What King Lear can teach PR professionals
It sounds like a flaky title, alright the connection is tenuous, but there is a serious point.
You might recount that King Lear is open to flattery, and two of his daughters indulge him and are rewarded.
The third does not, tells him the truth, and is roundly rebuked – the King does not want to hear it.
At least not until circumstances put the true nature and actions of his daughters to the test do we see that the honest daughter was right and loyal, unlike her siblings. However it was much to Lear’s cost.
Be honest, and stand your ground
It is the professional duty of PRs to do just that in spite of any pressure for results from above or from the client – not always easy in today’s more pressure climate.
It is easier said than done of course, but the alternative is to put off a tense situation with a very poor result, and risk losing the account altogether. And if it is kept, the pressure is likely to get worse.
It is something a client might not appreciate, but the best will.
There is no choice really for either party as they are both working towards the same goal: results.
Tags: PR account management, PR best practice, PR client management, PR results