I spoke at the PRSA Leadership Rally over the weekend to discuss PR 2.0, social media communications and Putting the Public Back in Public Relations.  It was a great conference with approximately 150 incoming PRSA leaders in attendance.  I introduced to the group an exercise that I call “The Making of the Hybrid,” which focuses on individual, communications career development. The exercise gave examples of the differences between the traditional strategic PR communicator and the Hybrid professional.  As I moved through my presentation, I asked the audience to rate themselves, with respect to their own roles, responsibilities and professional career development (traditional vs. hybrid).

For the past couple of years my presentations have focused on the PR professional moving from handler/facilitator of communication (who often found success in great media coverage) to the PR 2.0 Champion, who climbed the rungs of the Forrester’s Technographics Ladder, from the “Inactive” all the way up to the “Creator.”

Here’s the graphic that I used in my presentation, which takes the PR person’s professional development from traditional strategic communicator to the hybrid professional.  The diagram not only illustrates the communicator who applies a blend of traditional and social media, but who also works more closely with other members of marketing and Web as well as other areas of the company (including sales, HR, IT, Legal, Customer Service, etc).  As a result, the Hybrid is the strategic communicator who guides all communication and has secured a seat at the boardroom/strategy table.

The Making of the Hybrid

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Source

What do you think of these levels of development from traditional to hybrid?  Are there any other levels that you would add into the diagram?

I’ve spent years discussing the many change in Public Relations as a result of Web 2.0 and social media communications.  I join my peers in tackling the challenges and embracing the benefits of these changes.  As we teach our brands how to adapt, adjust and take advantage of a new approach and tools, we help them to find transparency, a human side, and the ability to reach their customers and other stakeholders with a customized story in a more meaningful manner.  The result: they experience direct conversations and build better relationships.

However, one of the most important transformations is not only a game changer for our profession, but also deserves our attention as we mentor younger PR professionals; it’s the morphing role of the PR person from facilitator/liaison and handler to the influencer or PR 2.0 Champion.  Like many, I started my career as a good liaison.  I was focused on making connection for others and was praised by senior level executives at several firms for my ability to connect and build relationships with the media, analysts and various community groups. However, I learned over the years that the road to becoming a PR 2.0 Champion required action within my organization and a different approach:

• Act on your own, don’t wait to be assigned tasks
• Monitor related web community discussion outside of work and on your own time to demonstrate the pervasive and prominence of dialog that’s related to your organization
• Make listening and being a Research Librarian one of your critical functions
• Start listening and observing and then communicating in your own web communities as a peer (take your marketing/PR hat off).

These very simple steps are the beginning of the champion process within your organization. Next, you have to learn how to successfully work your way up Forrester’s Technographics Ladder.

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From the Inactive (which no PR person should be classified at this point) all the way up to the Creator, the person who blogs and creates content, the movement upward defines the true PR 2.0 Champion.  For me, the Champion is a content producer, an educator, and an individual who actively engages and helps the community (whether it’s personally or professionally).  It’s an entirely different role. As a Champion you are still looking to make those connections but it’s not through finding, pitching and then facilitating a relationship for someone else. Instead, it’s through listening and participating by offering helpful resources that make you stand out as a reliable source and credible authority within your community.

The journey to PR 2.0 Champion could be a short one or it may take years for you to accomplish.  However, I truly believe it’s up to you. At almost every conference, I find myself saying that the road to becoming a Champion depends on a few factors:

1. Your flexibility and adaptation to change
2. Your commitment to 2.0 education and putting in the hours and the effort it takes
3. Your ability to learn and experiment with new technology (always be 10 steps ahead of your brands and your management team)

So, ask yourself a few questions:  (1) Are you on the road to becoming a champion? Are you working your way up the Technographics Ladder? And (3) are you the person in your firm who is becoming a PR 2.0 Champion for your brand?

Climb the ladder by staying focused and flexible, and commit yourself to social media education and understanding all of the changes around you.  The difference between being a liaison and becoming a PR 2.0 Champion lies within you!

On Tuesday, January 9^th I presented to the members of PRSA at their T3 Conference in New York City.  With the flurry of brands rushing to the blogosphere to begin their Social Media programs, I thought it was appropriate to provide an internal view and approach to social networking by first, focusing on the employee and the challenge of culture.

Brian and I discuss culture quite a bit in our book, Putting the Public Back in Public Relations.  When you think you are ready to dive into social networking, whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Plaxo, LinkedIn, etc. and participate in conversations, we always say, “Slow down, wait….have you listened first and have you observed the culture of the community?”  Understanding the boundaries and sometimes limitations of the culture is critical to an effort.  So much so that it can make or break what you are trying to do.  Why would the lessons of culture outside of the company be any different than what should be applied in your own organization?

I guess my biggest concern here is two-fold.  First, companies are rushing to launch programs (both internally and externally) and don’t really know why or how their employees/brand ambassadors should be involved.  Second, companies don’t take the time to educate and let employees know:

• Why it is important to engage in Social Media communications?
• What does Social Networking mean to the brand?
• How does Social Media change the business (process and technology) and align with business goals?
• What are the right steps and approach for employees to take based on Social Media guidelines?

All of these questions can be answered and achieved internally first, prior to moving forward with an external social media focus.

However, because in a lot of cases we are talking about a cultural shift, it is often difficult to get everyone on the same page all at once.  Many organizations fall on the bottom two rungs of Forrester’s Social Technographics Ladder (inactives or spectators). If you can alter the perception of Social Media and change the behavior of your organizational culture to focus on internal community building, then you will find far more success when building external communities with stakeholders in social networks through the help of your own company brand evangelists.

However, changing culture takes time and requires change management.  This can be a tough challenge as Social Media is not seen as a critical matter or a crisis situation to prompt immediate attention.  I think that when companies decide to start internally to introduce their employees to Social Media and social networking, the effort has to be blended with an 8-step change management program to truly anchor social media behavior within the organization.

Here’s what I discussed at PRSA T3 Conference to better explain how to drive the 8 steps, as you build your internal blogs or SharePoint sites:

• Be a change agent by creating a sense of urgency to learn and embrace Social Media; point out management considerations including culture, productivity, and what the competition is doing to raise the complacency level.
• Organize your Social Media participants or guiding coalition to direct your effort; these are trustworthy, credible experts from various departments of the company (including the communications department) who will be the evangelists and work on building the internal Social Media program to gain loyal followers.
• Use the coalition to develop a strategy for the Social Media program. Whether the program is meant to educate, increase productivity, share information, or provide resources, you need to drive attraction, attention, affinity and action through a strategic vision. The strategic vision will keep everyone moving in the same direction, align all of the players and move employees toward a desired behavior.
• Over-communicate the company Social Media program through employee communication channels. You will certainly use new media to get employees excited about social networking internally, but also use familiar channels including: town hall meetings, posters in common areas, HTML and video email, newsletters, web announcements, etc.
• Empower employee action through continuous incentives for participation; incentives may include contests, peer to peer recognition, promotions, highlighted guest blogger appearances on management blogs, awards including SM person of the month, etc.
• Monitor progress and record short term wins; these wins include increased participation including comments, use of wikis, sharing of videos, downloads of video and podcasts, web analytics, great feedback from short surveys or questionnaires.
• Measure value that can be converted to virtual revenue; value includes cross functional teams, increased employee productivity, a decrease in email communication , shared leads/sales, cost effective ways to plan events, and other company functions, etc.
• Anchor new values into the culture; Social Media becomes a part of the daily corporate behavior. It’s no longer a chore or seen as someone else’s responsibility. From the top down, Social Media is embraced and new members of the company are introduced to Social Media policies and company activities during the on boarding HR process. Social Media is rooted in the culture.

Culture is the key to making Social Media stick.  When you get your employees on board, you are taking the time to make them feel as if they are a part of the company.  You’re able to listen and build better relationships with them.  As a result, the culture will bind and your brand ambassadors will serve you well both on the interior of your organization and in external communities as well.  Your employees are the first face of your company.  It’s always best that they have the right information and they know what you are trying to achieve, especially with Social Media, as companies realize it’s a game changer both in the market and for their business.