Working in public relations, you may find yourself working alone. You may be the sole PR resource for an organization or you may work for yourself.
Being the lone wolf, doesn’t mean you don’t belong to a pack, you just have to do some extra work to find it. Finding your PR wolf pack is essential for professional development, as no one can succeed on their own. If someone tells you they can, they are likely delusional. Your pack should push your performance, increase your knowledge base and challenge your thinking.
We know how (or should know how) to build and nurture relationships on behalf of our organizations. It is equally important to build relationships on behalf of ourselves. When you have a network to regularly engage with it takes some pressure off to know all of things. Being able to ask trusted colleagues if your idea is the work of mad genius or a crazy person is invaluable.
Here are some ways to find your wolf pack:
Engage In Person
Find a way to regularly meet others in your field to discuss pertinent trends, to vet your ideas and provide a collaborative space.
Just like in a wolf pack, meetups create a collaborative environment and healthy competition, both of which help fuel continual growth. Learning about the amazing projects others are working on pushes me to take on bigger projects at work. Talking to other professionals helps keep motivation levels high and creativity flowing.
When you meet with others, don’t be afraid to share what you know. By opening up your own toolbox, you create a safe space for others to reciprocate. Knowledge sharing not only helps move your personal development forward, it helps continually push the development of the overall public relations profession.
Spending a good chunk of your time alone with a computer inevitably creates cognitive biases. Having a sounding board illuminates those biases. Often, only one question can shatter your struggles and provide an alternative approach to a problem. The only way to receive that question is if you have a group that listens to your issues and ideas.
A local PR association hosts a monthly Coffee Talk to discuss any and all public relations developments. I regularly grab lunch with a group (dubbed PR Power) to talk about our professional development goals. Another group, PR and Pints, meets to troubleshoot any issues we may be facing. If a group in your area doesn’t exist, create one! Human interaction is essential.
Join a Public Relations Association
Joining a public relations association immediately plugs you into a network of local professionals. This network will often be your source for workshops, training opportunities, awards competitions and job openings. Get the most out of your membership by regularly attending meetings, getting to know other members and being on the leadership board.
By joining the Public Relations Association of Mississippi, Pine Belt chapter right after I moved to Hattiesburg, I was immediately plugged into a network that has greatly supported my career development. If you are looking for a group to join, The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is a good place start as there are chapters across the nation.
Volunteer for Nonprofit Committees
If you do not have a team environment at work, find a team to work with. Leadership and team building may not be part of your current position, but who knows what the future holds. In interviews, you will get asked how you work in teams. If you have volunteer, team-based experience up your sleeve you will be ready to field any question that comes your way.
Offering your skill set to nonprofit communications efforts helps you and the organization. You grow by tackling new projects and learning how to work with different personalities. The organization benefits from your knowledge and advice.
Since I am lone ranger in my office, I purposefully volunteer for different nonprofit communications committees. Through these groups I have met communications professionals and been exposed to different creative approaches.
Engage Online
With the virtual world at our fingertips, there is no excuse to not engage online. Participate in a Twitter chat, comment on industry blogs, etc. These online communities offer a wealth of information. By participating, you can soak up the expertise of others and showcase your own wheelhouse.
Solo PR Pro has been hosting its Twitter chat, #SoloPR, since 2009. Personally, I have participated in #measurePR hosted by Shonali Burke on the second Thursday of the month, 12-1 p.m. ET. I always leave with a list of strategies and tools to test out. If you’re stuck on how to participate in a Twitter chat, Buffer offers a great guide.
You may be a lone wolf in your office den, but you need to find your wolf pack in order to thrive.
I’m so happy to be in your wolf pack, Hannah – and to have you in mine. Great tips here. I think how lonely we are really depends on how lonely we let ourselves be… no?
Yes, absolutely! You can really only blame yourself if you get to the point of loneliness. There are so many opportunities to plug-in and engage with others.