I am confident that the standard emotional IQ in New York City is well above any average, anywhere. There’s so much to sample, do, and “play with” that the exigencies of day-to-day life simply demand more. More attention, more energy, more life. So, its no wonder that, with equal relish, New Yorkers tend to demand more respite and relaxation. This may come in the form of frequent Hamptons’ escapes, a home in the country, beach visits, or on a more macabre level – drugs, excessive drinking, whoring, or any other number of “attachments” we may unknowingly get comfortable with. Point being, so many city dwellers find themselves (yours truly, included) feeding needs that we don’t know are there or simply sneak up on us unwittingly.
For those who are here for the first time and doing their best to find a rhythm (or simply exist), its exceedingly important to take stock of this and engage in some personal reflection. There are countless yahoos who come here and burn out – left to return home with their tail between their legs – not for lack of talent, but for lack of emotional IQ.
Listen, by all means imbibe in New York City life – which includes a delicious array of questionable dishes – but pay attention to why, how and where its getting you. From personal experience, it has taken me years to become accustomed to such a fast pace of life, but as a dear friend use to tell me…”Give it at least 3 years to find your way. Then, start to really question what you’re doing.”
Plugging In, Plugging Out
July 28th, 2009Cutting out the “flack”
July 24th, 2009Reuters just released their “Handbook of Journalism” – rarely seen by the public but now available here. This brought up a few thoughts. The first is the acknowledgment that there is a push-pull relationship between the media and publicists, the health of which must be stewarded by both sides. The second, and perhaps more important, is that our industry is in need of discipline — much like the kind that Reuters insists of their journalists.
Our industry lobby, the Public Relations Society of America or PRSA, has done an admirable job in encouraging a greater sense of obligation and gravitas for publicity professions. But there are many, both young professionals and seasoned veterans, who fail to appreciate the importance of their jobs. They seek the glitzy trappings of our profession, but mistake our purpose for that, of a pure “sales” profession. Not that there’s anything wrong with sales; in fact, an important part of our job involves selling ourselves to journalists. But the prominence of a “sales” mentality often times limits the integrity of messaging.
Push and pull. The perception is that publicists push for things, and journalists pull back—rebuffed by the presence of an interlocutor. The negative reaction is sometimes based in ignorance about what publicists bring to the table. But other times, it stems from harmful experience they’ve had with publicists who don’t respect journalists or their boundaries. As publicists, we represent clients, professions and people seeking media approval. The least we can do is to be considerate and disciplined enough to learn what media professionals are looking for in their story. Using the Reuters code, and imitating the rigor good journalists demonstrate when reporting news, we should pay more attention to the importance of our field, and get closer to PR professionals and farther away from spin doctors.
We aid the news reporting process. Paying closer attention to how our ideas fit, and are received, into that process is paramount. Lead with content, relevance, and respect – I’m certain our friends at the 4th estate (the media) will be receptive to your call.
