Being Politically Correct in the Workplace

Sarah Burgess

Merriam-Webster defines ­being politically correct as “agreeing with the idea that people should be careful to not use language or behave in a way that could offend a particular group of people.” But political correctness means more than just watching what you say and do. In an article by Kate Lorenz of CareerBuilder.com, it also means learning about others and respecting the differences that make each of us unique. This comes into play even more when co-workers are unsure of what to say or how to act after certain political or cultural events, such as all of the recent news about racism, justice and equality. 

So, how exactly do you remain politically correct at work? Here are a few tips to help you get started:

• Self assessment – Take a deep internal look at yourself and try to think about any conscious or unconscious prejudices you may have, whether it’s a stereotype, negative feelings toward an individual or group, etc. Making yourself aware of such negative feelings can help you adjust your attitude and behavior appropriately. Like you’ve always heard, admitting it is the first step.
• External assessment – Once you’ve figured out some of your own prejudices, take some time to do research about what other forms of prejudice are popping up in the news frequently. Open your eyes to other topics and issues that might be offensive to your employer or co-workers. Your research might even lead you to beating your biases, as education in itself can often help people overcome prejudices.
• Practice makes perfect – Now comes the hard part – putting all of your hard work into action. It usually takes about three weeks to form a habit, so make sure you’re constantly practicing and being mindful of your political correctness. Some things to avoid: politically incorrect language, thoughts and actions; exclusionary, gender-specific language; explicitly religious terms; and expressions that devalue people with physical or mental disabilities.
• Not-so-golden rule – We’ve always heard the Golden Rule – do unto others as you would have them do unto you. However, when it comes to matters of political correctness, this might not always apply. Remember that in heated situations, what doesn’t offend you might entirely offend a co-worker due to their race, religion or background. You never know if what you say could end up repeated. Social media makes word-of-mouth travel even faster (and you never know who is filming you). 

It may seem like being politically correct in the workplace isn’t worth it, but studies have shown that political correctness at work can help inspire new creativity among a work team. So, to boost your workplace’s innovation, be respectful of those you work with and avoid uncomfortable and even job-threatening situations by putting these steps into practice every day.

Any tips we didn’t mention? List them in the comments below!

Do What Makes You Happy – Fun Things to Do in Memphis this Fall

Lauren Hannaford

I’ve adopted a motto – “do what makes you happy.” This revelation came to me one day after popping the top on a Sweet Leaf Peach Iced Tea, which includes a quirky or inspirational message under each bottle cap. I’ve kept this bottle cap and frequently flip it between my fingers as I sit and think at my desk. It’s a nice reminder to take a step back, relax and do something that makes you happy. It’s a necessary thing to do so that the stress of work and life doesn’t completely engulf you.

Photo courtesy to Flickr user Bing

With that said, as culture ambassador, one of my favorite things to do is plan fun activities for our team. That may be a spending a couple hours out of the office to do something fun like go bowling at Bass Pro, volunteering at a wonderful local organization, having a potluck lunch or winding down the day with a happy hour. These are all things that fit my motto!

And, with fall being one of my favorite seasons, I’ve been looking forward to some of my favorite autumn Memphis events as well as some I’ve never attended! If you’re looking for a “do what makes you happy” outing, check these out:

• 30 Days of Opera by Opera Memphis – Sept. 1-30
• Memphis Renaissance and Harlem with Memphis Symphony Orchestra and New Ballet Ensemble – Sept. 19
• Cooper Young Festival – Sept. 19
• Urban Barn Market at the Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum – Oct. 2-4
• 2^nd Annual Memphis Outdoor Festival at Shelby Farms Park – Oct. 17
• River Arts Fest on South Main – Oct. 23-25
• Le Bonheur Zoo Boo at the Memphis Zoo – Oct. 16-18, 23-25 & 30-31
• Indie Memphis Film Festival – Oct. 30-Nov. 2 

Let's Play 20 Questions

Ali Glemser

It’s cliché, but it’s true: the beginning of new client relationship is a crucial time period. For PR professionals, it’s a time when we work fast and furiously to absorb as much information as possible while simultaneously creating a written plan for success. (And, yes, that should be a written plan for reasons I will touch on later.)

While this honeymoon time may be second nature for seasoned communications professionals, I know it was a learning process for me when I first started at our agency. That being said, for those who haven’t gone through the onboarding process many times, or at all, I like to think of it as a time to answer all the basic who, what, when, where, why and how questions. See my explanations below for why these questions are key to building a client relationship that benefits both partners.

Who

Who will be the main point of contact? 

• You need to know who you are emailing, calling, texting or Skyping regularly. Sometimes, this person is not the one who engaged your firm or agency, so you need to clarify roles up front. 

If there are multiple departments in the business, who oversees which parts?

• You may routinely communicate with someone at the administrative level of the client’s business, but you also need to know who can answer your questions about sales, customer service or scheduling in case that key contact is unavailable.

Who has to give final approval before something is considered complete?

• This is almost self-explanatory. It needs to be established who has the final sign-off on materials that go to media or other stakeholders before last-minute deadlines arise and everyone is scrambling.

Who is the public-facing spokesperson?

• This is not only important for planned media or speaking opportunities, but also in the event of a crisis.

What

What is the background of the client’s company?

• This includes company history, past sales figures, personnel changes, property relocations, expansion efforts, mergers, acquisitions, etc. Basically, what business moves got the company to where it is today?

What does the client consider its unique differentiators compared to its competitors?

• These will be key to building or streamlining foundational messaging. The client should be able to easily identify these. If they cannot, that should be an immediate priority for your team to help them with.

What tough questions does the client have trouble answering for stakeholders?

• This absolutely must be addressed up front. Knowing answers to these tough questions can help you create talking points for the client and be aware of situations that could become potential crises for them. It is in both parties’ best interest to discuss this.

When

When will you routinely meet or touch base?

• Establishing a schedule up front is the best way to begin and maintain consistent communication.

When will you provide updates of your work and successes, i.e. monthly, quarterly, annually?

• This is not to add another chore to your list; instead, it helps track your progress and prove your value to the client. Clients have different preferences, so establishing that expectation in the beginning is best.

Where

Where are each of your businesses located? 

• While you may only ever communicate digitally, it is important for you to know where your client is physically located and vice versa. You may have to direct media to there one day or run by the building yourself. 

Where does the client define its territory, i.e. local, regional, national or international?

• This helps to identify target audiences, including types of relevant media.

Why

Why are you working together?

• In other words, what are you trying to achieve from your relationship together? It is best to ask what the client’s ultimate goals are and to determine how your communications expertise supports those.

How

How do you and the client measure success the same?

• This should be quantifiable, whether it’s increased sales numbers or greater awareness of the brand.

Conversely, how might you measure it differently?

• This is a time to temper expectations and define what is reasonable based upon what the client is trying to achieve. While the client may want to appear in the local business publication once a month, you may have to explain that reporters don’t feature a single business that often. Therefore, four times a year in that same publication is a more realistic expectation and would still apply to their goal of increased media coverage.

How will you achieve this success?

• Now, this is where you create your written plan of attack. Based upon the knowledge you gained from the questions above, in addition to other probing questions, you should be able to formulate a written plan that touches on client goals in a timeline format. Also, I stress that it should be written in order to present it to the client to discuss, tweak and refer back to if circumstances change for any reason.

As I stated above, there will most likely be more probing questions that come after you ask these standard ones, but these should cover the basics. There is a lot to digest in the beginning of a client relationship, so don’t fret if it seems chaotic at times. However, collecting as much information as possible in the beginning will help it level out quickly and get you on the path to working toward communication success together.

7 steps for ribbon-cutting event a success

Sarah Lichterman

I’ve had the pleasure of working with many businesses to plan and execute their grand openings. There are many facets of PR strategy when it comes to opening a business, but my favorite is the official grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony. This is one of the most important and memorable days for a business, so here are seven steps for planning a successful ribbon-cutting event.

Step 1: Ask questions. Who? What? When? Where? How?

• Who has final say on decisions? It is vital to know this answer from the beginning in order to save time and spare yourself from unnecessary debates.
• What is the budget? A ribbon-cutting event can be executed well with little to no costs outside of professional fees, staff and product; however, some clients may want to roll out the red carpet. Knowing what your client has in mind from the beginning is the key to meeting (and managing) their expectations.
• When is the target opening date? Always keep in mind that this date is flexible and likely to change, especially if construction is involved. Also, find out if your client is planning on having a soft opening or wants to hold the ribbon-cutting ceremony on the official first day of business.
• Where are you located? I’m not just asking for the address! You will also want to ask about the part of town or shopping center. Is it in a historic building? A brand new center? A remote area of town? Research to find out if other businesses are opening in the same area so you can consider that when determining the opening date. If the building is run by a management group try working with them in conjunction with opening details.
• How do you envision the event? Ask your client what their goals are for the ribbon-cutting event. Is it geared toward thanking staff and suppliers or an opportunity to impress customers and prospects? Do they want to tie-in a community relations/charity component? 

Step 2: Contact the local Chamber of Commerce. If your client is not a member, recommend that they become one. Besides the Chamber promoting and participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony, members receive benefits throughout the year. Once a target date is set, notify the Chamber regarding availability on that date. (Set a couple of back-up dates in case the opening is delayed due to construction, etc.)

Step 3: Make a comprehensive timeline for planning. This will include everything from the invitations and decorations to announcing the opening date and internal planning meetings.

Step 4: Delegate responsibilities. Once the planning timeline is complete, review with the client and designate who is responsible for which tasks. Also, set up regular check-ins with your client to ensure everything is on track.

Step 5: Create a day-of-event schedule and checklist. This is crucial to making sure everyone is on the same page. (And, trust me, it will be a very hectic day!) I suggest using a spreadsheet to mark the time, person responsible and details for each task. Be very specific and include tasks for before, after and during the event like arrival and set up times, facility tours, speeches and time of the ribbon-cutting. The checklist should include items like vendors, decorations, ribbon-cutting needs (ribbon and scissors are a must!), camera, etc.

Step 6: Execute then evaluate. After the event, regroup with your internal team and client for feedback. Whether positive or negative, this is valuable information to have for future grand opening events.

Planning a grand opening ribbon-cutting event takes time, organization and cooperation. The most valuable advice I can share is to be in constant communication with everyone working on the event. It’s key to remember that your client is not just planning for this event, but also dealing with operations duties such as construction, staffing and supplies. Being in touch with them often will not only keep tasks on track, but also will show that you have this handled.

Have any questions? Just comment below!

Facebook isn’t for everyone

Kelli Brignac

I have a confession. After work and on weekends, I avoid Facebook. It seems strange for someone who seems to live social media for several clients, but that’s actually the primary reason I avoid it. I’m on Facebook all day long. I’ve got 10 business pages to check on. So, while I see a lot of what gets posted on the platform, I rarely post things to my own wall (much to my family’s chagrin, as my mom and sister decided to out my pregnancy on Mother’s Day after I hadn’t posted it myself).

Needless to say, I have come to value face-to-face interaction more than I did before. When my sister asked why I hadn’t told the Facebook world I was expecting, I told her that it’s so much cooler to tell people in person.

But how does all this affect a brand? We know Facebook has changed significantly since it started, but is it still a must-have platform for everyone? My guess is it’s not. So, here are a few lessons I’ve learned from the hours I spend on the platform weekly.

It’s not free advertising.

When Facebook first started, “early adopter” brands created their own profiles to get in front of users. It didn’t take long for Facebook to create what we now know as the fan page (or business page). At first, brand reach was outstanding! As long as a person liked the page and was on Facebook to see the update, it was delivered to his/her newsfeed. Facebook needed brand content to diversify its platform.

After several years, it seems every business has its own page. Now, it’s a fight for reach. Facebook has continually decreased organic reach for brand posts to as low as 1 percent of the audience. They say it’s because they deliver what users want to see, but conveniently enough, you can still get all the reach you want – if you’re willing to pay for it. Does organic reach still exist? Yes. Is it a foolproof way to save money or get some free buzz? Not anymore.

It’s saturated.

Sometimes, I literally facepalm when I see businesses asking for likes on their page. I drove by a mini-storage place the other day and their readerboard said, “Like us on Facebook.” And all I could think was “Why would I ever do that?” For the purpose of this blog, I looked it up and – get this – THEY DON’T EVEN HAVE A PAGE. They have one created by a user with a single one-star review, no photo and no posts.

Not everyone needs to be on Facebook. First, if your demographic isn’t using the platform, it’s a waste of your time. We know users younger than 18 are a small (and shrinking) portion of Facebook’s user base. So if you want to market to them, consider Instagram instead.

Manage your expectations.

While it’s safe to say your posts won’t reach the majority of your fans unless you boost them, there may still be a place for your content on Facebook. For example, I like a local women’s boutique, but their posts almost never show up in my newsfeed. However, if I’m in the market for a new dress, I will go to their page and check out their latest inventory photos before I go into the store. So their content, while not delivered, is serving its purpose. The same goes for my Crossfit gym. Their content is never delivered to me, but I frequently visit their page to check on event information or daily workouts.

If you create content for the purpose of people who want to see it, you’ll be in good shape. On the other hand, if all your content is gimmicky (i.e. like us to get a discount this month), you’re unlikely to attract high-quality fans, retain them or actually convert them into long-term customers.

At the end of all this, the lesson is to know your audience, understand your own expectations for your social content and, if you choose to spend, spend wisely.

5 ways to stand out as a PR intern

Murray Lace

Intern: In·tern, noun. An advanced student or graduate usually in a professional field gaining supervised, practical experience.

Fresh out of college, public relations degree under your belt, headed off to your dream j… internship? Today, it’s the norm in this industry to spend your first post-graduate year as an intern, learning the ins and outs of the PR world. An internship is a way to learn more about your area of study than you ever did in college and even more about yourself.

Here are a five sure-fire ways to maximize your internship experience and impress future employers along the way:

Ooze confidence

Being shy never gets anyone anywhere. If you go into a meeting and act like you’re scared to death, the client is likely to be scared to death about your assisting on his or her account. Sure, your input is likely not needed during the business portion of the meeting, but hold your own on the front end. Walk in there with your head held high and offer a “Hi, I’m Susie. It is so nice to meet you!”

 

Photo Courtesy to Nasser Almulhim

Be attentive

It’s no secret that Generation Y is technology obsessed. We often spend more time on our phones than we do communicating face-to-face. If you’re at work, put it away. Is your boss checking hers during a meeting? Probably. She runs a business, and the likelihood of the head honcho needing to be reached for an emergency is much higher than it is for you. You can wait.

Proofread

Chances are, you will be doing a lot of writing—blogs, social media, pitches, press releases. You name it, you’re writing it, and with that comes great responsibility. Before you turn over an assignment to a superior, proofread. Then, proofread again. Put it away for a while if possible and read it a third time.

Do your homework

Thought those days were over? Think again. Doing your homework before your public relations journey starts should be top priority. Being able to spout off client information during your interview to get the position and during your first interactions with colleagues will show them how much you value the opportunity you have been given.

Initiative and guidance

At times, your duties as an intern can fall into a grey area. Have you done too much? Have you done too little? It’s very important to balance taking initiative on projects and taking guidance from your superiors. You want to impress them by incorporating some of your own ideas, but be sure to include their ideas as well, if they have given you any. 

The first year of post-graduate life is all about change, and change can be scary. Take these tips with you into your first “real-world” workplace to help make the transition a smooth one!