Friday 3 August 2007

Early last week, an issue arose at work that needed a statement written.

I wrote the statement, hoping for it to come across as uncontroversial as possible. Things were toned down, while the facts remained. All I did was try to make it as un-sensational as possible, while maintaining the integrity of the issue. Basically, what any public relations practitioner would do.

The statement went to the appropriate approval levels - upon which it was promptly knocked down. After two drafts of the statement with similar uncontroversial tones and a phonecall that basically said "Melody just does not get it!", I finally succumbed and wrote the statement the way it was wanted.

No bridges could possibly be built or mended in the final statement I wrote. But it was what they wanted, so what could I do?

Today, the statement has come back to bite us. People of the highest levels are upset. Too controversial. Too sensational. Too wrong.

If only I can wag a finger at someone and say "I told you so"...

But it also made me realise that I really should have been more forceful with what I thought would be the right way to approach the issue. After all, that was what I was hired to do right? To watch out for the organisation's best interests as a professional, and not simply to be a pen.

3 comments:

bilbo said...

sensational. i want to read it.

remember last week my advice was if it had anything to do with church news that you had to make it up to sound good no matter what!

Mansfield said...

Office politics - can't live with it, can't live without it. Currently it looks like a game of "Duck and cover".

I presume that you have your own drafts saved up somewhere, knowing that the final statement was published against your professional opinion...etc, etc.

Melody said...

bilbo - unfortunately, the desire to keep my job means i can't really say what the issue was about.

mansfield - i did save my drafts knowing precisely that this would happen. Even made sure my boss knew everything that was happening to protect myself when the matter hit the fans!

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