Tell the Truth

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Tell the Truth

• January 27, 2006
• Roger Bolton

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Guide to Easy Listening

• The World Is Changing
• Weve Lost Our Way
• The Public Interest
• The Value of Values
• Whats Our Job?
• Aspirations for Page

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The World Is Changing
Public relations specialists are scrambling to
adjust to a time in which the Internet revolution
and a boom in alternative media sources are
rewriting the parameters of the communications
industry and challenging traditional sources of
authority. So, despite an avalanche of freely
available information, the truth is becoming
harder to discern.
- - Timothy OBrien
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The World Is Changing

• Losing Our Faith

- - Time Magazine, February, 2006

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The World Is Changing

• Howard Dean
• Dan Rather
• Association of BellTel Retirees
• 100,000 members

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The World Is Changing

• ihateaetna.com
• aetnasucks.com
• sueaetna.com

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Weve Lost Our Way

• I have never used steroids, period.

- - Rafael Palmeiro
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Weve Lost Our Way

• I went in blindedas a fan saying
• Why is somebody trying to ruin my
• game? But months later I realized
• Canseco was the most honest guy
• in the crowd.

- - Congressman José E. Serrano (D-NY)
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Weve Lost Our Way

• Today the truth means nothing
• perception means everything.
• We are a lost society of lost souls
• liars, con artists, manipulators.

- - Jose Canseco
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Weve Lost Our Way

• I deeply regret leaving the impression that the
  truth doesnt matter, because it does.

- - Oprah Winfrey
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Weve Lost Our Way

• unless PR professionals take a hand in
• challenging and changing the ways in which we
• deal with each other, can anything substantive
• be achieved?

- - Bill Nielsen

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The Public Interest

• All business in a democratic society
• begins with public permission and
• exists by public approval.

- - Arthur W. Page
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The Public Interest

• From the beginning I have believed that
• public relations could benefit society by
• improving the management of the organizations
• that are necessary in society but that do not
• always behave in ways that are socially
• responsible or responsive to publics.
  

- - Professor James E. Grundig
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The Value of Values

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The Value of Values

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The Value of Values

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The Value of Values

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The Value of Values

• Aetna QBR discussions
• New Era of Cooperation

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The Value of Values
New York Times May 23, 2003 Page 1
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The Value of Values
Earning Public Approval

• Mission and Values
• Listen
• Look for common ground
• Be transparent
• Be willing to change

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Whats Our Job?

• public relations is more than a messaging
• function whose greatest value lies in bringing
• information from publics into the organization
• and in building relationships with the publics
• that benefit from the activities of the
• organization.

- - Professor James E. Grundig
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Whats Our Job?

• Corporate blogging
• PG
• Lego
• Aetna
• Improve health care mission
• Reputation listening and responding
• Mitigate against possible cyber-uprising

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Whats Our Job?

• Selling is not a dirty word.
• - - Al Golin

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Whats Our Job?

• My predecessor, Ed Block, used to quote a
  grizzled
• veteran of our department, who contended that the
  only
• two qualities you really needed to be a good PR
  guy
• were brains and guts.
• I don't think it takes an MBA ethics course to
  know
• right from wrong. But it takes guts to wrestle
  many of
• these problems to the ground and do the right
  thing.

- - Marilyn Laurie
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Whats Our Job?
Serving as a strategic leader, helping to create
and achieve strategic communications goals and
initiatives.
Strategy
Setting clear objectives and aggressive
timelines, tracking progress and delivering
results.
Execution
Demonstrating high personal standards of
performance and integrity, being clear, open and
honest and dealing fairly with others.
Integrity
As a team leader Building strong relationships
with and seeking input from peers, staff and
business leaders. As a team member Actively
contributing to strategic plans and operational
projects led by others.
Collaboration
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Whats Our Job?
Being a strategic thinker on business issues and
having a demonstrable impact on business
decisions.
Influence
Holding self and others accountable for achieving
targets and deadlines.
Accountability
Setting an example and providing leadership
that results in commitment.
Leadership Behaviors
Building capabilities and promoting
development opportunities.
Employee Engagement and Development
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Aspirations for Page
Mission

• To strengthen the management policy role of the
  corporate public relations officer by providing a
  continuous learning forum and by emphasizing the
  highest professional standards.

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Aspirations for Page

• Tell the truth.
• Prove it with action.
• Listen to the customer.
• Manage for tomorrow.
• Realize a companys true character is expressed
  by its people.

• Conduct public relations as if the whole company
  depends on it.
• Remain calm, patient and good-humored.
• www.awpagesociety.com

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Aspirations for Page
Goal 3 Thought Leadership
Target
C-Suite, corporate boards.
How to build trust by operating in the public
interest consistent with the Page Principles.
Content
Objective
Enhance the strategic role of the chief public
relations officer.
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Aspirations for Page
Goal 5 Ensuring the Future
Target
Future chief public relations officers.
Content
Enhanced development and peer-to-peer networking
opportunities.
Objective
Better prepared and more capable future Page
members.
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Aspirations for Page

• A broader and more influential membership base.
• Better programs that more effectively prepare
  members to
• succeed as strategic, consultative members of
  the corporate
• senior management team.
• Better understanding among CEOs, other c-suite
  executives
• and boards of the value of the Page
  Principles and the appropriate
• role of the chief corporate public relations
  officer.
• A stronger pipeline of better-prepared future
  chief public relations
• officers and Page Society members.

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Guide to Easy Listening

• The World Is Changing
• Weve Lost Our Way
• The Public Interest
• The Value of Values
• Whats Our Job?
• Aspirations for Page

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Tell the Truth

• January 27, 2006
• Roger Bolton