Not a member of PRSA yet or considering rejoining?
In April, new and reinstated members pay no initiation fee and receive one year of Section membership for free. That’s a savings of up to $130!
Use code “APRIL19” on sign-up and don’t forget to select PRSA Orlando Regional as your local chapter.
Questions about your PRSA membership, email Maria Wyatt-Uhl or Carter Flynn.
Take a look at PRSA Orlando’s April Newsletter.
April is APR Month — but APR Month has nothing to do with Annual Percentage Rates. A second, less recognized, definition for APR is Accreditation in Public Relations.
In the world of communication professionals, Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) is a credential earned by public relations practitioners who commit to the profession through ethical practices and sound judgment, strategic perspectives, knowledge of best practices and the use of the research planning-implementation-evaluation (RPIE) process.
Unlike other professions (e.g., physicians and attorneys), the field of public relations does not require licensure or certification to practice the craft. But it does require expertise, knowledge and training to be a successful and strategic public relations professional and counselor. The decision to pursue the APR is both personal and professional.
So why should a company or organization care if its public relations employees have earned their APR?
Accreditation is a mark of distinction. The APR is earned through a rigorous process. Practitioners are required to present their knowledge to Accredited peers for review. This is followed by a comprehensive examination that tests candidates’ knowledge of the field. Perhaps most importantly, the credential signifies an understanding and commitment to a Code of Ethics, and ability to think and plan at the strategic level.
In today’s business climate, it is critical that an organization’s public relations function adheres to ethics. The complexities associated with technology, societal change and instantaneous news make ethics more important than ever as the profession matures.
As evidenced in a recent study completed by faculty at Baylor University*, Accredited public relations practitioners possess more confidence in providing ethical counsel to senior leadership than their non-Accredited peers. In today’s business climate, a solid understanding of ethics is critical to an organization’s success.
The public relations field has moved far beyond the stereotype of spin doctors and press agents of the 20th century. Today’s PR practitioners play a vital role in reputation management, crisis communications and issues management. A seasoned public relations pro operates at the strategic level, focusing on target audiences and measurable results, not just flashy media coverage and publicity tactics.
But how do companies and organizations know they are hiring the right person? The APR credential signifies that a professional possesses the competence necessary to operate at a strategic and ethical level in an increasingly complex communications world. Hiring managers and clients who choose Accredited public relations professionals know that they have chosen competent individuals committed to providing strategic and insightful advice and counsel.
2019 marks the 55th anniversary of Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) — and our Orlando chapter has a lot to celebrate. Join us at the April program for a special recognition of our 60+ APRs in Central Florida.
Questions about APR? Mimi Flatley, APR — mflatley@tcco.com and Laura Lord-Blackwell, APR — laura.lord@ocfl.net are here to help.
Take a look at PRSA Orlando’s March Newsletter.
Authored by Mimi Flatley, APR, Co-VP of Accreditation
A few years ago, a colleague and I spoke during a university communications class about how we started in our respective careers. We began by asking the soon-to-be grads where they hoped to work after college: For a sports team, at a large health care organization, in the hospitality industry, for a leading tech company, and so on. I wasn’t surprised that not one answer was the industry I’ve spent the past decade working in—the industry that builds the stadiums, hospitals, theme parks and offices these students hoped to work in—construction.
Communications in the construction industry was not on my radar after college. But there is no place I’d rather be. While the numbers aren’t that impressive – women make up less than 9 percent of the construction workforce according to the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) – the women I work with truly shine.
Companies who “get it” address the gaps and offer ways to support diverse groups. At Turner Construction, for example, our Women Impacting Turner (WIT) employee resource group serves as a support system in the company to foster awareness, respect and inclusion. Turner Orlando’s WIT group includes a roster of more than 50 employees with a mission to work as a diverse team to build knowledge of business and leadership skills, and empower each other to develop and maintain work environments that recognize and cultivate a culture of diversity.
Each year during NAWIC’s Women in Construction Week, the group organizes professional development, community outreach, and networking events to highlight women in our industry. This helps empower women in construction. Just this past week, the group attended jobsite tours hosted by female project managers, attended safety classes, and highlighted the success of tradeswomen, an even smaller percentage of the construction workforce (3 percent).
As a communications professional, I’m glad the numbers don’t scare me. In my role today, I’m surrounded by engineers, safety managers, superintendents, and project managers – women – who are building the future. When women support each other, our numbers do not decrease our impact.
Take a look at PRSA Orlando’s February Newsletter.
Authored by Alyssa Badalamenti, Diversity & Inclusion Chair for the PRSA Orlando chapter
The PRSA Orlando chapter recently selected 12 members of diverse backgrounds to participate in an open discussion on diversity and inclusion. During the first-time experimental event, Dinner, Diversity, and Dialogue provided an opportunity for sharing personal experiences followed by a focused brainstorm on ways to support PRSA members at their organizations and extend the chapter’s diversity and inclusion initiatives.
The participants ranged from a diverse demographic makeup of varied genders, races, religions, orientations, ages, experience levels and industries. We also engaged a facilitator, Bill Hertan, to guide our conversation. He brought with him 30 years of experience in leadership and organizational development. He has lead diversity and inclusion efforts at several Fortune 500 companies and runs his own consultancy.
We immediately heard comments such as, “I’ve been waiting for something like this,” and, “I’m so glad PRSA Orlando is stepping up to the plate to directly address diversity.”
We learned that diversity and inclusion guidelines could help members when they face challenges within their own organizations, and members could use support from PRSA by creating its own best practices.
But what does a diversity and inclusion model look like?
One idea was to mimic the PRSA Code of Ethics model and co-produce guidelines with other associations, specifically with human resource management groups. PRSA National has also created a Diversity and Inclusion toolkit for chapters to use to increase diversity and inclusion within their membership. This toolkit could serve as a starting point for organizations to create their own diversity and inclusion model.
While there are not yet structured diversity and inclusion policies for communications professionals like there are for ethics, diversity and inclusion starts with intentional workplace practices. There are common themes and insights that can be used to benchmark progress. For example, we learned that simply acknowledging how our chapter embraces diversity and how we aspire to improve our efforts resulted in positive feedback and discussion. Companies that endeavor to address the issue will also experience deepened morale.
Below are some key takeaways from our discussion at supper:
INITIAL THOUGHTS
FROM THEN TO NOW
HOW DOES DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AFFECT OUR COMMUNICATION?
IT STARTS AT THE HR LEVEL
WHAT COMPANIES CAN DO FROM THE GET-GO:
THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF EQUALITY
CONSENSUS
At the very least, the consensus was that the public relations profession can promote the importance of diversity and inclusion within agencies, corporations and with clients through strategic counsel, communications and recruiting.
Companies should start by implementing or revamping diversity and inclusion policies. It’s equally important to hire diverse talent that reflects their audiences to better understand unique cultural perspectives.
By embedding diversity and inclusion within company culture, incorporating good workplace practices, and having a team that represents diverse individuals, companies can better relate to their audiences, avoid tone-deaf mistakes, and enhance their business.
We look forward to hearing more from you about how PRSA can help communications professionals address diversity and inclusion in the profession and at large. We welcome suggestions from all of our members. Please reach out to PRSA Orlando’s Diversity and Inclusion Chair, Alyssa Badalamenti, to continue the discussion and provide feedback.
Take a look at PRSA Orlando’s January Newsletter.
by Alyssa Badalamenti, PRSA Diversity and Inclusion Chair
@PRSAOrlando, your chapter implemented a consistent diversity and inclusion blog that addresses timely topics, but also isn’t afraid to rid formality – share top lessons learned?
PRSA Orlando: We heard feedback from our members that it was refreshing to hear our chapter address #PRdiversity topics in a casual way – just like we were talking at lunch — rather than a formal “by the book” approach. We learned that being direct in addressing #PRdiversity topics allowed opportunity for more focused discussion with our members. This inspired us to create a new event called Dinner, Diversity & Dialogue to continue those conversations.
Making diversity and inclusion part of the business strategy should be a top priority for all @PRSA @PRSSANational chapters for #PRdiversity to be effective. @PRSAOrlando, last calendar year, your chapter reinstated a Diversity & Inclusion Chair, one you hadn’t had for some time – what led to the reinstatement & what are lessons learned?
PRSA Orlando: Orlando has always been a melting pot, especially because of our welcoming tourism. When the Pulse nightclub tragedy occurred in 2016, all of us in the Orlando community become a voice to remind each other and others how Orlando is proud to be diverse and inclusive. As Orlando strongly united as #OnePulse, the PRSA Orlando chapter BOD unanimously approved the re-establishment of a D&I Chair. #PRdiversity has become a focus for all members of the board – and something we expect to build on indefinitely.
You’ve been named an award-winning @PRSA chapter in 2018 for #PRdiversity – what are you most proud of looking back at the year when it comes to championing diversity & inclusion in our practice?
PRSA Orlando: We are most proud of our members. We have given our members more of a voice through our initiatives, and are still learning and identifying approaches to be more effective. Check out some of our member quotes on what #PRdiversity means to them: https://prsaorlando.org/diversity-inclusion/
Following up on the last question, looking ahead to 2019, what are your plans/goals for #PRdiversity within your chapter? Or in general for @PRSA @PRSSANational?
PRSA Orlando: We plan to take our findings from #PRdiversity discussions and programs to produce a white paper addressing what D&I looks like to our members. We also plan on partnering with other great associations to create some best practices for public relations professionals.
As we wrap up our final #PRdiversity Twitter Chat for 2018, we’ll ask for any closing thoughts from our guests?
PRSA Orlando: Don’t be afraid to address what you consider as taboo – just TALK about it! Ask questions to learn, discuss to consider, and take action to create positive change. Thank you @PRSAdiversity for honoring us with an award for our chapter efforts in diversity and inclusion this year. We look forward to learning more from @PRSANational and other chapters to make a continuing impact.
Follow us at @PRSAOrlando and follow #PRdiversity and @PRSADiversity to read more.
Take a look at PRSA Orlando’s December Newsletter.