Communication

and
Public Relations
 Review from Last Week:
Learning from the Panel
Presentation
• Important to know yourself (All)
• You must create your own
opportunities (Shane)
• Volunteer ! Volunteer! Volunteer! (Liz)
• Must love what you do …have passion
for your job! (Lara, Shane)
• Importance of sales experience (Lara,
Shane)
• Importance of people skills (All)
 After this Class You will
Know:
• The components of the communication
process
• Points to remember about effective
communication
• The importance of listening
• How to prevent organizational conflict and
tension
• What is public relations?
• Types of careers available in public relations
(including media relations and community relations)
 Communication Defined:
“A process by which messages of meaning are shared by
senders and receivers. Communication takes place at
multiple levels: interpersonally, in groups and via mass
media .” (text p. 213)
“Communication is any form of human expression –
written, verbal, or even body language.” (Davis,1994)

“Communication is the transference and

understanding of meaning.” (Robbins, 1980)
 The Communication Process

• Communications: managing the customer relationship over time

• Notes:
– Communications flow in both directions
– The fields of experience need to overlap to ensure that meanings
attached to the symbols used to communicate are similar
– Senders need to
Figure 15.2
know and
understand who
they want to reach
– Need feedback
channels to be able
to assess
effectiveness of the
message sent
 “The first step in good
communication is to stop
assuming that the other person
understands what you are
saying, because you
understand.”

Bryson,
1991
Communication Mishaps:

• Ignoring the feedback loop

• Ignoring selective perception
• Overestimating or
underestimating the
capabilities of your audience
• Making assumptions of
audience interest
 Points to remember
about communication
 Some of the most effective
communication efforts are also the
simplest
 Body language is a powerful form of
communication
 The absence of communication can
be a form of communication
 Know your audience before you
communicate a message
 Points to remember
about communication
(continued)

 People tend to accept facts,

information and opinions from those
whom they have confidence in and in
whom they trust
 Timing is an essential component of
effective communication
 Feedback is vital to good
communication
 “At least 80% of a
manager’s waking hours
are spent in verbal
communication.”
(Whetten & Cameron: 1991)
•45% of a person’s day is
spent listening
• 30% of a person’s day is spent
talking
• 16% of a person’s day is spent reading
• 9% of a person’s day is spent writing
 A Little Listening
Please!

• Groups of three
• A story teller, a listener, an observer
• Must be able to tell a story for 5
minutes
• Share findings
Suggestions to Increase Your
Listening Capability
• Listen without making value
judgements. (e.g. sender to expressing
views on abortion, legalization of drugs)
• Allow sender to fully express his or
her point of view
• Make eye contact and make facial
expressions
• Expect to learn something
Suggestions to Increase Your
Listening Capability
(continued)

• Listen without trying to second

guess the sender
• Use feedback to restate the
sender’s meaning as you
understand it…’sensitive
listening’
• Listen and use idle brain time to
understand what is being stated
Communication is
all about
establishing
good
relationships!
 “…the presence of good interpersonal
relationships between managers and
subordinates was three times more
powerful in predicting profitability in 40
major corporations over a five year
period than the four next most powerful
variables—market share, capital
intensity, firm size, and sales growth
rate– combined!!

(Whetten & Cameron: 251)

Communicating Effectively

• Be aware
• Be congruent
• Value straight talk
• Be personal
• Listen for what is not being said
• Be an active listener
• Be a sensitive listener
An organizational
function that fosters the
development of positive
relationships between
the organization and its
most important publics
(people affected by the
organization)
In order to be good at
public relations you
must be able to
communicate
effectively.
1. The message must be accurate and
successfully communicate your ideas
to the audiences that you want to
reach
2. You must be able to research and
write
3. Sentences must be grammatically
correct
4. Ideas must flow from one point to the
next
5. You must be able to speak….clearly,
use humour…boil speech down to the
 Models of Public Relations Practice (pg 214):

One-way: focusing exclusively on the flow of

information from the sport organization to the publics

Toronto Toronto
Blue Jays Baseball
fans

Two-way: focusing on communication give-and-take

between the sport organization and its publics

Tennis Canada Club Tennis

Players
Media
Relations
In
Sport
 Media Relations:

…an organizational activity resulting in the creation,

coordination, organization and dissemination of
information to the public through mass media (pg 217)

Mass Media:

…professional communicators that deliver

messages to large audiences quickly over large
geographical areas (pg 215)…using print or electronic
media (pg 216)
Question:
What do media relations specialists do?

Answer:
These professionals can deliver messages to
large audiences simultaneously or quickly over
large geographical areas. They are responsible
for creating, coordinating and organizing
information about the organization and
disseminating it to the public via mass media or
other organizational outlets (e.g. web site)
Skills:
strong interpersonal and written communication skills,
interest, perseverance to get experience

Ethics:
must release only information that does not compromise
people’s right to privacy;

“…one way flow model…it is tough for two parties

to have a healthy relationship if only one does all the
talking” (pg 220)
Community
Relations
In
Sport
 Community Relations:

“…build relationships with residents and civic

minded organizations in the same geographical
area as the sport organization” (pg 220)

 Long term investment in the sport organization’s image (Mullen,

Hardy and Sutton, 2000)
 Short term generation of new revenue
 Socially responsible thing to do
Question:
What do community relations specialists do?

Answer:
These professionals build relationships with
residents and civic-minded organizations in the
geographic area in which the sport organization
is located. They create, organize and execute
charitable initiatives and other programs
designed to benefit the community

Why?
To improve the image of the sport organization in
the community; to generate revenue; to serve
the community
How?
Donate money to charities, build facilities,
athletes or management make speaking
appearances

Skills:
Strong interpersonal and communication skills
(written and spoken)…need to create a portfolio

Ethics:

Ethical boundary has been crossed when

publicity rather than service becomes the sole
 Other Public Relations
Positions
• Corporate Communications: involves
work in multiple public relations areas
• Creative Specialists: design, layout,
graphic skills
• Employee Relations: staging events and
recognition awards for staff and
volunteers
• Web Site Manager: create site, facilitate
discussion forums, etc.