Keeping Public Relations In-tact
Laura Thomas // April 13, 2012
My boots were made for walking… my public relations boots, that is.
In order to please the masses, practitioners run the risk of over-stepping their boundaries while walking a fine line between being professional or, well – just plain rude.
To have tact is to have “a keen sense of what to do or say in order to maintain good relations with others or avoid offence” … or so Webster says, anyway. I’d like to think most people would call this definition ‘common sense’ or the ‘ability to have social interaction’ with others; unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.
Social media has made social interaction a global phenomenon, meaning it is more important than ever to keep your p’s and q’s in line, and to remember your good friend: tact. An angry tweet or an annoyed status update can change people’s perspective on your organization and its legitimacy. Sure, take pride in your job and who you represent, but remember to walk the line every day with an informed opinion, informed decisions, and respect for others. Nobody wants to see unnecessary, long-winded rants, or judgmental call-outs to other organizations just because you may not be having a good day. Remember, your online presence doesn’t just disappear – what you tweet or post can leave a lasting impression. Always remember: anything you say can and will be used against you. Think before you tweet, spell-check before you update, and do not fuel any fire under your (fr)enemies’ behinds.
In a society where everyone seems to have access to everyone else’s business, we have to remember to practice tactful, credible PR at all times. If you’re a ‘newbie’ in the office (a role many of us students will soon play), you are watched and expected to make mistakes. But, if you practice tact, diplomacy, and employ some good ol’ common sense, it can take you far.
Let’s backtrack for a minute, because there’s another word I’d like you to become acquainted with: diplomacy. Diplomacy is the ability to handle affairs without arousing hostility. PR practitioners work, live, and breathe communicating with others. Practitioners are the voice of the organization they represent, so why not represent them as fairly and as tactfully as we can? Diplomacy is a difficult skill to master. If we were all natural-born diplomats, we wouldn’t need armies, and we wouldn’t have beauty queens wishing for world peace. However, diplomacy is something practitioners should continually strive for and keep in the back of their minds. Throughout your career there will likely be times when you have to be passive; there will also likely be times when you have to stand up for what is right. The fine line we walk is the line between being a ‘pushover’ and being overbearing. Everyone deserves the right to be treated fairly, courteously, and respectfully – don’t ever stray from this important point.
And when problems arise, which they will… keep calm, know your points, and listen to theirs. Speak up, make what you say count and don’t hide behind silence (we all know what that did for Tiger Woods). Like my mom always says, “try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.” Try to understand the other point of view. In most workplace situations miscommunication happens because tact and diplomacy weren’t being honored.
PR practitioners play a variety of roles: we inform, teach, mediate, even entertain our internal and external communities, and now is as good a time as any to add ‘diplomat’ to that list. We all know the PR nightmare stories out there where the truth was hidden, where lies became credible, and where companies hid in silence. But, as we step into the workforce, we must gain remember to always employ our moral compass and walk the fine line between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ PR with tactful diplomacy at our side. Avoid walking a path of destruction and, instead, walk forth with tact, credibility, and legitimacy.
