counselors are made, not born: how to become a strategist, not a technician

Counselors Are Made, Not Born:

How to Grow Into a Counselor, Not a Tactician

Roger M. Friedensen, APRPresident & CEO

[email protected]@RogerFriedensen | @ForgeComm | Google+

LinkedIn: RogerFriedensen

© 2012 Forge Communications, LLC | All Rights Reserved.

Designing Reputations. Building Value.

PRESENTATION TO PRSA NEW PROFESSIONALS | 9.10.12 | © 2012 FORGE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | PAGE 2

With any luck, we’ll get through…

• Common definition of a counselor

• List of desirable traits• Persuasion & motivation• A 12-step program for

you


What is a “consultant”?


What is a “counselor”?• Lets first agree on what a

“counselor” – a public relations counselor – is and is not.

• A counselor is:– NOT an order taker.– NOT a project manager.– NOT a sales person.– NOT a librarian or

documentarian.– NOT someone who has ALL of

the answers ALL of the time.


A counselor• Is introspective, cooperative

and attentive. • Has strong desire to help

others. • Communicates in personalized

manner. • Is positive and kind.• Listens well.• Can often detect others’

emotions or intentions.


A counselor

• Values harmony (home and work). • Plays well with others.• Helps things run smoothly. • Serves as “barometer” of morale.• Understands complex issues and individuals. • Has intricate personality and rich inner life (*)

(*) Notice we didn’t say rich outer life…


A counselor

• Prefers behind-the-scenes influence. • Develops personal rapport with clients and

coworkers.• Needs quiet time to reflect and re-energize.


So what exactly do we do?

All in all, it’s pretty simpleWe solve problems to help people and groups of people do better at what they want to do.


How do we do it?• Combine fundamental principles of human

psychology and behavior with planned communications to inform, persuade and motivate.

• (Sounds pretty easy, doesn’t it?)


The question at hand

How do I get to be a counselor who can get a job?


What attributes are needed?

• The right skills

No Yes



• The right perspectives– Ability to connect

the dots



• The right talents– Ability to identify with

and attract others



• The right perspectives– Ability to see alternate futures and choose wisely


What attributes are needed?• The right knowledge

– Understanding of persuasion, motivation and communication

Aristotle (aka “The Dude”)

”. . .the ability, in each particular case, to see the available means of persuasion."


Some things have changed . . .


Communication then• Way long ago . . .

» Word of mouth» Parchment» Walls and rocks

• Pretty long ago . . .» Speeches» Town criers» Handbills, posters» Newspapers

• Not too long ago . . .» Newspapers, TV and radio» Billboards


Communication today• Newspapers, magazines• Radio + satellite• TV• Websites/microsites/RSS• Phone, fax• Wall, rocks• Movies• Brochures• Planes, trains and automobiles• Skywriting• Bathroom urinals• Point-of-purchase displays• Leaflets• Cereal boxes• Trucks

• Guerilla marketing• Billboards• Blogs• Posters and signs• YouTube, Ustream• Direct mail• Email• Online chats• Annual reports• Newsgroups• Posters• Staged events• SMS/MMS• MP Games• Sponsorships

• Facebook• Twitter, Foursquare• LinkedIn, Yammer• Tumblr, Posterous• Banjo, Path• Google+, Pinterest• Meetings• Mobile marketing• Apps• Sports events• Taxi cabs• Flash mobs• Tweet-ups• Coffee mugs• Oh yeah, speeches, too


But most things haven’t changed


Business hasn’t changed

“Benefits should be conferred gradually; and in that way they will taste better.”

“It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.”

“A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests.”

“Politics have no relation to morals.”

“The new ruler must determine all the injuries that he will need to inflict. He must inflict them once and for all.”

“In the end, you're measured not by how much you undertake but by what you finally accomplish.”


And politics certainly haven’t changed


Early textingBoring guy blathering on

precursor to C-Span

Opponent hamming it up for camera

Empty seats of senators who took off early for vacation.

Horse-trading in the gallery


Humans haven’t changed


Tell me less about how it came to be and more what it means to me.


What persuades us?


What persuades us?

Logos Ethos Pathos


Credibility

Trust

Expertise

Dynamism

+

+


Okay, so that’s how we’re persuaded; what motivates us?


Motivators

Pleasure

Pain

vs.


Hope

Fear

vs.

Motivators


Motivators

Acceptance

Rejection

vs.


Motivators

Pride

Shame

vs.


Feelings change attitudes, behaviors• Pleasure – Pain• Hope – Fear• Acceptance – Rejection• Pride – Shame

And it happens one individual at a time . . .


Counseling success:A 12-step program


Step 1: Be a student of humans• Study and be fascinated by people• Study how we think and act as individuals/groups

» Psychology» Philosophy» Political science» Literature» Sociology» History» Communication» Religion


Step 2: Be a student of yourself


Step 3: Be an expert

• In your business• In your client’s business

» Organization» Environment» Issue/product/service» Competition» Past/present/future

• Business, finance, politics• Local/U.S./global events


Step 4: Try on someone else’s shoes


Step 5: Appeal to basic instincts• What happened?• Are my family and I safe?• Is this good or bad for me and my

family? My friends?• Is this good or bad for the

environment?• Who is responsible?• Who should be rewarded or

punished?• How and when are things going to

be fixed?• What will this do for me?• Is this the right thing to do?


Step 6: KISS• Brevity is the soul of wit (and effective messages)• If it’s easier to:

» Write • Then it’s easier to:

» Adapt• Which makes it easier to:

» Remember


Step 7: Show you care

Awwww . . .


Step 8: Show a creative spark


Step 9: “Be the ball, Danny”


Step 10: Learn to ask and listen


Step 11: Choose wisely


Step 12: Go forth and conquer


The facts of life


Excellence takes time


It’s back-breaking work


Sometimes it’s a feast…

… and sometimes it’s not


You can’t fix stupid – or lazy


Some of it is hard-wired


“You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take” - Wayne Gretzky

No one bats .1000, but you’ll never reach the

fences unless you keep swinging


You must remember this . . .• Successful counseling is based on fundamental truths

about who we are as humans.• Successful counseling study those truths and learn how to

apply them.• Successful counselor learn how to have fun and be fun to

be around while doing that.


(and may the Forge be with you)

Roger M. Friedensen, APRPresident | CEO

[email protected]@RogerFriedensen | @ForgeComm | Google+

LinkedIn: RogerFriedensenwww.facebook.com/forgecommunications

Thank you!

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mailto:[email protected]

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http://www.facebook.com/forgecommunications


“The Epley test”


Candidate interview (sample) You have just had a preliminary meeting with Redwing. He is having a meeting with some of the company’s senior staff in about an hour and wants you to do the following:

1. Draft the three lead paragraphs of a news release for the area's news media on Redwing’s appointment as CEO.

2. Draft a brief introduction (no more than one page) for the president of the Rock Hill Chamber of Commerce to use in introducing Redwing at a presentation before the Chamber's board of directors.

3. Give thought to and (if time permits) draft a rough outline to how you want to approach the overall program for Catawba Pottery Works, and be prepared to brief the board of directors. Keep in mind this is a new business, i.e., one that needs all the attention and support it can muster.

Oh, and since you’re at the Pottery Works plant, Redwing would like you to sit in on his meeting with senior staff, so bring all of the above to the meeting. This will give you a chance to meet some of the other company officials with whom you’ll be working.


Candidate interview (sample) Member A: Can we realistically meet our objectives with Catawba Pottery Works? How long will it take?

Can we do it in the first year? Why? How are you going to make us a household word? When can we see your plan? What will be the basic elements of your plan? How much is it going to cost?

Member B: A Rock Hill Herald reporter has been calling all day and approached some of our employees to talk about the business. How should we handle the reporter? Should we do anything at all? Who talks to the reporter? What do we tell the employees about talking to the media? How can we make sure we get a good story?

Member C: Tonight at 7:30 p.m., the York County Board of Commissioners is meeting to decide whether or not to issue a business permit to the Pottery Works. No one other than president Redwing understands the legal issues involved or can commit the company. Heavy media coverage is expected. In the meantime, Tim Belk of Belk Stores just called. He is so impressed with our pottery, he thinks it might make a terrific fine arts addition to his stores' offerings. He wants the company to come up to make a presentation to his 315 store managers in Charlotte about our pottery and convince them they should include the Catawba line. But they will only talk to the top guy, no salespeople. The group doesn't meet again for six months. The Belk meeting is at the same time as the county commissioners’ meeting. What do we do? Why?


Candidate interview (sample) Member A: What do you consider to be your three greatest strengths? Why? How have you

developed those strengths?Member B: What do you consider your three greatest weaknesses? Why? What have you done to try

to improve?Member C: How do you define public relations? What do you think the role of a public relations

consultant should be? What is it that we do in this business? What can you offer this firm that no other competent professional offers? How has the business changed in the last several years? What do you see as the three greatest threats to the profession today? What are the three top opportunities?

Member A: What is your philosophy on continuing education for yourself and fellow employees? What is the first professional development area on which you would like to focus? How will that help you contribute to our firm and advance professionally?

Member B: What will be your personal achievement goals with our firm? What makes you want to work for our firm? Where do you see yourself in five years? Where do you see Epley Associates in five years?

Member C: Are there any specific clients or types of clients for which you could not work? If so, which ones? Why?

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