Jacqueline Strayer Q&A
Jacqueline Strayer is a communication and marketing expert. She has served as an elected officer of three global public companies and teaches in executive and graduate programs at New York University and Columbia University.
How can the hiring process change in our industry to lift up diverse candidates? How can companies work with universities to develop talent?
Organizations, whether they are business (private or public), non-profit or government, should make it an imperative that their workplaces are diverse, open and engaging. Diversity makes their organizations more creative, relevant, and interesting.
There are opportunities for organizations to connect with diverse talent through meaningful internships. Students can be given valuable experiences to engage with leadership and understand organizational imperatives. They can partner with universities in getting students assigned to them to address a significant issue or opportunity and work with them to address that. We have such a program at NYU through our Real-World program.
Leaders can engage by guest lecturing within universities to give students exposure to them and their organization. And through Zoom they can guest lecture from anywhere in the world. I have had exceptional people coming into my classes over the past year because they can lecture from a remote place. They can also encourage the professional associations they belong to, have student memberships and engage students in the work of those associations at their events and through networking. Additionally, they can champion the work of students through their communication channels and showcasing their organizational contributions.
In terms of hiring processes, I am not an expert so I would let my HR colleagues reflect on process and the best way to engage diverse candidates. However, organizations who advance their values, whether it is in their hiring process or creating open, comfortable work environments and practices will attract and retain the best, diverse and most exceptional talent
As we know, education plays a vital role in shaping perceptions. How can educators help shape the next generation to be aware of their biases and create more inclusive future workplaces?
The first class I taught five years ago was a graduate course at NYU in Critical Business Skills in Public Relations. The class was focused on the skills that are important to be successful in PR that are not PR skills. After my first semester teaching this class, I decided to do my own research to determine what skills are actually important to be successful. My survey got hundreds of responses among the PR community and I published an article about my findings. Critical thinking was the number one answer. Through cultivating critical thinkers, we examine how we look at something, determine courses of action to take and make better decisions. In that process we reflect on our biases, which each of us has. Once we confront the inherent biases of how we approach our work, our relationships, the situations we face and the decisions we make, that helps us evolve as people. As educators we have a responsibility to examine our own thinking and teach our students to do the same.
As an educator and communications professional, what advice do you have for the next generation of PR pros?
-Building your relationships and networks. Vital! Build them with people who are diverse on every metric. Don’t shy away from people who think differently than you. Nothing new ever comes with everyone agreeing with each other. Healthy conflict sparks examination and creates innovation.
-Strategy. Vital is understanding how to connect the strategic direction of the organization with the communication plan. There you can show real outcome-based value.
-Build Your Brand. I use a marketing model in my classes and workshops. Your brand has numerous facets. First, have a vision for yourself and where you want to go. I don’t mean a job title, I mean a destination that addresses the kind of work you want to do, the people you want to work with and what kind of a person you want to be. We don’t think about that enough. Identify what your best professional qualities are and find ways to showcase them. Capitalize on them. Know what your values are and what you stand for and make sure that others know that about you with evidence. Your proof points demonstrate tangible ways you are advancing those values. Your values form your character, essential to a strong brand.
In your opinion, what are key components of an effective communications education? What should the next generation know as they head into their PR careers following college?
In addition to cultivating essentials like writing, presentation skills, and strategy, a fundamental skill is an understanding how reputations are built. This is essential. Understanding how trust is cultivated. In addition, every communicator should understand stakeholder theory and analysis… how to connect to stakeholders and understand their perspectives. I tell my students “think from the outside in” as if you were the stakeholder. Storytelling. Stories are what we will remember based on neuroscience. I teach storytelling in nearly every class I teach. An essential. Finally understanding leadership, navigating organizations and how they operate. If students understand how power works inside organizations, it will be invaluable in their career success.
How can PR professionals continue to educate themselves throughout their career?
-Stay open to new ideas. As Daniel Levitan the brilliant cognitive psychologist, neuroscientist, writer, musician (and professor) said, “If you think you know everything, you can’t learn anything”. I love this! I start each of my classes with this quote every semester regardless of what I teach.
-Always stay abreast of contemporary issues and topics. Read, read, read. And do research. I always told my teams. “Do what you know, not what you think!” Strong evidence is compelling and makes you more credible.
-Continue to build your relationships and networks as you advance. Make sure they are diverse on every measure. Connect with other cultures and learn from them. Travel. Be open to exploration of other places, ideas, and people.
-And cultivate yourself outside of the practice with things that are important to you and give you other dimensions. I have spent my life involved with the arts, film, theatre on numerous levels. This has given me access to thinking outside of my own organization. I have gotten to know really terrific people and enjoyed wonderful experiences. And hopefully, made me a more interesting person as a result.