Public relations and leadership: Applying public relations skills to develop your own leadership power

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Travis Parman Education

• B.S. in Communications, public

relations sequence of journalism, journalism University of Tennessee.

• Pursuing M.S. in Communications

Management, Syracuse University, ISDP.

Career summary

• Joined Lockheed Martin directly after •

undergrad working with Department of Energy. gy

Joined GM in 1998 and have worked in both internal and external communications in manufacturing, GM Europe, GM Corporate and Ch Chevrolet. l t

• Serve as a GM intern recruiter.

PRSA/PRSSA

• PRSA/PRSSA member for ~15 years. • Accredited in 1998. • Former PRSSA National President. • Served on numerous PRSA national tas forces task o ces and a d various a ous positions pos t o s in Knoxville, Indianapolis and Detroit chapters.

Other fun activities

• Serve as an anchor for GM Drive

Time, an auto industry newscast now available online.

• Drove a Chevy SSR in last year year’ss GM “You pay what we pay!”employee commercials.

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What I do Manager, Chevrolet Communications

• North N th American A i function f ti with ith some global gl b l responsibilities. ibiliti • Responsible for product media relations for Corvette, Chevy Racing, Camaro concept, Impala, Monte Carlo and Malibu.

• Just launched the 505-hp Corvette Z06, the fastest car ever offered by GM and the Camaro concept .

• Recent R t activities ti iti iincluded l d d JJay LLeno d driving i i th the C Corvette tt Z06 pace car for Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr. story featuring Corvette and Cobalt in Esquire, a GQ piece on the Camaro concept and next week we will announce the Indianapolis 500 pace car and driver.

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Public relations and leadership “With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without ith t it it, nothing thi can succeed. d Consequently, he who molds public Consequently sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or pronounces decisions. decisions He makes statutes and decisions possible or impossible to be executed.” 4

Public relations and leadership

What is leadership? Leadership p is settingg the right g example. p

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Public relations and leadership

Successful leaders see their leadership position pos t o as only o y the t e beginning. beg g

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Public relations and leadership What are the qualities of a great leader?

•They set a strategic vision and they COMMUNICATE it clearly. clearly •They don’t have the answer to everything but constantly seek advice and feedback. (two-way symmetrical public relations)

•Understand how to influence behavior of other people. •Care about people’s personal goals and try to blend them with their th i organization’s i ti ’ overallll goal.l ((co-orientation i t ti ffor mutual t l benefit)

•Understand that “People p are p persuaded byy reason, but they're y moved by emotion.”

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Leadership and public relations

P blic relations IS leadership. Public leadership

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Leadership and public relations •Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off. •Don't be afraid to challenge the pros, even in their own backyard. •Never neglect details. •You Y don't d 't know k what h t you can get g t away with ith until til you try. •Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

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Leadership and public relations •Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers. •Organization charts and fancy titles count for next to nothing. •Have fun in your leadership. Work hard but also play hard. •Leadership can be lonely at times.

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Leadership and public relations “With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed it, succeed. Consequently, he who molds public sentiment goes deeper d than h he h who h enacts statutes or pronounces decisions. He makes statutes and decisions possible or impossible to be executed.” ~Abraham Lincoln

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Leadership and public relations Applying public relations skills to develop your own leadership power

PRSSA National Assembly 2006 Travis Parman, APR [email protected]

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