PUBLIC RELATIONS IS MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNICATION

RECENTLY I was thronged by an army of concerned men and women in Lusaka. Some rang from some districts. Astonishingly, the subject for crowding and ringing me was the same.

They wanted to express their displeasure on some of our political leaders’ statements, accusations and counter-accusations against the other. They argued that most of our political leaders’ statements and accusations are not well conceived and; therefore, not well received with the majority of Zambians. Like in any other organisation, political party leaders are chief executive officers (CEOs) of their organisations. Now to learn that some political leaders are involved in careless statements which are perceived as thorns in many citizens’ fresh reminds one of some of the definitions of Public Relations (PR); and what some PR experts, scholars and practitioners have said about PR, how it should be practiced and for what purpose. To start with, professors Lawrence Long and Vincent Hazelton described PR as a communication function of management through which organisations adapt to, alter, or maintain their environment for the purpose of achieving organisational goals. Such a PR definition is in consonant with what one of the pioneers of PR consultancy in the United States, Ivy Ledbetter Lee put as one of the conditions in Declaration of Principles in 1906 when he was negotiating for PR consultan- cy with Anthracite Coal Mine industry during its industrial unrest. Lee told top management officials in that coal mine conglomerate that, for him to successfully resolve the workers’ strike against some management decisions, he should be allowed to deal with top management of that firm; and not to be referred to junior workers to give him information about workers’ strike. Agreeing with Lee’s views on the position of PR in an organi- sation, Skinner, Von Essen and Mersham (2007:6), “Handbook of Public Relations” argue that Public Relations is also, and should of necessity be, a management function. This emphasises that PR is for top management officials who deal with corporate strategies of a firm. Therefore, appointing a junior official in an organisation to facilitate PR functions is like making decorations in an organisation which will have little or no impact on achieving an organisation’s goal. Realising the importance of PR in an organisation, Scott M Cutlip, Allen H Centre and Glen M Broom (2000:6), “Effective Public Relations” state that Public Relations is the management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organisation and in the publics on whom its success or failure depends. Since it has been argued that PR is a communication function of management; and analysing how most organisations handle PR related functions, Burson-Marsteller Worldwide president and CEO, Christopher P A Komisarjevsky in “The art of Public Relations: Real world advice from real experts” (2001:7) said an important challenge for public relations industry is helping people understand that a company’s chief executive is actually the company’s chief communications officer. This means that the CEO is a chief PR practitioner in an organisation. This is because a firm’s CEO is the one who directs all workers on what to say and do; and when with which resources. It has been argued that in reputation management, a CEO should ensure that words match deeds. In short, organisations, through the respective CEOs should walk their talk through being honest, objective, factual and fair on both what they say and do. This implies that if CEOs are the ones in the forefront of being involved in lies, bribery, corruption or sarcastic language against PR publics, the rest of the workers will just follow what their CEO does and says; and how. As a result, the whole organisation develops a culture which might distance itself from most PR publics. Of another importance in PR practice and management is how James E Grunig who edited “Excellence in Public Relations and Communication Management” defined PR. Grunig defined PR as the management of communication between an organisation and its publics. That PR is management of communication is in tandem with an old adage: “Think before you talk.’ Related to this, some communication experts say: “Engage your brain in gear before you set your mouth in motion.” Speaking with such a background is what Grunig describes as management of communication. Communication should be managed. This is because Nicky Stanton (2004:1), “Mastering communication” said the objective of communication is (a) to be received (read or heard), (b) to be understand, (c) to be accepted, and (d) to get action (change of behaviour or attitude). It can be argued that when communication does not have relevant facts or is inaccurate or uses sarcastic language with unnecessary emotions, it cannot achieve such intended objectives. Management of communication takes many efforts; and failure to do so has far reaching negative consequences on our social, professional and business life in that it affects denotative and connotative meanings of words; especially as they relate to sociological and psychological factors of communication. Because each society has derived some (other) meanings from some words, some words are not used in some societies because of their (words) prescribed (connotative) meanings which might be different from the dictionary (denotative) ones. For instance, while the word “stupid” means feeble or weak minds; it is rarely used on male and female adults in most African societies because its meaning has changed to whatever insulting word. Not well thought out statements which give wrong impression to a receiver or a group of people have also negatively affected some relationship among different individuals; including in marriages, in employment or in business; while well thought out statements have benefited some people throughout their lives! In short, effective selection of right words and well constructed sentences with honest, objective, factual, accurate and fair messages, to a large extent, promote love and unity while lies, inaccurate, sarcastic, unfair statements lead to misunderstandings, quarrels, hatred, disunity and destruction of peace between individuals or among groups of people. It is from such a background that PR is said to be management of communication to ensure that a receiver or the audience of that message do not get a wrong meaning of that message or a wrong impression about the official delivering that speech. As a result, PR is about managing the strategy and tactics of communication as an integral part of a business’s policy making and decision taking; and is also about managing the reputation of a business. (quoted in Norman Stone (1991:14), “How to manage Public Relations: Practical guidelines for effective PR management.” But in communication, it is argued that whether one is speaking or not, he or she is still communicating. Therefore, communication is not only through writing and speaking. Symbols and signs; including body language are part of communication. Even what we do right or wrong is also communication to others. Therefore, when it is said that PR is management of communication, it means that everyone in an organisation; especially top management officials should be careful with what they say and do as such give positive or negative impression on the reputation of an organisation. Summing up such an argument, Doug Newsom, Judy Vanslyk Turk and Dean Kruckeberg (n.d:2), This is PR: The Realities of Public Relations state that Public Relations is about reputation – the results of what you do, what you say and what others say about you. From the way some people crowded me on what some political leaders say and do, one can discover that people see and hear (learn) everything public, traditional and political leaders do and say. Depending on whether such actions or statements are acceptable or not; one can conclude that people record what CEOs, public, traditional and political leaders do and say for future references. Because PR publics perception and reactions can positively or negatively affect an organisation now or in future, PR is said to be the discipline which looks after the reputation with the aim of earning understanding and support, and influencing opinion and behaviour (ibid). This implies that PR objectives are also in line with Stanton’s (2004:1) objectives of communication. Although Doug Newsom, Judy Vanslyk Turk and Dean Kruckeberg views on PR might be interpreted as more associated with propaganda against some PR publics when it includes “influencing opinion and behaviour,” it is should be noted that whatever PR does is in an honest, objective, accurate and fair manner to serve the interests of an organisation and those of the stakeholders. Hence, influencing opinion and behaviour should not involve manipulation of facts and figures with a view to deceive respective PR publics as the case is in propaganda. All such definitions, views and understanding of PR collapse into what Anthony Davis (2004:5), “Mastering Public Relations” said that Public Relations culture is an organisational environment in which every participant understands both the value and purpose of PR; including the creation and maintenance of favourable reputation, and is committed to ensuring that his or her actions reflect that. Therefore, individuals, CEOs, traditional and political leaders should manage their communication; and lead by good examples in what they do and say for their subordinates to adopt and adapt to effective PR in organisation. In families and organisations, this might attract more support from PR publics for each of such organisations to achieve their respective goals.