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Attention CPRS Toronto members! We would much appreciate your feedback about topics of interest for professional development this year.
CPRS Toronto is offering members an exclusive chance to win one free pass to the next CPRS Toronto PD event for those who submit their suggestions to the following questions:
1. Which professional development topics are of most interest to you?
2. Do you have any recommendations for esteemed public relations/communications practitioners located in the Toronto-area to lead a PD event this fall?
Please submit your suggestions to Christina Stefanski, CPRS Toronto Professional Development Chair at christina_stefanski@sony.ca by July 31, 2012 to be entered for your chance to win one free pass to the next CPRS Toronto PD event in the fall.
Members can view an archived version of this May 29, 2012 presentation (length 45:30) by Adrienne Batra, Comments Editor, Toronto Sun and former Press Secretary to Toronto Mayor, Rob Ford in the members’ only blog.
On Tuesday, May 29 Adrienne Batra spoke to CPRS Toronto members at the Annual General Meeting, an audience that was as hungry for anecdotes about Mayor Rob Ford as they were for appetizers. Being the natural public-speaker that she is, Batra was more than happy to oblige, but with her varied work experience she also provided the audience (which comprised of students, volunteers and board members alike) with tips that were relevant for communicators at any level.
Batra shared advice in four key areas that resonated with me. She also provided examples of how they were reflected in her career.
1. Always accept a challenge
People don’t enter public relations because they think it’ll be easy, but Batra’s career was particularly challenging from the start. She joined the Canadian Forces and it was during her six years in the army when she rose to the rank of Lieutenant that she cut her teeth in public affairs. One of the most challenging controversies she had to deal with in that position was speaking on behalf of her squadron during the Somalia Inquiry.
2. Be ready to move quickly
The 24-hour news cycle waits for no one and sometimes you just have to be the one to bite the bullet and press the issue. When Batra was a member of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, she played a role in the resignation of Winnipeg Mayor Glen Murray. After a media appearance where Murray declared his intention to run for federal office while still retaining his position as mayor, Batra sent out a press release asking for his resignation. She sent it within 30 minutes of his announcement and completely took over the news cycle. Murray resigned his position the same day.
3. Get in front of the issue
Before she was approached to work for the Rob Ford campaign Batra had recently moved to Toronto and had a new position — stay-at-home mom. Within a week of starting her work with Ford she was already working at full-speed putting out fires. And just what was her strategy for dealing with a client who speaks his mind quite freely? Getting in front of the issue every time. Whenever a story about Rob Ford emerged Batra would take ownership of the story. Her straightforward manner and no-nonsense approach complimented Ford’s spontaneity, which was reflected in the polls.
4. Know when to move on
Public relations thrives off of new blood. People are constantly switching sectors, changing agencies or striking out on their own. It’s just part of the industry and Batra experienced that itch first-hand. As amusing as she made her time with the mayor out to be, it clearly wasn’t all fun and games; it was a burnout job. She was working for a man who took pride in having a staff half the size of his predecessor, all the while providing them with more work to do. And despite Batra’s best intentions and strategies, she was fighting a daily battle on all sides to represent her client. At some point after being offered a position at the Toronto Sun Batra made the decision to return to a life of reduced notoriety to spend more time with her family and so far hasn’t looked back.
If you’re like most members of voluntary professional associations, you question the value of your membership when you get your annual renewal notice. You also take some measure of value every time you interact with the association.
This is all well and good since the volunteer leaders of CPRS Toronto are accountable to the members for responding to your expressed needs and interests, delivering relevant programs and services, and advancing the profession of public relations.
Another fundamental fact about associations is that members derive more value by getting involved than they do by being passive.
Our member surveys show time and again that individuals who take advantage of networking, professional development programs, awards, accreditation, volunteer opportunities, etc. are much more satisfied with the value of their association than those who do not.
This fact will come as no surprise to public relations practitioners who communicate daily with active and latent publics. This widely-cited article describes the multiple stages of latency, Inactive Publics: The Forgotten Publics in Public Relations, finding among other things that there is a direct correlation between an individual’s perception of an organization’s relevance and their degree of personal involvement.
If you are not involved or you need a reason to re-engage, here are a few ideas to get you started:
New professionals
Intermediate practitioners
Senior practitioners
Please also give us feedback. Be specific about what’s working and what’s not. Contact any of your volunteer board members directly or write to our helpful staff.
2012-2013 CPRS Toronto Board of Directors [CONTACT INFO]
President – Vincent Power, APR
1st Vice President/Education/Marketing & Promotions – Maryjane Martin, APR
2nd Vice President/ Internet/Member Communications – Diane Bégin, APR
Treasurer – Gerald Crowell
Secretary – Christine Edwardson
Past President/CEO Liaison Committee – Martin Waxman, APR
Natalie Bovair, APR
Kathleen Garrett, APR
AJ Goodman
Amanda Laird
Laurie Smith
Christina Stefanski
Doris Whiteside Award winners for academic excellence
Richia Bissoondath – Centennial College
Morgan Cadenhead – Durham College
Sal Hosny – Seneca College
Matthew Ventura – Humber College
Life members
Life Members are honoured with Life Membership for their contribution both to public relations and the Society and being a member for 30 years.
Lydia Boyko Ph.D., APR
Carol Panasiuk, APR
Can you spare a few hours on October 19 to support this year’s accreditation candidates?
An invigilator (proctor) is needed for this year’s accreditation exam. We need an accredited practitioner who can be available between 8:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. (approximately) at a college campus in Toronto.
Can you volunteer your morning of October 19 for the 2012 accreditation group? It would be greatly appreciated by the candidates and the committee.
If you are available or would like more information, please contact Kathleen Garrett, Accreditation Chair, at kathleen.m.garrett@gmail.com.
Community members are active participants in Toronto Hydro's Light the Night events.
If you missed the CPRS Toronto professional development (PD) program on May 24, you’ll want to see and hear the presentation by Toronto Hydro Communications & Public Affairs staff Gillian Earle, Advisor, and Karen Evans, Manager, now available to members online.
You’ll learn how the communications staff at Toronto Hydro engaged community members with their brand and produced meaningful and measured results.
For example, in addition to actively engaging community members with the Toronto Hydro brand at three staged events and earning an impressive 83% MR2P™ score for earned media coverage, Earle shares some astonishing data about the lasting effects of the Light the Night™ program in at-risk neighborhoods. The reduction in assaults and robberies is truly inspiring.
You’ll also hear about the evolution of Toronto Hydro’s community involvement strategy. Evans shares information about the strategic focus of past events and defines the corporation’s current emphasis on community activities that are relevant to the business and key stakeholders.
It’s easy to see why the Toronto Hydro communications team won a CPRS Toronto ACE Award for this program – the case reads like a virtual roadmap for brand- and community-building.