Where are the corporate communications mentors and leaders?

Having been in PR, Marketing and Corporate Communications I have noticed a few things. Usually the best talent are soloist or individuals contributors. The reason for that it would seem is that agencies and in house organs tend to draw careerists who are better at navigating the corporate minefields than at developing a tight and on-target message. Now of course everyone who reads this will think they are the exception and I am sure I will hear how such and such a company is the exception. The sad case is that as a profession we are failing those who are coming up in the ranks in how to do what we do and, by extension, we are damaging both our clients, their brands and our profession.

OK let me throw some harsh reality out to people who seem to think otherwise, especially in the corporate and agency world. People just out of school have NO CLUE about how to work in an office. I don't care if they have done internships all through out school. They have done sprints, now they have to run a marathon, they have done the swimming portion of the triathlon and now have the last two legs to complete. We have an obligation as professionals to take these people under our wing and teach them how to do our profession right. Also, if we can impart in them the need to be forceful advocates for how our profession should be run then we will be taken seriously and seen as a profession.

A good example is what happens to lawyers at large firms. They are worked liked dogs that much is true. But they also have a senior lawyer, usually a partner, who is guiding them along and helping them learn the ropes so they will succeed. Unlike a lot of marketing and PR people, they are not waiting for a mistake to be made so they can destroy their self esteem and reap some petty sense of power and victory, they are working to guide this person through what is best for the firm and ultimately the profession. (Notice I did not mention the client!)

I had the good fortune to train my dog and found it very enjoyable. First, he is smarter than about 95% of the people in the world today. Now get ready everyone because I am about to liken training a dog to dealing with people. Training him worked very well because I taught him how to be a house pet, (no jumping on the furniture, housebreaking, waiting for dinner). In doing so I corrected him when he made a mistake but I also made sure he knew when he did well. Ultimately he did well because he knew it was the right thing to do.

Usually in Marketing or Corp Comm. we see no mentoring or leadership. We see someone assigned as a supervisor who basically sees it as extra work being assigned with no benefits for doing this. We should see this as a great opportunity to share knowledge and impart experience. A chance to offer constructive criticism and teach the person to grow and become not only a better Marketing, PR, Corp Comm person by improving their technical skills and also improving their confidence. Lastly, we can overcome our greatest professional weakness and treat people that by cooperation we secure a great deal more than by petty and needless competition.

If corporate communications, marketing and PR are ever going to be taken seriously we need to recognize talent and nurture it. We need to end the immaturity, the turf wars and the nonsense and present a united front as a mature and credible part of the business community. Once this process is completed, or at least well underway, we can start to be taken seriously as a profession.