How PR pros can vanquish 3 common internal foes

You just landed a job running the communications shop of an organization, and you can’t wait to dive in.

You start to build relationships, draw up strategic plans and get people excited with your big-picture thinking, and then—nothing. Your new plans stall, initiatives don’t go anywhere, and you start to question how much appetite there is to try new things.

That’s when it dawns on you that the biggest challenge you face isn’t budget, resources or inherent desire—but the culture in which you operate.

Even the most talented communication leaders can find it difficult to overcome the “we’ve always done it this way” company mentality. That’s because, as powerful as it may be, it’s also nebulous. It’s never written down or enforced by any one person. It’s simply the air everyone has chosen to breathe, and they aren’t inclined to question it.

Although it’s not an easy task, there are ways to break through the cultural malaise standing in the way of positive change. It all starts by recognizing the kind of cultural trap you face, and how to deal with common barriers to progress. Here are three challenging cultural obstacles, along with tips to overcome each:

The overthinkers