Corporate Reputation Management Lecture

I have just returned from Manchester Metropolitan University where we had the pleasure of talking about Corporate Reputation Management to the students on the International Public Relations course. It is always a pleasure to to see some of tomorrow's professionals and to hear their intelligent and well-observed questions. We will always support this kind of request because, well frankly, shared learning and being able to support our profession is something we strongly believe in. Top marks for Jane Tonge, fellow CIPR NW committee member for her dedication to getting 'outside people in' to talk to the students. I wish many of my lecturers had done the same! From this morning, I think that the next generation of corporate reputation management professionals will be serving our profession well. Infact, I suspect many of them were in the room this morning. My closing comments in this morning's lecture? " I do not believe that any PR professional can operate effectively without a sound understanding of how businesses operation and of how corporate reputation affects the bottom line".

How Do You Measure Happiness At Work?

WIth the government planning to measure happiness this year, how happy people are at work is set to affect the figures. Our client, Tinder-Box Business Coaching, offered ten top tips to Management Today.

There is no HR framework for this unusual measurement, no tool or accepted theory to deploy but one thing is for certain, you can tell a happy workplace from an unhappy one. According to Carole Miller of Tinder-Box business coaching there are top ten tips to measuring happiness at work.
1. It’s not just what people do, it’s the way they do it. Look to see whether professional and personal values are congruent. Don’t just look at what is delivered, see how it is delivered.
2. Watch the reaction to stress. Those who are happy are more able to react positively to stress or impulsive management.
3. How optimistic are team meetings? Look at your levels of optimism in the team, when there is belief that things will work out , people usually make sure they do.
4. Make room for difference. It may be a cliché but everyone is different and those who can view others positively and welcome the differences are usually happier in themselves.
5. Are people comfortable with failure? When people are happy, they are more willing to try new, different or better ways of doing things and are confident enough to fail.
6. Can people hear their critics? It takes an established level of happiness and self confidence to request feedback, to listen to it and to consider whether to act upon it.
7. See the person, not just the employee. Taking the time to acknowledge people is vital to creating a happy workforce.
8. Friends or colleagues? Those with friends at work tend to be happier, more engaged and better performers.
9. How many inspiring people do you have? Teams who believe they have inspiring people tend to feel like they are a force for good and their members are often more happy.
10. Smile per hour ratio. Register the number of smiles your see in every hour or are you too busy to notice?

Ed Milliband and the charity clothing bag

Returning from another couple of days away on business, we are greeted by more junk mail on the doorstep and the news that Ed Milliband is leader of the Labour Party. You're right, there is not a natural link between the two subject matters or an obvious introduction for a post on corporate reputation management.
May I explain.
Having filled several charity bags recently with empty clothes, this charity bag, like the others, was hiding among the leaflets for pizza delivery, cleaning services and the numerous local, free newspapers. Despite my lack of suitable clothes to fill it with, there was one thing which made me retrieve this bag from the recyling pile, it was the words 'the Christie'.
Late last year, I was privileged enough to be given a tour of Europe's leading cancer care centre which pledges 'to care, to discover and to teach'. Seeing the values of the Christie in action, its dedication towards innovation in the area of cancer care and the courage of its leadership in delivering its goals, I could not throw the bag away. The Christie has a fine corporate reputation, it is authentic and consistent in its actions, it has a very clear vision which is delivered on and communicated by its management and it is among the finest of examples in the UK of how an organisation can be a good citizen. It has built amazing local,national and international support and respect. Its dedication to being authentic and transparent in its reputation paid for itself, just a couple of years ago, when Christie supporters successfully mobilised themselves to help reclaim precious funds that had been lost in the collapse of the Icelandic banks.
It seems to me that Ed Milliband could learn a lot from the example of the Christie as he takes over in his new post as leader of the Labour Party. Having been successful enough to extract himself from the recycling pile of leadership contenders, he must now consider how to mobilise the support he needs to take the party forward? To get the support that will deliver results. Will he be brave enough to build a reputation for the party by behaving and delivering in a manner that is distincive, authentic and transparent? I, like many, will be watching with interest to see how much importance Ed Milliband places on reputation to gain the support of those who can best help the party to move forward.
And the clothing bag? I took it to a friend who I knew would fill it and the bag was collected this morning.

Count down to Co-operatives Fortnight 2010

Co-operation is in the air. Co-operatives Fortnight 2010 (19 June to 3 July)

Placed firmly into the spotlight by the country's new leadership, the principles of co-operation are receiving new attention throughout the UK from those who are seeking an alternative way to achieve results.

But co-operation is not new. Working together towards a shared goal are tried and tested principles which were developed in this country by the Rochdale pioneers some 166 years ago. Today, these same principles are responsible for a co-operative sector that supports over a quarter of the global economy and ones which, here in the UK, 1 in 5 of us select to be members of. Around 4800 business in this country are co-operative, they are owned by their members and not shareholders.

Co-operatives Fortnight 2010 is the first national campaign to celebrate the co-operative model and the values of co-operation. From 19 June until 3 July 2010, co-operative businesses across the country will be celebrating their co-operative status with the theme ' There Is An Alternative.'
It is indeed true that the co-operative model is a very real alternative. An alternative for business, an alternative for public services, an alternative for financial services, an alternative for the consumer. This established model has a very real role to play in modern society.
the R consultancy is proud to be working with Co-operatives UK to deliver Co-operatives Fortnight 2010 and wishes all those taking part every success with the campaign.