CONSIDERING unprecedented issues and disasters most organisations are experiencing amidst public relations (PR) departments and their personnel, there has been a growing concern on whether PR practitioners are serving their purpose or not.
But before one goes into details of this subject, let’s continue thanking God for His gift of life as we move towards the New Year 2014. Let’s keep our lives safe so that, God willing, we all enter
2014 in peace. Happy New Year 2014 to all our esteemed readers!
When this writer met Mirriam Zimba, she said: “Mmmh, I like reading your articles about PR in Sunday Times of Zambia every Sunday.” I looked at Ms Zimba and asked her why she liked reading PR Forum articles in the Sunday Times of Zambia.
Ms Zimba, who is a public relations officer (PRO) at Labour and Social Security Ministry said: “You know Mr Ndhlovu, your articles are refreshing, especially for me who comes from a journalism background.”
While showing me the article about ‘How do you want to be remembered’ which was published on 15/12/2013, she said PR Forum articles provided one with some PR educative details which were good for PR practice.
She said PR Forum articles were good for anyone in PR practice, including top management officials in any organisation.
Ms Zimba explained that she once worked for Times of Zambia before she joined the Labour and Social Security Ministry as a PRO.
Some big organisations in the recent past have experienced or faced unprecedented events or reputation damage from various statements, decisions or actions made or taken in such organisations.
This is because some statements, decisions and actions made or taken have attracted negative comments and reactions from respective customers, clients or members of the general public.
We have seen loss of customers in some organisations due to poor handling of quality of products or services.
We have also learnt that some organisations have low and poor environmental and health safety measures leading to regular accidents and in some cases loss of lives of some workers.
Some organisations have lost a certain level of government support because of low and poor adherence to legal obligations and low and poor corporate social responsibility-related issues.
It is reported in the Press that some organisations underrate Government institutions and their officers.
Others don’t check what is said to some stakeholders and how it is said on issues that affect mutual understanding, good relationships and goodwill between an organisation and its stakeholders.
It has also been reported that some Government institutions have had serious financial irregularities and mismanagement for some years now.
All these are PR issues which respective PR practitioners and their top management officials are supposed to iron out to maintain or improve on their relationships with respective stakeholders.
Both stakeholders of the respective organisations and the general public have expressed surprise and concern over such occurrences in some organisations despite top management officials and PR practitioners in such organisations.
What has been the most surprising thing on such situations is that most of the affected organisations have PR practitioners with various titles such as PR officer (PRO), PR manager (PRM), corporate affairs manager, communications manager, head: PR and communications, etc.
The questions one asks are what are the functions of such PR positions in organisations? How do organisations use PR practitioners in their respective organisations? Are such positions merely for decorations to portray a picture that an organisation is serving interests of stakeholders; and that it is ready to address issues that the latter bring to an organisation while in real sense this is not the case?
This article has been sparked by what some PR practitioners in Lusaka and on the Copperbelt have observed as the common practice of PR or using PR practitioners in most organisations. But some PR practitioners talked to have said that the challenges PR practitioners face are internal as well as external.
And most PR practitioners interviewed said what most PR practitioners did in their respective organisations were just drops in the ocean of major functions of professional PR practice in an organisation.
It has been said that internal causes of poor PR practice are that some PR practitioners don’t know what they are supposed to do in PR.
As a result, Loyce Saili said the challenges most PR practitioners faced were that they liked being used as ‘Chola Girls’ or ‘Chola Boys’ of chief executive officers (CEOs) in their respective organisations.
Ms Saili, who is the head of PR in Road Development Agency, said PR practitioners were supposed to render PR technical and strategic advice to top management officials and the CEO of an organisation in particular.
Such views were echoed by Topsy Sikalinda. Mr Sikalinda said a PR practitioner was part of top management of any organisation. Mr Sikalinda, who is Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company marketing and PR manager, said as part of top management, a PR practitioner was supposed to provide strategic advice to the CEO and top management officials individually and collectively in top management meetings.
Marlon Kananda expressed similar views on the main functions of a PR practitioner. Mr Kananda, who is MultiChoice PR manager, said a PR practitioner should have direct access to respective CEO at any time to advise on PR issues and give strategic options to correct or address situations.
But Mr Kananda said most PR practitioners in the country were just used for events, media relations and Press releases.
But most PR practitioners interviewed said the big challenge some PR practitioners faced was that they were in low hierarchy levels of their respective organisations. It was also noted that most PR practitioners didn’t have the necessary managerial qualifications to know and understand the strategic issues of an organisation to advise strategically on most of the issues affecting an organisation.
Mr Sikalinda and Me Kananda said a PR practitioner should report directly to the CEO to share and discuss issues affecting an organisation, and that PR practitioners should provide strategic PR advice to top management and CEOs.
In short, it has been observed that some PR practitioners appreciate some top management or CEOs using them as ‘Chola Girls’ or ‘Chola Boys’ or using them just for events, media relations and Press releases as such PR practitioners cannot do more than such functions in their respective organisations.
It is from such a background that Ms Saili urged PR practitioners in the country to take up advanced management courses to keep abreast with strategic management issues affecting organisations for PR practitioners to be relevant to their client organisations.
It is inspiring to learn that former students like Nomsa Ingwe (Kaingu Women in Agriculture), Veronica Mwaba (Comesa Secretariat) and many others are studying to further their PR and managerial qualifications for effective PR practice.
But what factors do some organisations consider in recruiting a PR practitioner? Why do most CEOs and top management officials recruit and position PR practitioners in the low ranks of an organisation?
What do some CEOs and top management officials expect from a PR practitioner? Do some CEOs and some top management officials appreciate the role of professional PR in organisations?
Or better still, what role do top management officials and CEOs play in ensuring that an organisation practices professional PR?
Despite common low and poor professional PR practice common in most organisations, some PR practitioners are doing very well. Those who might not be doing well might be either because of not having sound training in PR or adequate PR professional support is given to them.
And this is why Zambia Public Relations’ Association (ZAPRA) was formed to promote professional PR and serve the interests of all PR practitioners in the country.
It is against this background that as we enter 2014, each PR practitioner, top management official and CEO should reflect on how their respective organisations havr been fairing in professional PR practice.
Should we continue with the same approach to PR practice or we should improve on our PR to attract more support from not only external stakeholders but also internal ones, especially the workers?
Let 2014 be a year for a revolution for professional PR practice in each organisation for more mutual understanding and goodwill between an organisation and its stakeholders and in the process achieve better results than ever before. Happy New Year, and wishing you a prosperous 2014!
(The author is a PR Trainer and Consultant. For comments and ideas, contact: Cell: 0967/0977 450151; E-mail:sycoraxtndhlovu@yahoo.co.uk)
