Executive Communication Online Series

Can you provide a knowledgeable response about using research in your organization planning process? Can you explain the difference between primary and secondary research? Do you have a format for developing and writing a public relations plan?

This session will discuss research concepts and applications by using a variety of research tools to gather information about the employer or client, industry and relevant issues. Participants will learn formal, informal, quantitative and qualitative methods for developing a plan and setting goals based on research findings.

By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

• Demonstrate when research is indicated and why.
• Explain the process for evaluating and applying research in their organizational plan.
• Identify the difference between informal and formal research methods.
• Identify the problem statement for their plan.
• Define specific goals and objectives for their plan.

Do you understand how to integrate the plan and implementation of your organization’s communication activities with its vision, objectives and strategy? Do you know how to evaluate and report that implementation process for its efficiency and effectiveness?

This session will explore the implementation and evaluation of public relations and communication program goals and objectives; will include the sequence of events required to develop successful timelines and budgets executing planned strategies within an overall plan.

By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

• Construct specific messages to reach their target audiences.
• Identify the appropriate channel for specific messages.
• Establish monitoring tools to guide executing the plan.
• Develop a timeline and budget for execution.
• Measure effectiveness of the program through the objectives set.
• Identify improvements and prepare recommendations for the future.

Are you prepared to help your organization identify, manage and measure risks in a highly networked and volatile world?

This session will help you prioritize and manage a crisis and consider the process for dealing with a crisis. It will also help you identify communication/public relations models and theories, and barriers to communication. Communication models and theories such as Diffusion or the Wilbur Schramm Process Model can be very helpful in projecting the possible course for a group of people or anticipating potential problems.

By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

• Identify potential or emerging issues that may impact organizations.
• Define the roles and responsibilities of public relations at the pre-crisis, crisis and post-crisis phases.
• Understand the importance of providing counsel to the management team or client regarding issues, risk and crises.
• Demonstrate familiarity with social science theories and research.
• Identify social science communication/public relations models.
• Explain barriers to communication that prevent changes to knowledge, attitude and behavior.

Think about the various roles and functions within nonprofit, not-forprofit and for-profit companies. Could you ask intelligent questions about business structure — sole proprietorships, partnerships and corporations? Can you identify ROI for public relations activities in your organization? Are you aware of laws and guidelines for public reporting of annual reports or income statements?

This session will discuss ways to motivate and inspire others to build coalitions and communicate vision within an organization.  
By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

• Understand how the public relations function contributes to the financial success of the organization.
• Estimate human capital, financial and organizational resource needs.
• Establish a process to obtain information and appropriately store it for future use.
• Recognize chain of command within both horizontally and vertically structured organizations.
• Demonstrate understanding of the impact of organizational governance.
• Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information to evaluate opportunities for resolution in a timely fashion.
• Integrate internal and external components of a public relations campaign.

Ethics-based relationship management is at the heart of the communication function, emerging as a strategic role in managing environments, processes and methodologies in which your organization operates. Are you prepared to provide your organization leadership with the necessary tools, tactics and processes required to manage key stakeholder relationships?

In this session, participants will learn the importance of relationship building among key stakeholders (both internal and external) to find mutually acceptable solutions. It will also cover the need for reputation management by maintaining individual and organization credibility with and among key constituents.

By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

• Define consensus-building strategies and techniques to persuade key stakeholders to support a decision and recognize the need to find mutually acceptable solutions.
• Maintain individual and organizational credibility with and among key constituents.
• Understand the importance of internal relationships and organizational culture for communicating key messages.
• Recognize that relationships among public relations professionals, journalists and media organizations are built on mutual respect and trust.
• Identify appropriate controlled and uncontrolled media channels.
• Define the different tactics that can be used to establish and enhance relationships to recognize connection among various stakeholders.

The importance of public relations as a boundary spanner that counsels organizational leadership on ethics and ethical values of stakeholders cannot be overemphasized; with emerging technologies only adding to this challenge into the future. Are you prepared to help a CEO or a board better understand how legal issues impacting public relations should be handled? Have you routinely considered ethical outcomes in your planning process? Are you prepared for the role of your organization’s “moral compass” in its relationship with its varied stakeholders?

In this session, you will discuss the importance of standards for professional behavior in communications, recognizing ethical dilemmas and legal considerations as they may affect the organization’s decision-making process.

By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

• Define integrity and explain the conduct of professional activities in a lawful and principled manner.
• Reiterate the importance of ethical behavior in adhering to commonly accepted standards.
• Recognize ethical dilemmas to remedy unethical acts.
• Understand the First Amendment as a foundational principle for public relations and communications.
• Articulate conditions for libel and defenses within a given situation.
• Uphold privacy issues within the federal law regarding identity protection, ethical implications and digital record.
• Define applicable federal laws regarding disclosure, copyright, trademarks and fair use.