I was recently asked an important question while gathering information for my NSPRA Election Information page:
How can school PR professionals best advance our role as communication leaders, demonstrate communication accountability and build understanding of communication as a core management function?
It's been over a dozen years since I made the professional shift to school PR, which has given me the time and experiences to really reflect on our role.
We can advance our role as school communication leaders by emphasizing strategic planning and proactive engagement with all of our diversified audiences.
Demonstrating communication accountability involves setting clear goals, measuring objectives and outcomes, and transparently reporting results. This can be achieved through regular evaluations, feedback mechanisms, and closing the loop to report back what we heard to better ensure our organizations are striving toward continuous improvement.
Building understanding of communication as a core management function requires integrating communication strategies into the overall decision-making processes, highlighting the impact of effective communication on achieving organizational goals and student success, and advocating for the inclusion of communication professionals in leadership teams.
By fostering a culture of open dialogue and collaboration, we can underscore the essential role of communication in educational success.
I'd love to hear your thoughts, too! Be sure to stop by our "Erica for NSPRA" table to chat in person, or enjoy one of our networking opportunities between sessions. Reach out anytime-- I'd love to catch up with coffee or a quick chat between sessions!