Recent international media stories have focused on the resurgence of terror in North America – notably the Boston Marathon bombing and, in my country, the pre-emptive discovery of an Al-Qaeda plot to attack a train route between Canada and the United States.

Terror can be unifying in its midst, yet polarizing in its aftermath – particularly when security hawks clash with civil libertarians about where to strike the balance between public safety and public liberty. For public relations professionals, such times are often reason for anxiety, as we tend to value dialogue and the quest for mutual understanding – all of which becomes more difficult when senseless acts defy explanation and fear fills the void.

Continue reading " Terror, communication and a wiser world: After Boston, three reasons society’s response to terror has changed "

The papal conclave has begun in Vatican City – an event that has significance not just for America’s 78 million Catholics, but also for communicators everywhere. Regardless of one’s faith or views about Pope Benedict XIV and his church, the papal succession presents a fascinating case study of one of the world’s most venerable institutions facing the challenge of communicating in an era of dramatic change.

Continue reading " Of conclaves and communication: As Cardinals gather in Rome, there are lessons for communicators everywhere "

Editor’s note: This is the 7th in a series of 12 guest posts from industry thought leaders predicting key trends that will impact the public relations industry in 2013. Hosted under the hashtag #PRin2013, the series began Jan. 7, 2013, with a compilation post previewing some of the predictions.

A gradual change in PR’s mandate, tone & role — from control to influence

A new year always begins with prognostications — and many forecasters agree that this is an age in which public relations can lead like never before. The reason: As communication power shifts from organizations to audiences, PR is essential not just to reputation, but to an organization’s very legitimacy.

Continue reading " #PRin2013: PR to give organizations a new legitimacy "

The public relations profession has two major public relations challenges. The first is the frequent association of public relations with “spin” — the intentional, unethical distortion of reality for competitive advantage. The second is the narrow association of public relations with publicity.

The result: Consultancies and clients alike have moved toward the term “communication” (in the singular or plural) to describe what we do and what our clients need. Is this a mistake?

Continue reading " Public Relations: It’s Not Just for Communication Anymore "

Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of 12 guest posts from industry executives predicting key trends that will impact the public relations industry in 2012. Hosted under the hashtag #PRin2012, the series began Dec. 19, 2011, with a compilation post previewing all 12 predictions.

Time magazine named “the protester” as its person of the year for 2011 — an insight that foreshadows a challenge for every organization in 2012: never will it be easier for any David to throw any Goliath off stride, and never will organizations be more defined by communication.

Most of the great protests of 2011 — from the Arab Spring to Occupy Wall Street — were rooted in economic and social distress. But as 2012 dawns, there are tremors of discontent among the increasingly affluent middle classes in rising economies such as those of Russia and China; one of the greatest risks to these successful but autocratic regimes will lie in the quality of their communication.

Closer to home, when even the U.S. Federal Reserve starts to use communication as an economic management strategy, you know that authorities are starting to get the message.

As CEO of a public relations firm, I see the same challenge in the corporate world. Even in times of exceptional economic volatility, there will be many winners. Those will be the organizations that truly develop listening cultures, equip themselves to anticipate and respond to issues with agility, clarity, transparency and authenticity, give their stakeholders meaningful opportunities to influence their direction, and measure the quality of their relationships and reputations.

Continue reading " #PRin2012: Organizations Will be Defined by Communication "