We often hear about a bright, experienced employee who has been promoted.  In this new position, the employee will be leading a team – something he/she has never done before or been equipped to do.

 People are not born successful managers. It takes time, training and guidance from mentors and peers as well as hands-on experience to become an effective manager.  Those of us who are more experienced managers may find ourselves in a supervisory or mentoring position to help bring along less experienced colleagues.

How can you advise a new manager as he or she enters into this next phase of their  career?  Here are a few fundamentals you can share with someone who is tackling their first management opportunity. 

Managing people is both an art and science. The art of managing is recognizing that each person is different and will require a different style of communication and attention. This takes time, but being a manager is about giving time to your employees. A manager cannot assume that by managing everyone identically he will get the same results from everyone.  Learn to develop an appropriate approach that works for each individual.  

Rely on process to create greater management effectiveness. Gut and instinct are important when dealing with people, but effective managers rely on process to guide their management practices. In our organization, we call this the Management Cycle of Success, and it has four phases. This cycle includes:

    Planning

    Communicating and directing

    Developing and coaching

    Observing and assessing

The primary role of manager is to utilize employees to help an organization achieve its business goals. In order to accomplish this, a good manager works with employees to ensure they understand tasks and can properly deliver results.  You must also ensure that knowledge and experience are readily transferred between employees for the benefit of all. Work with each employee to help them develop to his/her fullest potential as a professional so  everyone wins: the employee, the organization, and you as the manager.

Effective communication is the hallmark of a good manager. Perfectionism and micromanaging do not help employees become successful; but consistent and effective communication do.  As a manager, you must both listen to and talk with your employees — frequently.  If you manage people who work from other locations, maintain consistent communication via phone and e-mail, a critical component to bridge the gap between face-to-face meeting times. Proactive communication helps prevent mistakes, conflict and failure.

Just because an employee is a self-starter and motivated does not mean he/she doesn’t need a manager. These employees need communication and guidance like anyone else. Do not neglect them because they are not the “squeaky wheel” of the office.  

Being a manager is one of the most challenging and rewarding things a professional will do in his/her career. It takes time, patience and above all desire to help others grow.  Hopefully these tips can be of help to you or others you know who are working to become more effective managers.

Finding a balance between one’s professional life and personal life has always been a challenge. In difficult economic times it may seem impossible. Work becomes more important than ever before – those who have jobs may be working harder to adjust to staffing and budget cuts, while those who do not have jobs are focusing all their efforts and energy on finding employment. Throw in technology’s mixed blessing of 24/7 access to phone, e-mail and Internet, and the professional can quickly eclipse the personal completely.

But, these are the times when finding the balance is the most critical. Making a conscious effort to carve out time for activities not related to work — family, exercise, volunteer work, hobbies – fosters creativity, prevents burnout, rejuvenates and “sharpens the saw.” The most successful companies recognize this and create a culture where their employees are equally passionate about the professional and the personal aspects of their lives.

This month’s issue of Citiscapes Metro Monthly features a profile of Elise, and in particular, how she achieves balance in her own life (full article below in Acrobat.com link). There is no set formula for achieving balance, and it is often a constantly-evolving process. Standing on one foot requires subtle shifts of weight before balance is achieved; the mental act of balancing professional and personal interests calls for the same constant adjustment.

Attention!

Or as a military drill instructor would say,”Tennnn-Hut”, this week the Northwest Arkansas Public Relations Society of America chapter is hosting “Blogger Boot Camp and Beyond”, a content-rich afternoon focused on getting started in the space and joining in the conversation of social media. Ed Nicholson of Tyson Foods (client) and I will be offering tips to public relations professionals and journalists about the ways to grow communities and energize stakeholders with social networking tools. As a part of the training we’ll offer up links to helpful sites such as, http://www.copyblogger.com/ and drill-down into writing for a blog. Here are a few rules we like to use in our regiment at MCG: 

• Make your opinion known
• Link to relevant sites - YouTube, Flickr, Twitter etc. 
• Write succinct copy
• Use snappy headlines
• Write with passion
• Include bullets or lists
• Organize and edit your content
• Make your post easy to scan
• Be consistent with your style

I’ll be calling out this blog post in our session, so be sure to share your marching orders on ways you add discipline to your blog. We’ll also cover “at-ease” methods to research what’s being said about your brand.

So, if you didn’t get a chance to sign up for “Blogger Boot Camp and Beyond” then follow our hashtag #nwaprsa on Twitter.

See you at 0200.

Regardless of your industry or position, to be a successful professional you must communicate effectively. Learning to write well is an important part of being a good communicator. Yet in the pursuit of message development, many professionals often overlook the use of proper grammar basics in their communication materials.  

Words are powerful tools that can help — or hurt –  you. Using proper grammar, spelling and punctuation can make a big difference in how people perceive you and how well they receive your message. Much of grammar is based on common sense that, once learned, can help you avoid the most common writing errors. All it takes is a few extra minutes to (a) choose your words carefully and (b) proofread your work before sending it out. 

Here are a few of my favorite grammar basics to help you polish your writing skills. 

Noun/pronoun agreement

• Incorrect: ABC Company aspires to do the best for their shareholders.
• Correct: ABC Company aspires to do the best for its shareholders.
• Reason: ABC Company is one entity. You need to use “it” to reflect the singular status.
• However: Executives of ABC Company aspire to do the best for their shareholders. 

Dates

• Incorrect: On June 15, 1836 Arkansas became the 25th state.
• Correct: On June 15, 1836, Arkansas became the 25th state. 
• Reason: Remember to use a comma after both the day of the month AND the year.
• However: Do not use commas when there is not a specific day of the month. Example: During June 1836, Arkansas became the 25th state.

Comparisons

• Incorrect: That girl is older than me. 
• Correct: That girl is older than I (am old).
• Reason: You wouldn’t say: “Me am old.” Case agreement is essential with pronouns. “Me” is an objective pronoun, and “I” is a subjective pronoun. In comparisons, “I” is the subject. Objective pronouns receive the action of the verb.

Comma splices

• Incorrect: I was busy, therefore I decided to work late. 
• Correct: I was busy, so I decided to work late.
• Reason: When you have two complete sentences (independent clauses), you must use a coordinating conjunction to prevent a comma splice or run-on sentence.
• Coordinating conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (use the acronym FANBOYS to remember)
• Do not use conjunctive adverbs: however, therefore, accordingly, consequently, moreover, nevertheless, thus

Everybody is always singular

• Incorrect: Everybody needs to bring their ideas to the table.
• Correct: Everybody needs to bring his or her ideas to the table.
• Reason: Although “everybody” might feel like more than one person, you can remember it is singular by saying “every single body” to yourself.

Here is a great online resource for more grammar tips and exercises:  http://owl.english.purdue.edu.

 
Great work deserves to be recognized, and that’s just what the local chapter of the Public Relations Society of America gathered to do recently.  Outstanding communications strategies as well as creative tactics of all kinds were honored as the best of the best for 2008.  

Every spring, our chapter’s Apex Awards program invites practitioners (both members and non-members alike) to submit their work from the prior year for judging and award consideration by another PRSA chapter. This year, awards were presented in 14 categories including traditional and not-so-traditional communications. In addition to excellence in writing and publications such as brochures and annual reports, awards were also given for emerging media tools including blogs, webcasts, Web sites and social media. 

I’m pleased to say we had some reasons to celebrate.  Mitchell Communications Group took home three awards including:

• Best social media campaign: “2008 Social Media Hunger Challenge” of Boston and the Bay Area in conjunction with long-time MCG client Tyson Foods, Inc.;
• Feature writing: “Finding Resources in the Rain” for Horizon magazine, the Southwestern Energy Company royalty owner newsletter MCG produces each quarter; and
• Press conferences: “Tyson Foods One-Million Pound Donation Kick-Off” in conjunction with Tyson Foods.
  

The MCG team also celebrated the naming of fellow team member, Cydnee Cochran, APR, as the 2008 Professional of the Year.  Cydnee’s 20 years of experience in public relations and her depth and breadth of experience gained throughout that time is an important part of the senior-level bench strength and strategic approach we bring to our clients every day.  We are delighted to have her receive this well deserved recognition, and we salute all 2008 Apex Award winners for their efforts in the name of excellence. 

MCG team members take home awards: Michael Clark, Cydnee Cochran, Holly Gilbert and Heather Ellington.

Congratulations to all the winners for the great work you do.

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
Abraham Lincoln

I recently joined a volunteer team of Northwest Arkansas business leaders to teach a class on interview tips and skills to an amazing room of job seekers and the participants shared that one piece of the advice stood out- Preparation.

Preparation is one of the fundamentals of strategic thinking. And when is it more important to be strategic than when working toward your next career goal? In jobs-skills training there are three key elements of preparation prior to an interview:

• Assess yourself – from your personal presentation, what you wear and how you speak, to the experience and skills that you possess-you need to know yourself. Be ready to relate your experience and expertise with the requirements of the position. You might think you do not have project management experience, but after assessing, you see that volunteering to head up a charity committee includes managing a team of 12, budgeting, reaching a goal and reporting results.
• Research – know the company, competitors and industry where you are interviewing. An employee who educates themselves and seeks out information is invaluable. Show your interviewer that you possess this ability.
• Plan ahead – competition for jobs is fierce. Think through the interview from arrival to completion and have a plan.
• Scout out the interview location in advance - being late to the interview will not put you ahead.
• Be organized during the interview - bring fresh copies of your resume, a pen and paper.
• Have your questions ready - focus your questions on topics like the company and how this position contributes to the goals of the organization. Questions are an opportunity for you to engage in meaningful dialogue on the position and your abilities that would recommend you for the role. This, however, is not the time to ask what the company can do for you.

Sharpening your axe in advance will give you confidence during the interview and show your potential employer that you are prepared to be an accomplished member of their team. So to everyone currently on the job hunt, best of luck as you begin the next phase of your career- prepared.

It’s Friday afternoon and I had a really interesting inbound cold-call from Matthew with http://locamoda.com/ He introduced me to a product they have named Wiffiti. So, I went online to check it out.

I have to say I’m usually pretty up-to-date on the SM side of our business, but this was a pretty interesting tool that according to Matthew and Locamoda, is a communications application that enables people to send messages directly to screens in live locations (digital screens) and online simultaneously.

They also say, organizations have used Wiffiti on large screens at their events and on their blogs and social networking profiles. So I set up a wiffitti test page to see how it works. Check it out and comment, please note that the tags I set up are feeding the river of news. 

Click http://wiffiti.com/clouds/1254 or in the lower right hand corner if you want to see it full screen, you can comment by TXT too if you like…BTW, I put a “G” rating on it, but who knows what the world might have to say about public relations. Have a good weekend!

One trait of a good public relations practitioner is being a great storyteller. We communicate on behalf of our clients every day and have the opportunity to tell their story by carefully crafting messages through media materials, speeches and feature stories. 

While each of these methods may ultimately convey the same overall message, how the information is delivered to the reader varies. A news story, for instance, dives directly into the four W’s and gives the reader an immediate and clear picture of the news. Feature stories, on the other hand, draw the reader in with vivid images, emotion or by stimulating the senses, delivering the news as a secondary component to piquing the reader’s interest.

See if you can tell the difference.

ABC Company has built more than 100 ponds on private land this year to secure access to water for its operations. The company says the ponds are an innovative alternative to using the state’s natural water sources. 

OR

Call it what you will; a fishing hole, a swimming hole or just a place to skip rocks on a lazy afternoon. To Ben and Tracy Walker, it’s a dream come true. Most summer days you’ll find this young family of four splashing in the cool, clear water of their four-acre pond, picnicking on its tree-lined shore or teaching their children how to cast a fishing line.

Did you notice how they vary? The first example goes straight to the facts while the second is delivered as a human interest story, pulling the reader in with words that make the story come to life.

 These tips will help you build a better feature story:

• To be a great storyteller you must first be a great story knower.
• When interviewing someone, take note of your surroundings, their personality and their features. Incorporating these elements into your story sets the stage and paints a clear image of the characters in your piece.
• Use descriptive verbs and nouns rather than adverbs and adjectives. This is where the writing gets fun and really allows the reader to connect to the piece.
• Incorporate similes and metaphors.
• Write in third person with first person quotes.
• Use direct quotes and use them often.
• An informal tone is acceptable in feature stories unlike in news stories.
• Side bars and photography are great additions to features.
• End your story with a quote or with words that allow the reader to visualize where your subject may go from that point on.

A good feature story not only educates the reader but creates meaningful interest in the subject at hand. It’s an engaging and creative way to share your story.

In case I piqued your interest in the Walker family, I can tell you they plan to enjoy their pond for years to come telling me, “We’ve already begun dreaming of things we can do here, occasions we will celebrate and all of the memories that have yet to be made.”

One of my favorite storytellers is Arkansas’ own Pulitzer Prize-winner Paul Greenberg, editorial page editor of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Paul is one of the most respected and honored commentators in the U.S. You can read some of his most recent stories here: http://www2.arkansasonline.com/staff/paul-greenberg/.

Crises can come out of nowhere and can happen to any client. And you can bet people are going to be blogging and tweeting about it—perhaps before you even get to tell the story. Most companies and public relations firms have crisis communications plans that they immediately implement when these unexpected situations arise. With the ever-so-popular social media networks that have emerged, companies and public relations professionals alike must rethink how to handle crisis communications on the blogosphere. I read a great article this week on PRSA.org by Gerald Baron and Dr. John “Pat” Philbin, APR, titled Social media in crisis communication:  Start with a drill.

According to the article, there are three key elements essential to any crisis communications response: policies, plans and people.

• Policy – Social media should be seen as an arena for conversation rather than merely a channel for directing messages. There is only one decision to make regarding social media–and that is whether you choose to participate in the conversation or let it go on without you. 
• Planning – Know what social media is, consider your options and know what kind of impact each of these may have on your organization. Crisis communications planning today must incorporate monitoring, active engagement with relevant sites and the use of emerging forms of social media.
• People – Are the people who will respond on behalf of your organization conversant with social media? Do they understand the social media culture? Are they capable of engaging in a way consistent with the values and priorities of that culture?

Crisis communications planning can be difficult to implement if the crisis has yet to happen. Most companies and public relations firms have drills to replicate a disaster or situation to ensure they cover all bases for any unexpected situations that may come up. At Mitchell Communications Group, we strive to provide our clients with results, and one way we do this is engaging social media as a communication channel to build relationships. 

Click here to read the entire story on PRSA.org.

The world is full of leaders, historically mostly men, but according to the Center for Women’s Business, today more than 50 percent of the privately owned firms in the country are owned by women. Mitchell Communications Group is headed up by one of those dynamic and entrepreneurial women. This month Elise was named one of AY Magazine’s Most Powerful Women in Arkansas. Her accolades and accomplishments are a direct reflection of her exceptional leadership skills. Each day I watch Elise in action and take note of the expertise and attributes that are essential to any successful business leader.

• Poise – No matter the problem, leaders must be poised and level-headed, ready to take action and make the necessary decisions to solve a problem.
• Influence – Influential leaders’ opinions are valued and sought after. Their decision-making skills and intuitive ideas are honored throughout their business community.
• Encouragement – Offering encouragement to employees and coworkers is essential; more encouragement equals harder workers, which in return produce better outcomes.
• Strategic thinking – Successful leaders are creative and are continually thinking “outside the box.” Good leaders do not settle for generic but strive to be insightful.

Working for a great business leader like Elise inspires everyone at MCG to work hard and achieve outstanding results for our clients. I continually learn from the great leaders (women and men) around me and strive to put their best practices to work.