Issue 60 - July 2007

The M Powerer comes to you each month from M Power.

Its 'fast four' format makes The M Powerer a purposefully quick read with a mix of quotes, tips, reviews, news and views on areas we work in, including

communication
public relations
empowerment
individual effectiveness
organisational productivity
life balance
customer service.

Karen Morath

Managing Director
M Power
karen@mpowercct.com

The ‘fast four’ for July are

1. The role of websites
2. A quote we like
3. A look at public relations
4. This month's book review

1. The role of websites

No website, no identity, no doubt about it. But websites aren’t communication and most organisations have fallen into the trap of believing that they can put information on their websites and phase out actually communicating with the people they do, or would like to, do business with.

Communication is a two-way process. A file buried deep in the layers of a website just doesn’t cut it.

2. A quote we like

“When there’s a gap between someone doing her job and doing the right thing, management has failed.”

Source - Seth Godin

I wonder if when there’s a gap between what the law says and doing the right thing, the legal system has failed. Karen Morath

3. A look at public relations

Here’s an interesting - and practical - approach to public relations. Keith Ferrazzi, CEO of US-based strategic consultancy, Ferrazzi Greenlight, believes it’s all about organisations and individuals identifying the 250 people who have the capacity to enable them to achieve their goals and pro-actively developing contact and relationships with each of them over time.

He says it’s about “putting the relations back into public relations.”

Source - The daily dog, May 24, 2007

4. This month's book review

I have been reading a PR book that was written before I was born yet makes a point about the role of public relations that cuts through a lot of what large numbers of people today believe.

In,‘The making of a public relations man’, the autobiography of the founder of international PR consultancy Hill and Knowlton, John W Hillsays “Public relations has no power to create any lasting value where none exists.” He says organisations can’t just use the tools of public relations (one of which he believes to be communication) to “beguile”the public. He says “...public opinion is the ultimate ruling power in the free world...” and “...whatever is to come in the future must have the people’s approval.”

Earning that approval is what underpins excellent public relations, not organisations deciding what they think they can get away with, or what they think is good and desirable, and’spinning’ it.

If John Hill knew that in 1963, where - and why - have so many organisations gone wrong?

Last month M Power -

consulted to a variety of clients on a variety of communication issues including web design, brochure development, newsletter publishing, seminar
marketing and sponsorship
devised and implemented a sales promotion for a niche product
worked with individual coaching clients on issues as varied as interpersonal communication skills, developing an individual communication plan and launching a small business
published a variety of regular newsletters for clients and ourselves
wrote regular articles on communication and related topics for websites around the world