Do NOT Hire These Five Corporate Affairs Managers!

Author: DavidPark - September 10 2009

I was wrong. I thought my approaches to PR issues learned over 20+ years in corporate affairs were – well – permanent: like templates in my mind. But developments in social media have challenged each one. And that’s great. I’m having a rethink: especially about corporate affairs and its challenges.

This re-think was kicked along last Friday at David Meerman Scott’s Master Class. Two of his six Rules of the Wave drilled me. A double-barrelled blast that gave my few remaining templates a bollocking. Here are those rules:

Number 1 = nobody cares about your products (except you). Number 3 = lose control of your messages.

Topping this, David then observed that the era of mass media (1930s on) was an aberration: a distortion. BANG! What? As I understood him, this aberration of media monoliths is being increasingly challenged by a reversion to simpler, smaller and more human (humane?) scale communications. All via the web: especially social media.

Cutting to the chase: How do these insights help pick corporate affairs executives?

Well, for decades the foundations for corporate communications were, I believed, a tripod of (1) staff devotedly caring for their products; (2) carefully crafted key messages; and (3) mass media transmitting the messages to waiting readers.

Sound familiar? So ..hiring a corporate affairs exec? May I recommend a re-think? Here are five to avoid.

1 The Propagandist

You’ll pick this one quickly. They’ll sprout on that ‘simple messages repeated often’ is good PR. What a quickly-dating, ‘Goebbels’ approach to corporate comms. Such simplification worked when there was no competition to mass media. But today, in a hyper-connected market, this “turn the volume up if they’re not listening” approach is out of synch. No question that brands need consistency: but in corporate affairs today a bunkered and inflexible approach to messages is just silly. Pass on the propagandist!

2 The Inside Centre

In rugby the inside centre simply passes the ball along. They don’t stop or question: in one hand – out the other. In any sport it’s a brave player who challenges the rules. But times demand it if ground rules change. Be wary of those who would take the ordained key messages straight from the C-suite unquestioningly. Seek out those applying fresh thinking to corporate reputation development in this networked world. Regardless, seek out those who who have the balls to challenge the agreed company line. Give the inside centre the flick pass!

3 The “Why so serious?”

‘The Joker’, played by Heath Ledger, asks this question in The Dark Knight. It’s apt. Because equally criminal is the view that corporate reputation must always be managed seriously. “We couldn’t! We run a serious business.” See Rule 3 = lose control of your messages. This is no light-hearted challenge. If more corporations responded with humility, humanity and – yes – some humour to issues and challenges then many of their big crises may have stayed little. They might even accrue goodwill. And, let’s face it, if Barack Obama can lose control of his message then so can most companies. Business is serious. But it should not preclude empathy, having fun and occasionally doing the unexpected. If the candidate shows no lighter side then LOL: next!

4 The Big End of Towner

This candidate is fixated on big names. He or she usually drops the terms ‘key opinion leaders’ and ‘decision makers’ every sentence or two. Don’t be surprised if this candidate recommends board-room lunches with ‘key influencers’ as well. My point is that an increasingly networked society means you simply can’t ignore the little guys.

Little ain’t always little in voice anymore. Because in that mix of little guys, opinions can be conceived, born and grow to be scary noisy giants faster than your candidate could organise a guest list for the corporate box. Ask Dell Computers or Domino’s Pizza. If the candidate can’t think small: show them the big door out.

5 The Super Strategist

Corporate affairs benefited hugely from ‘strategy’ input over the past two decades.The leap from tactical PR to strategic communications added professional influence and stature. I’m not suggesting that strategy is less important. I’m saying: Look out for ‘super strategist’. Why?

Because tactics are the new strategy. Big, rapid cycles of innovation at a tactical level are revolutionising communications; Twitter is just one of many. The ‘super strategist’ is a worry because they see themselves as above tactics: “I’m a strategist. I leave implementation to others.” Today, corporations need communicators on the wave, not behind it. As media power shifts from macro to micro, strategy demands stronger tactical roots. If a candidate is above things tactical: let them down gently.

CONFESSION:

as a corporate affairs executive I’ve played these roles at times. Importantly though: What do you think? Does the rapid emergence and impact of social media warrant such review? What sort of C-suites and boards will be open and agree to change? And can that be encouraged? Can you think of other (stereo) types that should be on the radar?

Podcast 5 o NOT Hire These Five Corporate Affairs Managers!

In this ‘Xpress’ production, hear Parky and the Warrior discuss what types of corporate affairs manager companies should AVOID hiring. Controversial, up-to-the-minute thinking! Love to hear your thoughts!