscerally lived out by organizational leaders.

• “Our role is to help build societies that work” (Gombita, 2014). The leadership purpose in public relations is to help the organization making wise decisions; understanding the situation, listen to people and evaluate what is the atmosphere they live in. (Gombita, 2014)

• Public relations leaders are needed at each part of the organization because they create power with the truth, and create actions as opposed to simple words "saying things that others not dare to" and embracing straight talk as to how people see their words and actions.

• (Gombita, 2014).

People and Processes in PR’s Leadership• Organization can only achieve their goals and objective

with the people who operate in the organization; work for, with or through the organization. This means that relationships are fundamentally important.• The process of leadership is “Cooperation, collaboration

and co-creation are the only way forward. Moreover, relationship building, mutual respect, a shared values base and common objectives, are all derived through communication” (Gombita, 2014).

Applying leadership to PR

Four Levels of Skill Required for Leadership in PR.

• Level 1 involves strong writing and technical skills and knowledge of communication channels and media

• Level 2 leaders use their knowledge to implement strategies and tactics

• Level 3 leaders use their interpersonal skills to build relationships

• Level 4 practitioners employ excellent communication skills that make them effective participants in senior decision making circles

PR Leade

r

Written & Technical

Skill

Implement Strategies

Building Relationships

Employ communicati

on skills

Applying leadership in PR

• The IABC Excellence Study is looking at possible ways of looking at the functions of PR, and the theoretical advantages that were found in applying leadership when operating with communication management (Grunig, 1992; Grunig, Grunig, & Dozier, 2002 in Meng & Heynman, unknown year) The theory suggests that, to reach excellence in public relations and communication management, the PR leader should have an answer to the question ;“why public relations contributes to organizational effectiveness and to what extent by asserting that public relations has monetary value to the organization” (Grunig, Grunig, & Dozier, 2002, p. 10).

• “The magnitude of this influence is likely to depend both on public relations professionals’ leadership skills and empowerment process” (Meng & Heynman, unknown year).

Are there enough leaders in PR?• A recent study of “leaders and leadership qualities in PR”,

showed the lack of strong leaders in the industry.

• The research asked 222 participants which are graduate students from the University of Alabama, couldn’t name any national leaders in the field, or felt there weren’t any. Members of the Southern Public Relations Federation answered the same survey, and mostly mentioned politicians, celebrities, and CEOs more often than practitioners in both surveys.

• Trying to analyze the reasons, some said that “true PR leaders are those who are highly visible and project an organization’s or a nation’s image”. Others said that “true PR leaders remain behind the scenes” (Berger & Heyman, 2008). Some participates compared national leadership with the media coverage size.

More Research findings about PR leadership.

• According to Berger & Heyma (2008), PR leaders are different than general leaders in two dimensions; First, they “must possess a compelling vision for how communication connects an organization to diverse stakeholders and the larger social system”. Second, PR leaders are expert at the use of media and technologies.

• The survey also found positive correlation between strong role models of leadership around the living environment, and the influence on practitioners’ beliefs about leadership as a strategic decision-making capability to be the most significant aspect of PR leadership.

Suggestions & Questions.

1. It seems like there are many guides for PR professionals with how to be the best leader in your organization. However, not everyone can be the main leader in the group, in some cases people has to know how to be lad. With that being said, there should be successful tips for how to work in a group and being lad, with a good PR leader.

2. Create more research about leadership in the specific industry of public relations, not enough current research is available.

3. Consider different culture in the effectiveness of leadership.

Personal Suggestion

s

1. “We should be concerned about the perceptions of current leaders in our industry, and the education, development, and recognition of young pros who will be our leaders tomorrow”. How is education for leadership in PR are different from the general concept?

2. How is the concept of co-leadership works? After all, not even the president of the united states makes decisions by himself.

3. Since the PR’s approach for leadership is as a process and not as a trait theory, does people who were born with leadership characteristics has an advantage?

Questions:

Reference:

1. Gombita, Judy. "The Four Ps Of Public Relations Leadership | PR Conversations". Prconversations.com. N.p., 2014. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.

2. Meng, Juna, and William Heyman. "Measuring Excellent Leadership In Public Relations: A Second-Order Factor Model In The Dimension Of Self-Dynamics". N.p., 2009. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.

3. Berger, Bruce, and Bill Heyman. "Leadership In PR Is Essential". Public Affairs Council. N.p., 2008. Web. 3 Apr. 2017.

4. Gregory, A., & Willis, P. (2013). Strategic public relations leadership. Routledge.

5. Post, Jennifer. "11 Ways To Define Leadership". Business News Daily. N.p., 2017. Web. 3 Apr. 2017.