Wine and PRSA

Last week I had the pleasure of attending an event featuring Gary Vaynerchuck – a smart businessman who is changing the wine industry and leveraging social media to do so. He has daily videos where he tastes and evaluates wine, and regularly interacts with fans through every social media medium available…check out his daily videos here.

He has built a strong following – with people coming to see him from around New England. He managed to pack a room with 200 people and keep us entertained for 90 minutes (and it could have gone longer).

Out of the entire discussion last week, there are three thoughts that I wanted to share with everyone. Specifically, a few of his comments can be applied to public relations and the PRSA in general. I do not think Gary will mind to much, since I am taking the seeds he planted in my mind and growing them into full blown thoughts for you all to taste and evaluate…

1) The only way to improve your wine palate is to taste wine – You can read the magazines, watch the movies, read books, and visit vineyards; but in the end, what gives you a true appreciation for wine is by actually tasting it. The same applies to PR, social media and PRSA. Theory is essential. You need to have a grounding in the fundamentals…but in the end you need to execute. You need to practice what you preach. If you aren’t engaged – why not? The same goes for the PRSA…you should try out all the different offerings this organization has. Local programs are great, but have you explored the industry groups? District conference? Tried the teleseminars? The only way you can see all that PRSA has to offer is to sample it and find what you like and what you dislike.

2) The only way to appreciate wine is to stay out of a rut – try new things. Most people find a few wines and stick to them. They have wine racks full of Yellowtail, Conundrum,  Cakebread Chardonnay and Parallel 44. (This gives you an inkling of my tastes). That’s great, but it is limiting. Try a new wine frequently. The same applies to PR. It’s why a good PR pros are constantly looking for the next new channel, a new approach to doing things. The PRSA leaders (Chapter and national) reading this should take this to heart. Jeff’s response to CBS was outstanding and a new approach. What other new tools and technologies can we use to communicate with our members?

3) Wine is a living thing – unlike my beloved single malt scotch, wine changes from year to year. A wine that was great one year may be horrible (or as Gary says ‘utter crap’) the next year. This holds true for even the best, most proven and time tested wines. Ask any wine connoisseur about 2007 Bordeaux. Too often companies and PR people fall into that trap. It worked last time, we should do it again. As we all know from the financial services commercials – past performance is not an indicator of future results. Always re-evaluate…is this likely to work this time? Is there something better I should try? I know my teams ask me that constantly and as PRSA members we need to challenge ourselves. DoI really just want to go to two meetings a year? Should we put on our 5th program on social media in a row, or is there a unmet need we are overlooking?

Sláinte Mhath!

Simple social media truths

Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking on a panel that was focused on providing “practical advice for social media.” The last questions was – what one final piece of advice to do you have.

Thanks to the excellent camera work of Amanda Gravel of SHIFT Communications, you can now watch it yourself…

http://socialhoneycomb.com/videos-pub-club-new-media

Enjoy.

Becoming a transformational leader

Last week I attended the PRSA National leadership meeting (they wanted to give me some training before I was inflicted on you in ’09). We had a great speaker – Col. Donna Brazil – who heads up the leadership curriculum at West Point. She recently returned from Afghanistan where she helped them set up their military academy.

It was a 90 minute session, and I wanted to share one of her points with all my loyal readers, for we can all take something from it.

Seven behaviors of transformational leaders

• Develop and communicate vision -Do not just say “We will be the best” or “We will provide the best service.” You need to explain what does being the best/providing the best service mean

• Use unconventional (creative) strategies – Process has its place, but you need to encourage people to try new things -Give your people enough rope to run, but not to hang them. Let folks go with ideas and fix their own mistakes as long as it will not kill you or them.

• Show high expectations & confidence in followers -If you don’t shoot for the moon, you will never reach it.

• Show individualized concern -You can’t treat everyone the same way. Interact with your staff the way they need.

• Demonstrate self-sacrifice-Lead by example. Don’t ask others to do what you have not done/won’t do

• Act confident and optimistic (even if not)- A leader must be like a duck – calm and cool on top when swimming on the water. But they are paddling like hell under the water where no one can see.

• Use emotional appeals

This is something we should all strive to do every day.

Ethics aren’t just to be discussed, they are to be lived

If you are reading this, you are probably aware of the recent attack on public relations professionals and their ethics by a commentator on CBS Sunday. If not, you can read it here.

PRSA National has done a great job of responding quickly. Jeff Julin came out swinging and I applaud him. I often tell PRSA National they need to be more responsive, and this time they were. It is great to see.

But all the dialogue and the discussion will just be another in the series of ongoing fights between reporters and PR pros. That’s not to say we should roll over and take it, but it does mean we should consider actions not words.

I have had the pleasure and honor of meeting hundreds of ethical, outstanding counselors in my time in PRSA. And yes, I have met some (thankfully not in PRSA) that I know do not abide by our code of ethics. I used to hear about them from time to time from my wife, when she was working as an editor.

Something struck me this morning. The PR industry loves to give out awards. Campaigns, tactics, you name it. We give them out at the regional and national level. They are all for excellence in PR, or along the lines of a lifetime achievement award.

Since ethics is at the core of our profession – why don’t we highlight a few people each year that don’t just discuss ethics, but live it as part of their daily lives and practice.

A Profiles in Courage Award or Kennedy Center Honors – except for PR and ethics. To win though, people have to give concrete examples of how they handled thorny, ethical issues.

This would give the next generation of PR pros something to emulate and would showcase that its not just the great placement or measurement program that matters, but practice to the highest standards of our profession?

What do you think?

(And yes, expect this blog to be much more active moving forward…)