Confessions…
Have you committed any of these “5 Presentation Sins?”
- Cling to the podium?
- Use PowerPoint as your teleprompter?
- Exhaust your audience with information overload?
- Forget the stories? or
- Wing it?
There’s still time to repent and reinvent!
Thanks, Cvent, for the great tips for speakers and event planners alike.
Lessons from a snowstorm
Last week brought a series of lessons in emergency preparedness for many across Washington as our state was walloped with as much as24 inches of snow in some areas followed by a debilitating ice storm that resulted in massive power outages impacting more than 325,000 households.
Times like these shine a huge spotlight on your emergency preparedness plan.
In past snowstorms, my role at the Attorney General’s Office consisted of rolling over in bed around 6 a.m., dialing the inclement weather line, texting my team to find out whether people could make it in due to the weather, checking the weather outside to see if there was any chance I could drive in it then eventually padding downstairs to make some coffee, log on and work from home since it’s next to impossible to get out of our cul de sac and up the hill to get to work.
This year, in my new role as Deputy Chief of Staff, I joined the ranks of the inclement weather team, responsible for deciding how the Attorney General’s Office would respond to the weather.
While Monday was a holiday, many of us were working regardless. The Legislature takes no holidays when it is in session– so neither do those of us whose work involves the Legislature. With the snow already several inches deep, we held a short conference call Monday afternoon then decided to check in at 5:30 am the following morning to determine whether or not to allow late arrival. At that point, I sent a short message to staff, reminding them of the inclement weather policy, including the number to call the next morning.
My back deck at 6 a.m. on January 18-- after one round of snow shovelling and six more hours of snow.
At 5:15 a.m. Tuesday, I trudged downstairs, fired up the space heater, turned on the computer, logged on to our AGO e-mail system and loaded multiple Web sites:
With offices in 13 cities across the state, our inclement weather team consists of representatives from Seattle, Tacoma, Tumwater, Olympia, Spokane and our regional services division chief who is responsible for reporting out for the rest of the state.
Some members reported school closures, others shared information from the various weather and news reports, others called the courts or checked their Web sites, others shared information from their staff– and our Chief Deputy even went out and drove around his neighborhood to gauge how difficult the driving conditions were. In anticipation of the week ahead, I signed up for KING 5′s school closure alerts and KIRO 7′s severe weather and personalized daily weather emails.
Throughout the week, we faced a variety of challenges, worse-than-expected weather, widespread power outages and constantly changing information. Despite it all, I feel like the office handled this latest disaster fairly well. But it never hurts to do a little reflection.
What we did well:
- Publicized the inclement weather policy ahead of time and advertised the phone number.
- Identified and notified essential personnel ahead of time.
- Established a conference line and pass code that doesn’t change to use for inclement weather team calls.
- Updated the inclement weather line as close to 6 a.m. as possible–and updated again as needed.
- Followed-up with an e-mail.
- Allowed for flexibility.
- Reminded people to check in with their supervisors.
What I’d personally do differently in the future:
- Assign members of the inclement weather team to check specific sites for cancellations to prevent all of us from looking up the same things and to streamline the decision-making process.
- Provide more information to staff earlier as to the decision-making process so they know what goes into our decisions.
- Update my hard-copy phone list to include members of the inclement weather team, their personal and home cell numbers as well as personal e-mail addresses in case we lose access to the AGO servers or suffer a power outage.
- Develop more redundancy when it comes to who can update the weather line in case the first two people assigned to update the line lose phone access or power.
- Make sure I have multiple cell phone chargers so I have access to my Blackberry if my power goes out!
While things certainly were not perfect, all in all, we had an opportunity to rise to the occasion– and an opportunity to find areas to improve. Let’s hope we don’t have to do it again any time soon!
Weekly Roundup
The first week of the 2012 session of the Washington State Legislature was as crazy-busy as I expected, including:
- An editorial board with The Olympian;
Credit: The Body Shop
- A fascinating forum with Secretary of State Sam Reed, three of my favorite current and former journalists and former Sen. Slade Gorton;
- An inspiring anti-trafficking event with Washington Engage; and
- A fantastic news conference with The Body Shop, ECPAT and the Somaly Mam foundation to raise awareness and encourage action in the fight against human trafficking. (As a reminder, if you are a victim or you suspect you know a victim, be sure to call the National Human Trafficking hotline at 1-888-3737-888.)
As I’m catching up on e-mail tonight, I came across a few interesting stories I thought I’d share:
The Council of PR Firms offers expert advice to Mitt Romney and other political front-runners in When It’s Not So Lonely At the Top: Selling the Weak Front-Runner. Here are the highlights:
- Be consistent: People want consistency in their commander-in-chief, so even a flawed but consistent strategy is better than one that shifts and tries to adapt to a changing environment.–Mark McKinnon, Global Vice Chairman at Hill+Knowlton Strategies
- Be focused: While it may be tempting for Romney to segment the market and pick off certain segments, Olson urges careful timing.–Blois Olson, Principal and Executive Vice President at Tunheim.
- Be real: Too many campaigns try and oversell and then their candidate can’t deliver and they come up short.– McKinnon
- Be
niceless mean: There’s an old saying in boxing: Never punch down to an opponent. Attaching weaker opponents only diminishes the front-runner. –Nick Ragone, political author and Partner/Director of Ketchum’s Washington office.
Having been in the business for a while, I hope I’m no longer guilty of the sins described in “11 reasons your PR pitches suck” posted earlier this week on Ragan.com. While we still rely on blast e-mails to share news from our office, we at least try to make sure the reporters on our email list actually want to know what the AG’s Office is doing (and if you’re a reporter on our list who doesn’t want to know, please let me know!)
Finally, I liked the tongue-in-cheek tone of “How to date a PR professional” — though I’ll tell you my husband is not the least bit willing to accept this bit of advice: You could also find dinner interrupted by the red flash of the BlackBerry, alerting us to an essential social media checking appointment. Please just allow us to ensure each of our social networks is up to speed; it won’t take a minute. The world could end if you prevent us from doing this. Unfortunately, he doesn’t believe the world will end– and worse, he really doesn’t care…
Are you more stressed than a fire fighter?
CareerCast released its Top 10 most stressful jobs in America today on Thursday, ranking public relations professional at No. 7 behind law enforcement, enlisted soldier and firefighter to name a few.
As a PR professional for a high-profile and very active Attorney General’s Office, I can understand why we ranked so high but I was also pleased to see our ranking drop from 2nd to 7th–which is a much more reasonable ranking for our job.
At first glance, I worried this ranking was based on some sort of survey of working professionals and I was concerned that PR professionals might be perceived as taking ourselves a bit too seriously.
However, in reviewing the methodology and the stress factors considered in developing the ranking, I can understand why our jobs are considered so stressful– and I feel a little better about my own stress level!
While certainly, PR professionals are not responsible for the life and death of other human beings like our military, law enforcement and firefighting personnel, we do face fairly high demands in the areas of travel, deadlines, working in the public eye, competitiveness, and meeting the public.
Here’s what Careercast had to say about our ranking:
Public Relations Officers are responsible for creating and maintaining a positive image with the public for companies, non-profits and government agencies. They typically are responsible for giving presentations and making speeches, often in front of large crowds. This very competitive field, which often includes highly visible, tight deadlines, keeps stress at high-levels for specialists. Some PR executives are required to interact with potentially hostile members of the media, especially after a disaster.
Perhaps because I’ve been doing this for 15 years, I can still think of many jobs I would say are more stressful than ours –even on the most stressful day.
What do you think?
In the meantime, if you’re tired of your stressful job, check out CareerCast’s list of the Top 10 LEAST Stressful Jobs.
Breakout Star!
Working closely with Attorney General Rob McKenna over the last seven years, I’ve been amazed at his intellect, energy, compassion and overall leadership. He’s been a phenomenal Attorney General and he’ll make a great governor.
With the 2012 election looming ahead, it’s so gratifying to know others recognize this amazing leader themselves.
Just this week, he was recognized in two national publications as one to watch in 2012:
- National Journal’s Hotline On Call ranks him No. 2 in their list of 2011 Breakout Stars, saying “Can a Republican win statewide in the blue state of Washington — during a presidential year? Talk to the national Republicans bullish about the attorney general’s chances in the open governor’s race, and you’ll hear a lot say yes (you’ll also hear reminders that Mckenna ran ahead of President Obama in the state in 2008.) McKenna has polled well — leading Democratic Rep. Jay Inslee in a couple of live caller surveys. A key for his chances: crossover appeal. If he can get enough Obama voters, he may give Republicans a prized pickup next year.”
- Politico continues to rank the Washington Governor’s race as one of the nation’s most competitive, but they’ve downgraded the race from the most competitive to the 4th most competitive due to the strength of the McKenna campaign, saying Rob’s opponent “is shouldering two distinct burdens: discontent with outgoing Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire and the trappings of Washington. Inslee, who has never waged a statewide campaign, has trailed in every recent poll and faces an opponent with a genuine moderate sheen that fits the state and the moment.” They go on to note the most recent polling: McKenna 44 percent, Inslee 38 percent (SurveyUSA, 549 likely voters, Nov. 21-23)
We all know this will be a tough race–and we’re certainly not taking anything for granted– but stories like these continue to reinforce what McKenna supporters already know. Here’s to a great 2012!
Happy New Year!
Welcome to 2012! While it’s often difficult to predict what to expect in the coming year, I know one thing for sure: Things are about to change.
First, let’s take a look back.
Over the last nearly seven years, I’ve been blessed to work with a dedicated and intelligent group of people at the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.
Under Attorney General Rob McKenna’s leadership, we’ve accomplished so many things!
- We conducted a multi-city tour focused on increasing access to government information and improving transparency in government– then developed model rules to guide the public and government on dealing with public records.
- We’ve passed comprehensive –and bipartisan–legislation to address the state’s methamphetamine problem, to improve our state’s ability to protect against sex offenders, to expand the state’s consumer protection laws and to protect the state’s most vulnerable adults. And those are just some of the highlights!
- We’ve traveled across the state as part of our award-winning Guard IT! Washington program to educate businesses and individuals about how to protect personal information and prevent identity theft–which resulted in Washington moving out of the top 10 states for identity theft reports.
- We’ve provided grant funding to expand the Washington Prevention Summit to reach more youth and we’ve partnered with the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery to fund and develop a Spring Youth Forum for students to share their prevention strategies and win recognition.
- We’ve launched the Pillars of Hope, a multi-state initiative, to raise awareness about human trafficking and to help victims to freedom.
This office has won multiple cases before the Unites States Supreme Court, including three argued by AG McKenna himself defending voter-approved initiatives.
We’re leaders among Attorney General’s Offices across America, always willing to share information and serve as trainers for new AGs and their staff. It’s no wonder AG McKenna was selected to lead the National Association of Attorneys General for 2011-12.
Inside the office, we have held regular “Speak-Up” meetings with staff across the state to improve office procedures and to save money. In fact, since 2007, we have reduced our budget by more than $20 million and we now pay 200 fewer employees than we did at peak employment levels. We’ve done all this without widespread layoffs and while taking on new duties.
The office has also been a leader in establishing a performance management program, requiring regular, rigorous reviews and rewarding staff with performance plus and excellence awards for their good work.
These internal programs play an important role in explaining why the Attorney General’s Office has consistently scored highest among larger state agencies in employee satisfaction.
Now, we’re all facing the uncertainty of the 2012 election. With Attorney General McKenna running for Governor, we know for sure he will not be leading the Attorney General’s Office in 2013 so we’re all preparing to assist the new Attorney General with a smooth transition, regardless of which staff continue to work in the AG’s office. Across state government, employees are also preparing for a change in leadership in the Governor’s Office as well.
While change can certainly be unnerving, change also brings new opportunities to improve and grow.
With that in mind, I resolve to:
1) Strategize: Take more time to step back, observe and plan.
2) Personalize: Spend more time speaking to people face-to-face and on the phone rather than just jotting off an e-mail.
3) Maximize: Work even more collaboratively, share responsibilities and mentor others.
4) Recognize: Look for more opportunities to spotlight people’s hard work–and encourage others to do the same.
5) Realize: It’s important to take time to celebrate successes instead of constantly focusing on the next task or initiative.
Here’s to a great 2012!
Lifting up for Labor Day
With Labor Day upon us, our speechwriter, Maureen, drafted our annual message to staff to send out tomorrow and sent it to me for review today. Her message recognized the importance of this holiday weekend but also reminded all our co-workers how lucky we all are to have jobs from which to take a break during this a holiday weekend.
The on-going uncertainty and lingering unemployment takes its toll on morale– no matter how much we remind ourselves we’re lucky to have jobs.
Always on the lookout for fun ways to improve morale, I thought I’d share this easy little top 10 with you all… Feel free to add your ideas in the comments!
Here are a few to get you started:
1. Offer flexible work schedules. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate having a flexible schedule that allows me to work 9 to 6. I inevitably end up working later but, as a night owl, I appreciate not having to be up so early in the morning. At the same time, I have a co-worker who prefers coming into work at 7. That means our public affairs shop is available at a minimum 11 hours a day and we all enjoy a little flexibility.
2. Celebrate birthdays. It’s a small thing but it shows that you know enough about your co-workers to care they are having a birthday. Nothing makes you smile like a birthday cupcake!
3. Recognize each other for a job well done. I don’t know about you but it means a lot to me when my boss or co-workers notice that I’ve been working hard. A simple thank you or good job lifts your spirits after a long, stressful day.
The best thing about this list? It costs little or nothing to implement!
Keeping our cool
We just spent our tax refund on a new Trane cooling system but it appears to be overheating! Not a good thing…
Vacation!
I’m almost to the end of my two-week vacation and I’ve tried really hard to disconnect, not think about work and really relax.
Like many Americans, I have an over-inflated sense of my importance at work. Amazingly enough, everything seems to be going along fine without me!
I’m actually enjoying not being on my Blackberry or sitting at my computer. I’ve been out to Lake Quinault several times to hike and enjoy the sun…
I’ve enjoyed a Rainiers game with friends…
and I’ve finished several long over-due household projects.
Off to coffee with my mom tomorrow then lunch with my mom-in-law, Nan. Then wrapping up the weekend with a couple of days at the NHRA drag races at Pacific Raceways!
I’m looking forward to returning to work with a renewed sense of perspective and drive.
In case you need other reasons to take some time off, here are a few from Ragan’s PR News:
1. You get back to basics. On vacation, PR pros continually check the status of their deepening tan lines, rather than the status of their Twitter timelines.
2. You’re blissfully unaware of red tape. On vacation, a six-pack on the beach helps PR pros forget about the six-tiered approval process for press releases.
3. You recalibrate your priorities. On vacation, you realize drafting a pale ale beats drafting an e-mail.
For the rest, check out “Seven Reasons You Need a Vacation.”
Back to School
Over the last week, I’ve had the opportunity to visit Seattle Pacific University and Seattle University to discuss the variety of work available for public relations professionals interested in politics and policy. Saturday, I joined new PR professionals and career-changers at the Puget Sound PRSA Career Jumpstart Conference. Wednesday, I visited Barry Mitzman’s Strategic Communications class at Seattle U.
Speaking engagements like these give me a chance to step back and think about the career path I’ve followed. It’s refreshing to separate myself from the day-to-day deadlines, e-mail and meetings and take some time to really appreciate the important role public relations has played in our nation’s history and the role it continues to play today.
While PR sometimes gets a bad rap, good communication skills have been a necessary foundation for any strong government or political undertaking.
When I talk to people about the role of public relations in history, one of my favorite examples is Samuel Adams, American Revolutionary, founding father and master of strategic public relations. Consider just a few of the tactics used influence public opinion during revolutionary times:
- The Sons of Liberty: Community organization
- The Liberty Tree: Symbolism
- “No taxation without representation”: Slogans
- The Boston Tea Party: Special events
- The Boston Massacre: Framing the story
Taken together in a sustained and focused manner, all of these tactics helped build public support for the revolution that resulted in the birth of our nation.
Fast-forward to present times. We continue to see these tactics used in modern day politics whether it’s campaign season or not.
Whether we work for the Legislature, Congress, statewide elected officials, think tanks, membership organizations, unions, business associations or think tanks, public affairs professionals spend our days communicating our clients’ positions, working to establish and maintain credibility on issues and persuading others to consider and adopt our viewpoints.
The issues may change from day-to-day or you may be laser-focused on a specific issue area, but that’s what makes these jobs so exciting.
What keeps you coming back?