7 ways for PR execs to improve their people skills

Good consultants might get promoted as a result of retaining clients, bringing in new business and delivering great results from the accounts they work on.

Once they’ve been promoted, though, they’re often expected to replicate that success among junior team members, usually with little or no training or understanding of how to get the best out of people.

Bad line management can lead to junior employees’ feeling frustrated or lacking direction. It can poison relationships in the office, create an unpleasant “them versus us” working environment and reduce the effectiveness and success of the organization.

Many PR and public affairs professionals learn what it takes to manage a team through trial and error. Here are seven tips that can make the difference between being a great manager and one who just muddles through:

1. Understand how much guidance your team members need. Some employees like certainty and being told exactly what to do. Others find excessive direction stifling. If you’re not sure whether you’re being too controlling with your team members, or if they need you to be more specific and precise when setting objectives, ask them. They’ll let you know whether they’d prefer a different way of working.