Tuesday, December 23, 2008

From Manager to Leader by Ken Jacobs

Posted by Katie Noonan

As with all commerce, the public relations industry is facing challenges we have not seen in decades, from budget cutbacks to on-hold RFPs, from layoffs to clients who ask us to do more with less.

Ken Jacobs believes that the most important skill we must develop within our teams to get through the challenging times ahead is that of leadership. We agree.

In his article which appeared in The Public Relations Strategist and PR Tactics and the Strategist Online, "From Manager to Leader," Ken Jacobs shares the insights of some of the public relations’ industry's top leaders including: Tom Coyne (president and CEO of Coyne PR), Joel Curran (senior vice president and managing director/midwest region of Manning, Selvage and Lee), and Brian McPeak (vice president, corporate communications and public relations, Rohm & Haas), among others. Ken’s article is well worth the read.

When I asked Gina Rubel of Furia Rubel Communications her perspective on the article, she said, “I agree with Ken. Leadership is key to success. A good leader will understand how to keep the team competitive on the current playing field.” Gina said, “It’s about doing the right things, maintaining a positive attitude, and knowing that opportunities always arise. This is the time to seize the moment and gain market share – not crumble and fall.”

During economic downturn or company turmoil, solid leadership can be the determining factor in your firm’s survival. Jacobs outlines skills that distinguish a manager from a leader and he encourages individuals to develop these skills early on in their career.

Read the full article here.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Katie and Gina: I'm delighted you felt the article was worth blogging about, and hope that your readers agree.

Happy Holidays to all.

Cheers,

Ken Jacobs
www.jacobscomm.com
ken@jacobscomm.com