leeds business schoolCentre for Public Relations StudiesPublic Relations Management
among Britain’s ‘Most Admired’ Companies and the 10 Competencies of Top
Communicators
leeds metropolitan university
Objectives of first project To study patterns of public relations
management among some of Britain’s Most Admired companies
To draw lessons from these for the wider public relations community
Done for Eloqui Public Relations
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Methodology Postal Survey of Management
Today’s ‘Most Admired Companies’ 2003 and 2004– 200 questionnaires distributed to most senior
communications professional– 23% response rate, FTSE 250 companies,
covering a range of sectors Follow-up interviews
– 6 - 7 half-hour interviews with survey respondents
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Findings• Responsibilities and resourcing• Links to CEO and Executive• How planning is done• How time is spent• Use of consultancies• Evaluation• What keeps them awake at night• Biggest challenges
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Responsibilities and Resourcing
The communications directorate covers the whole gamut of communications activities
Most activity is planned Plans are closely aligned with business aims Public relations is well-integrated with other
marketing and communications activities
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Responsibilities and Resourcing Department size tends to be modest –
between 2 and 7 people on average Communications budget is polarised:
34% spend over £1m per year 22% spend under £500,000 per year
All but four respondents used consultancies to support in-house staff
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The CEO 64% report to the CEO; 43% are on
the board All have regular, frequent, formal
and informal contact with the CEO: 80% daily or weekly
“I work very closely with the CEO and the FD. They are the top team for this business”
Head of External Comms, FTSE 100, Food Sector
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The Executive Executive management’s attitude to public
relations tends to follow the lead of the CEO Executive management recognises the
positive impact that public relations has on company success
..and has a reasonably strong influence on day to day public relations activity“In this organisation, where there is a priority for communications, decisions are made quickly using my expertise. That means many of the ‘hoops’ one would normally expect to jump through to get a decision, have been removed.”
Acting Corporate Communications Manager, FTSE 250 agricultural group
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The Executive
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Ranking Situation1 Financial reporting2 Issues and crisis
management3 Managing image and
reputation4 Communicating good news5 Launching a new product or
service6 Managing customer
expectations7 To support new marketing
activities
Ranked importance of PR for…
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How planning is done
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Ranking Factor1 Alignment to business2 Views of the CEO3 Guidance from the board4 Historical consistency5 Opinions of employees6 Activities of community groups7 Guidance from professional
bodies8 Activities of activist groups
Ranked importance of factors for PR strategy development…
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Activity
Ranking Activity1 Internal communication
2 Issues and crisis management3 Product promotion4 Public affairs5 Community relations6 Sponsorship
“My focus is very corporate, hence the concentration on financial PR, CSR and governance”
Ranked by amount of time spent on each activity…..
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Use of consultancies Respondents use between 1 and 4
consultancies and relationships are long-term
80% spend less than £350,000 per year on consultancies
Emphasis on retainer activities strategic input third-party advice and expertise additional / hands-on resource specific projects creativity and ideas generation
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EvaluationEvaluation tools
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Column inchesAVE
Spokesperson frequencyQualitative analysis
SpreadAudience surveyJournalist survey
Image trackingJournalist feedbackEmployee feedback
Respondents
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What keeps them awake at night?
Ranking Issue1 Speed of response and global
nature of media2 CEO concerns3 Media inaccuracy4 Growing shareholder power5 Pressure groups and activists6 Over regulation
The media printing incorrect material “potentially threatens the corporate reputation of our business” Communications Director, FTSE 100, financial sector
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Biggest challenges in future
People retaining, training, recruiting
Resources delivery, quality, value for money
Regulatory issues lobbying, operating environment
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Summary: Seven tenets of best practice
Senior communications professionals have: Acceptance by and membership of the
executive management team Involvement in the early stages of business
planning and development discussions Regular contact with the CEO Proactive planning process throughout the
year
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Summary: Seven tenets of best practiceSenior communications professionals have: Communication plans that support
business plans An excellent understanding of the sector
that allows rapid and accurate reactivity In-house teams that are regularly
supported by retained consultancies
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Objectives of second project
To study the behaviour of Top Communicators
To draw up a competency framework from this for the wider public relations community
Done for Communications Director’s Forum
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Methodology In depth interviews with 7 Board level
public relations directors by occupational psychologists context competency framework test
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Findings – the 10 competency factors
• Strategy and action• People skills• Personal communication• Personal characteristics
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Strategy and actionTakes a strategic/long term view plans ahead, remains focused on organisational
objectives thinks beyond immediate issues and links to business has a vision of objectives and reviews them regularly
Investigates and analyses gathers, probes, tests information; analytical, gets to
heart of issue uses a wide variety of sources, grasps key facts
quickly analyses potential outcomes of situation
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Strategy and actionMakes decisions and acts willing to make tough, unpopular
decisions based on information suggests various solutions, decides on
course of action quickly and implements it
makes things happen and acts with confidence
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People skillsUnderstands others open-minded when considering others, interested,
empathic and sympathetic looks for win-win and mutual benefit shows respect, works to understand motivation of
others
Leads and supports provides direction, advice and coaching fosters openness and information sharing,
acknowledges contributions elevates insights to the board
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Personal communication Networks
talks easily at all levels internally and externally builds strong, extended infrastructure across
functions builds relationships with gatekeepers and is visible
Communicates verbally and in writing, clearly, consistently and
convincingly supports arguments with facts and figures confronts senior people with difficult issues
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Personal characteristicsTakes responsibility for high standards consistent with clear personal values aligned with
organisation sets high goals and standards, accepts responsibility for them handles criticism well and learns from it Maintains a positive outlook responds well to changes or setbacks, manages pressure well aware of difference between setback and failure, uses humour deals with ambiguity well, grasping the opportunity
Prepares thoroughly spends time understanding tasks and objectives, scenario
plans involves team in planning constantly aware of arising issues
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Summary: a top communicator Is strategic and plans Is well informed Challenges others Makes hard choices Is a consummate communicator Understands people and relationships and
values them Is a tough master/mistress, for themselves
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ConclusionsTo be excellent, organisations have to have excellent communication and communicators.
Communication is shaped by the organisation, but communication also shapes organisations.
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