PR Pros: It’s Not All About You

Alex Greenwood
2 min readNov 20, 2020
Photo by Monica Silvestre from Pexels

If you’re a public relations professional and find yourself antsy that you aren’t getting the glory, you may just be in the wrong line of work. You’re there to make life easier for your clients or boss, like a remote car starter on a subzero morning–you’re there to get things started, then get out of the way.

One of the most important aspects of your job is to present your client/boss/company in the best possible light. Then–and only then–you may bask in the reflected glow of that light.

If you think you should be out front and have a personal fan base that rivals or eclipses that of your boss/client, you should think about what your priorities really are. Credit deserved is one thing–but that should be reflected in your performance reviews, kudos from the boss/client, and your paycheck. If that isn’t enough, then you may find yourself looking for a new job or new clients.

Please remember public relations professionals: it’s not about you. Once it becomes all about you (as in you the messenger) the message is lost. File that under #FAIL.

Your time in the spotlight is when you are advocating for your client or their brand, introducing your boss at an event, or responding to a crisis. The second you believe you have your own cult of personality–particularly one that is of equal or greater importance than your…

--

--

Alex Greenwood

PR Consultant, Speaker, Podcast Producer/Host, Editor, and Award-Winning Writer of the John Pilate Mystery Series. Accomplished belly laugher.