Next stage of Reputation Management and Strategic Public Relations in Sri Lanka

SPECTRA Plus 2021, the online edition of PRAXIS, which is World’s largest Reputation Management organised a forum on the topic “Future of Communication in South Asia” saw 58 speakers from 11 countries, 1200 delegates from 22 countries actively participating on a very unique online conference focusing on reputation management. Moderator, Hemant Gaul Dean for SCoRE Institute posed the fourth question question to me: What role does Continuous?Learning?& Organisational?Development (CLOD) play in upliftment of the quality of counsel provided by us? How important is it in PR/Comms space in our country (and is it currently getting its due importance? What subject areas and?learning?methods are prominent? What are the gaps? What are the solutions?

A factor that has been continually popping up in this series of articles is the need for any Comms Professional to be continually updated on the latest news and trends-as well as latest industry practices. Another such continued theme is the interlacing of many technological advancements with Comms work. The critical steps in messaging -Marketing, Brand Communications, Crisis Management, Reputation Management, Sustainability Communications, and Impact Relations- are increasingly leveraged with technology and behavioral analysis.??

Continuous Learning & Organizational Development (CLOD) takes center stage. It is CLOD that moves the organization forward. CLOD forms the base of organizational development.?

CLOD therefore has taken root as an indispensable raw material in not only communications but across many industry sectors. In the present era of technology advancements and the Cloud, the process of CLOD too has become ever more prevalent.

What role does CLOD play in uplifting of the quality of counsel provided by Communications Consultants such as us??

Before going further, it is important to stress that with organizational development through such processes as CLOD, organizational communications too increase inevitably. Here our focus is not on higher comms levels derived from CLOD but the effect of CLOD on development of the Comms Professional.?

For the communications sector, CLOD could be described as ‘vital.’ CLOD in Comms is not only about following the industry requirements and best practices but is also the first aid for the very survival of the Communications Profession-and the professional.

As in everything in life, career and progression, CLOD defines your team’s strength and the organization’s purpose. For example, the Wire Group organizes a weekly internal training platform tagged Wire Hub, which assists the team in their “Work from Anywhere” (WFA) chapter.?

Knowledge sharing not only empowers organizations to develop competencies and skills, it is an engine which increases value and sustain one’s infinite advantage. If we define Knowledge as something that personifies intangible assets and expressions, practices and inspired creative and critical thinking processes which will strengthen any individual and this transforms a firm's most valuable resource, CLOD could be said as the engine that pulls this entire “Knowledge train” forward.

CLOD helps all members from diverse areas to share, learn and network with each other. It helps empower each member not only to hone their skills, it also improves and aids each member to build their leadership and characteristics as well as their personal development. People are the most important stakeholder for any organization and at this very crucial juncture, they are as critical as shareholders and investors. A team members’ personal development therefore directly correlates to organizational development and more so for a Communications industry organization, since its nucleus is “the people and only its people.”?

As CLOD could be described as a next stage for Sri Lanka’s Comms industry, yet another stage in the same direction is “Collaboration.”??Within PR industry in any country Collaboration is a must –it is required within the industry and I am happy to state that as a long term professional in our beloved practice we in Sri Lanka looking at the formation of the next level.

As for PR collaboration at Regional Level, several factors positively help to achieve it. They are the similarities, respect in relationships and the acceptance of diversity. Our beliefs in Unity and Diversity are aspects to be celebrated and meeting platforms for regional professionals can enable and empower us significantly. I personally feel platforms such as SPECTRA and the proposed first Professional PR Association in Sri Lanka are important stepping stones for PR Professionals across the South Asian region. For instance, SPECTRA can show the region’s PR professionals how “Learn-Unlearn-Relearn” archetype comes into play in their industry and shine the industry beacon of light on the way forward (I was in fact privileged to attend PRAXIS GOA Summits in 2019 with my team to learn and network from many regional and international delegates).?

With such initiatives together with our continued work in the PR industry, I can say that the true meaning of Public Relations defined as “positive and impactful relationships with action embedded with authentic intent and action” is a call for professional action.?

It is time to take this call together- Ring Ring Ring!