Communication and Realisation

Reflecting on the PR internship, which culminated in an end of year party, I can say Teamwork was a wonderful experience. The multiplier effect is vital in event management.

The result is reached and the joy shared by everyone since the objective was set and attained together. I have learned the joy of collaborative work: a suffering, which finally produces success and enjoyment for the clients and our team.

Each one has fought to stay focused on the main objectives of the firm, and it has been an excellent way to create a synergy. Working together at individual tasks is necessary for the achievement of a common project.

In a professional setting the challenge is the whirl of contradictory priorities. These motions create difficulties in relationships and may reduce efficiency and productivity.

I believe from the limited experience I had during these 20-day internship that most human enterprises cannot be achieved without unity and coordination of some sort, at least among a good part of the group. All the energies should tend towards the same goal, then and only then can a higher degree of experience can be obtained.

The question is whether the motivations of the different persons involved in a project are compatible, convergent and complementary. In an enterprise, most persons are there for pecuniary reasons, others for formation purposes, career paths… When these motivations become second to the overall business objectives, communication flow is optimal. Two key linked concepts: communication and realisation.

I am infinitely grateful to Lilmans Services Team for this excellent opportunity for growth and their welcome, and for the existence of the PR393 module for providing such a space during university years…!

Communication management: simplifying complexity

This third post arising from my internship experience seeks to clarify the path I have been following as I advanced along my journey with my colleagues during the last fifteen days.

I have been the witness of the change in the team attitude as time and events unfold, creating a network of bonds among individuals. This is a reason for hope and rejoicing.

The intern is both in and out, close and distant. Because of his external perception of a situation he is able to simplify complexity. His thinking is clear, may be not encompassing, but at least cuts through much of the clutter.

Our training in PR planning has accustomed us to objectives, goals and targets. Unless we can measure our achievements, we cannot manage and achieve results. Communication objectives are just part of the overall business objectives of PPP (People, Profit and Planet).

This 3P paradigm can be relevant to our travel agency business: profit is the fuel of the business, people are the end and the basic resource, and the planet is the space within which all things happen. Of course this theory is applicable more largely but what is important is that this theoretical application was rediscovered and applied in the context of this internship.

Referring to system thinking, Public Relations is basically inter-relations at a macro level. We apprehend at any one time only the part of the system immediately in contact with our senses. It is this myopia, which allows the system to function, since inter-connectivity does not mean the absence of firewalls or barriers to communication…

PR support

This second post will try to demystify the role of PR as a support to corporate strategy.

A mix of routine and pre-planning activities, are the duties of the PR in any business. It becomes obvious after a few days that a cycle is in place when dealing with the different tasks we need to attend on any given day.

Roughly, we first take custody of the expectations of the different publics, second we choose which course of action seems the most promising or appropriate. Some keywords are harmony and cohesion, in the middle of moving grounds and apparently chaotic events.

Planning is a way to prevent or prepare for “surprises”. Economists and the business community as a whole are always acting on the premises of forecasts, based on statistical facts. The analysis of trends and indicators together gives a direction to the everyday micro and macro business decisions.

For example, when exploring a market for a new product, the society gathers the basic information about the main actors of the sector and knows the expectations and needs of the to-be-customer, before defining a global marketing and communication strategy to co-respond exactly to the demand.

The equation is the same for all forecasting models: some components are constant and others keep fluctuating. The aim of PR planning is not different: minimise uncertainties to enable more stability in the system.

PR for a Services Agency

Dear all,

I am Gilbert. This is my first blog post after 5 days into my PR internship.

I have found a placement in a travel agency, with a number of services related to tourism: events and strategy, finance, business travel, business consulting, and paint marketing.

It is an opportunity to feel how the PR practitioner fits into the business paradigm. The main characteristics of this universe are pro-activity and re-activity.

The PR in a travel and tourism business is expected to understand the local and the international contexts within which it operates.

Moreover, the enterprise is in a process of expansion and diversification. The challenges are many: human resources, finance and time management. The communication professional needs to listen, understand and respond to a long and sometimes fragmented task list.

Each day is different: no place for monotony or repetition. Thus, creative thinking skills are employed to the full, to organise events and respond to urgencies with appropriate solutions.

Interactivity is also another feature of my internship experience, since no project can succeed without coordination, collaboration and communication.