PR and Reputation.

What is the blog all about??
My name is Janey Spratt, I am an enthusiastic PR student who wishes to peruse a career in Public relations. Currently in second year at ‘The University of Lincoln’ Studying a joint honours in ‘Media, Culture, Communication and PR’ with a particular interest in Public Relations. The previous semester involved the module ‘Managing PR’. For assessment we were given the task to work in a team to create a PR campaign and pitch it to the remaining seminar students. This blog will question what makes the perfect dream team?? Drawing conclusions on how effectively our team worked together to achieve the task and what I personally bring to a team??


Reputation, Reputation, Reputation!!! - PR is all about REPUTATION!

When a company chooses to employ a PR agency they will research the agencies profile and previous clients and campaigns (reputation) before agreeing to work with them. A PR agency must therefore have a good track record of providing a successful service and delivering on what they say that they will. A PR company creates a PR campaign that will suit the particular client using a team of qualified individuals; they must meet the needs of the client and create chemistry between the client and the agency (Deo T 2003:15). Similarly, chemistry must exist between the employee and an employer this ensures that the individual will be able to work effectively in the company correctly understanding the company’s standard and personality and working in a way that compliments this. An employer can teach an employee their business but they cannot teach them attitude or desire (Love 2009).



Managing Relationships is vital! - A PR practitioner must be fluent in managing and maintaining a variety of relationships.

Relationships with whom??
- Team members, a PR practitioner must be able to maintain relationships with other members of their team who they are working with on the campaign and pitch. It is vital that they know how to manage different personalities and how to compliment their style in a way that will create the most effective results. It is vital that the PR team has a good connection as they will be presenting themselves to a client. If members of the PR team cannot work together it will be nearly impossible for the team to present a good image to the client and work most effectively to achieve their goals.
-The client, the agency must build and maintain a healthy relationship with the client. The agency must be aware of the needs of the client and understand the company’s profile and personality thoroughly so that they can pitch a campaign towards them that will meet these needs.
- Journalists, ‘Public Relations people need journalist but journalists do not need Public Relations people’ (Davis 2004:166). Maintaining a healthy relationship with journalists is therefore essential. PR practitioners need to know journalists needs and wants e.g. don’t waste journalist’s time and give them useful information.

Belbin….who is Belbin??
Public Relations rely heavily on the ability of individuals to work efficiently in a team this involves managing relationships and knowing how to accept different personality types and how you can work effectively with them. The ‘Belbin theory’ indentifies different team roles based on behaviour and interpersonal skills. These roles are:

Action Orientated roles:

Shapers: Those who challenge to improve the team. They are dynamic, energetic, active and extrovert.
Weakness: Can be argumentative or insensitive.

Implementer: Those who get things done, well organised and predictable. They take basic ideas and put them into practise. Conservative, efficient, reliable and disciplined people who work systematically.
Weakness: Can be inflexible, resistant to change, slow.

Completer/Finisher: Reliable member who sees things through to the end paying attention to detail. Concerned with deadlines.
Weakness: Can worry unnecessarily and not trust others, they find it hard to delegate.



People Orientated roles:

Co-ordinator: Respected leader, guide team to focus on their task. Excellent listeners who are calm, good natured and delegate tasks very effectively.
Weakness: May delegate too much or can be controlling or manipulative.

Team worker: Good listener and offers support, ensures the team is working together by resolving social issues. A negotiator; flexible, diplomatic, popular and a capable person.
Weakness: May be indecisive.

Resource/ Investigator: Explores new ideas and options. They are innovative, curious and energetic. A good networker, enthusiastic, outgoing and extroverted.
Weakness: May loose enthusiasm quickly, and are often overly enthusiastic.


Thought Orientated Roles:

Plant: Solves difficult problems with original and creative ideas. They thrive on praise but they find it hard to deal with criticism.
Weakness: Introverted people who often prefer to work alone. Can be a poor communicator and may ignore the details.


Monitor/ Evaluator: Analyses and evaluates peoples ideas. Carefully weigh up the pros and cons of all the options before coming to a decision. Critical thinker and strategic.
Weakness: May lack energy or ability to inspire others.

Specialist: Has expert knowledge in key areas that is needed to get the job done. They commit themselves fully to their area of expertise.
Weakness: Can be disinterested in other areas and can limit their contribution, they are pre-occupied at the expense of the bigger picture.


(http://changingminds.org/explanations/preferences/belbin.htm)
(http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_83.htm)



My Role??
According to the Belbin test my main role in a team is the co-ordinator and a shaper. However, from the results it is evident that I am also a Team Worker and a completer/ Finisher.

What does the say about my personality??
My two main roles: co-ordinator and Shaper suggests that I have an action and people orientated role. Learning that these are my team roles was not surprising as I was able to draw comparisons from these roles and my lifestyle and social life. In life, I thrive on being sociable and maintaining a number of friendships, I am outgoing and enjoy a challenge with great ambition and passion in life continually motivating myself to reach my goals, for example furthering myself in my career or towards my biggest passion in life - travel.
The role of a ‘shaper’ might suggest that I could be insensitive towards other team members; I did not feel that this was true of my team personality. However, it is also suggested that I am a co-ordinator which indicates that I help everyone focus on their task. I believe that I am sensitive to quieter members of teams and try to involve them and encourage their contribution. Naturally and socially I am a leader who is an active doer, once I receive a task I like to get stuck into it.

Different personality and working styles...FRUSTRATION!
My course involves a huge range and amount of group work; consequently I have found myself on numerous occasions very frustrated! Almost every group work task I have found myself frustrated by members with either a lack of motivation or lack of ability. Rather than getting angry and taking it out on the members aggressively I have learnt how to tolerate the issue, it is vital to recognise their ability and what they can potentially offer to the group, each group member is unique. Previous issues have been tackled by working strategically to solve them and developing poor standard work to a higher standard by motivating and helping the weaker group member and adding to their ideas in a tactful manner. It is obvious that pursuing a career in PR means that I will be regularly working with groups of people ranging in ability and skill. As a result, frustration is something that I will have to learn to deal with! And even more importantly learn how to work successfully with team members who acquire different working styles and personalities.