Importance of effective

listening to a PR practitioner
Baliboola. N. Ivan
Public relations are management function which evaluates public attitudes, identifies policies and
procedures of an individual or an organization with public interest.
An earlier overall Definition of Public relation which explains it fully is one by the World
Assembly of PR Associations in Mexico City in August 1978. “Public relations practice is the art
and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their consequences, counseling organization
leaders and implementing planned programmes of action which will serve both the organization
and Public interest”1. This earlier definition offers wider scope to practice of Public relation.
Listening is a mental process that occurs when the brain receives electrochemical impulses and
reconstructs them into a representation of a sound that then has meaning. Listening however not
so automatic and indeed often requires us to be focused. Steps in listening are: hearing, selecting
what you hear, understanding what you hear, evaluating and then responding to what you have
been listening to.
PR practitioner will refer to anyone who performs PR work related whether in an organization or
consultancy. There are four basic roles performed by public relations practitioners, including;
(1)expert prescriber,(2)communication facilitator,(3)problem-solving problem,(4)communication
technician2. Public relations practitioners may be referred to as Public Relations officers,
corporate Affairs manager, publicist, communications managers, Account executives in PR
agencies and so forth.
Effective listening makes PR practitioners more efficient in their work as it’s a main component
of communication. The ability to listen carefully will allow them better understand assignments
and what is expected of the public relation department.
The importance of listening to PR practitioners is something worthwhile to consider.

1
Frank Jefkins,Daniel Yadins ,Frameworks Public Relations,5 th Ed,Great Britain, p7
2
Boom,G.M(1992) A comparison of sex roles in public Relations.Public Relations Review,5,22-28
Effective listening enhances in effective communication. By effectively listening, PR
practitioners are also able to get information. They need to listen effectively on behalf of the
individuals and organizations they work for as communication technicians who are in charge of
disseminating, managing information reception. In fact effective listening equals effective
communication. Effective listening is necessary for any communication to serve its purpose.

Helps PR practitioners grow into public speaking experts. Effective listening often leads to good
speaking. Good listeners are often some of the best speakers because they have taken the time to
find out what people are truly interested in. If you understand what is important to people then
you understand how to reach them. This will better PR practitioner in their role as spokespersons
for their organizations. Good listeners have always grown into good speakers. Remember the
impact of listening to others.

Build rapport with co-workers, bosses, and clients and other forms of Publics. As a public
Relations practitioner people will expect you to listen and address their concerns as you will be
the ear and mouth of the organization. Resolve problems with customers, co-workers, and bosses
there by work better in a team-based environment. If you are really listening to what your publics
wants it will be that much easier to fulfill their needs. The publics will be impressed that you
listened to what they were communicating instead of just going around. I the more satisfied your
publics are, the better. This is a win-win situation for all involved.

Important in Public Relations Feedback reception and helps them evaluate their new polices or
campaigns when they listen. Social media is ever changing and you need to engage your fans to
get this feedback. It’s like having a focus group at your fingertips if used properly. Businesses
need to focus more on listening rather than crafting the perfect message. Effective listening will
result in honest, clear feedback on message a practitioner has sent out. PR also helps the
company to achieve its full potential. They provide feedback to the company from the public
such as publicity reports, social research. This usually takes the form of research regarding what
areas the public is most happy and unhappy with. Better listening leads to better collection of
important facts and issues later on, resulting in fewer miscommunications and fewer mistakes.
Thus, attention to good listening technique is even more important when complex issues are
involved

It helps PR practitioners uncover opportunities for their organizations. It is often those closest to
the customer or products that are aware of the benefits and drawbacks. By listening, you can
discover opportunities to make an existing product or service better or even uncover an
opportunity for product or service expansion. PR practitioners provide an organization with new
opportunities because they listen to internal and external audiences than anyone else in the
organization. This can help identify new markets, new products, policies and strategies by simply
listening to their respective audiences

Crisis Management PR. When you effectively listen it’s better to get used to difficult, unpopular
material ahead of time. Effective listening will avoid organsational crisis, conflicts and
misunderstanding that could drain a company because a PR practitioner was an effective listener
They value listening as an essential element of conversation that makes communication
meaningful. Costly mistakes and conflicts can be avoided for example during a crisis take a look
at just concluded BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico crisis

Helps practitioners practice communication skills, Respond appropriately, Evaluate carefully by

Listen between lines there by Understand the mood,
Enhances mutually benefiticial relationships by effectively listening to concerns of both internal
and external publics Public Relations practitioners build and maintain relationship based on of
trust and caring essential to the growth of the organization they work for. Showing that someone
listens is important not only as a matter of kindness, but also as a motivational strategy. For
knowing that someone is interested in what they are saying, makes various stakeholders feel
cared about and emotionally connected to the organization. A Bond of Respect. Genuine
listening generates respect, rapport and trust between the speaker and listener. In particular,
employees, suppliers like, and respond better to, supervisors who they think are listening to
them. The first step in becoming a better communicator and enhancing your relationships is
learning to be a good listener. Listening is at the core of relationships. Relationships are only as
good as the way parties listen to each other.
Confidence. A supervisor who listens well will tend to have better self-esteem and self-image
because they will get along better with others.

Innovative solutions to problems and new production methods are incubated by listening. When
a leader tells someone exactly how to do something, or tells them to stop thinking and just keep
doing it the way it's always been done, the organization misses out on any improvements that
someone might discover by applying their fresh eyes and unique background to solving the
problem. For example a PR campaign may be drafted and imposed on staff without their input
and yet they will be the ones to implement it

Enhances Human resource goals. Public Relations is a management function which handles
employee relations and advisory role to management therefore as a company leader seek out the
creative voice of team members and encourage team members to listen to one another in order to
build an office environment that promotes cooperative teamwork and inspired problem-solving.
Listening helps to discover ways to make the work environment comfortable and attractive in
order to recruit and retain top people.

In conclusion
Effective listening is pillar to work of any Public relations Practitioner because they are
preoccupied with communication. Without effective listening skills then messages by public
relations practitioner will not be effective.
We were given two ears but one mouth which explains why effective listening is twice hard as
talking. Effective listening is hard. Effective listening is a hard but it’s a skill we can train
ourselves to master because it does not come naturally to most of us

When you are not listening you are not learning. When you are not listening you are preventing
opportunity. The fact that you do not listen reveals the reality that your mind is closed. When
you are not listening you are preventing intelligence. When you are not listening there is nothing
new, there are only your reactions. If you wish to live life to its fullest, then listening is vital.
References
1.Frank Jefkins,Daniel Yadins ,Frameworks Public Relations,5th Ed,Great Britain, p7
2.Boom,G.M(1992) A comparison of sex roles in public Relations.Public Relations
Review,5,22-28

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born and raised in jinja Town, Uganda East Africa. Started writing at the age of 10.
A time tested professional speaker, Blogger, social critic, counsellor, Journalist, Public relations
practitioner with wide range scope of expertise in crisis management, media relations and social
media. He’s worked with some of the most well-known and influential brands East Africa,
conducting marketing communication strategies
He has a Uganda Christian University degree in Mass communication.
He won the young communicator of the year Award by Public Relations Association of Uganda
(PRAU) 2010.He has volunteered his life to addressing environmental concerns, HIV/Aids
causes and politics.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

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