Shelley Spector Q&A
Shelley Spector is the Founder and President of Spector PR. She is also the Founder and Director of the Museum of Public Relations.
In honor of Women’s history Month, we want to recognize formidable female leaders throughout the history of PR and communications. Growing up and in your career, which female leader did you draw inspiration from?
When I first entered the field, you'd be hard pressed to find another professional woman in PR, especially the field I had chosen: corporate/financial. About ten years after I started in the industry, I happened to meet a woman who was then the only woman CCO of a major company in the US: Marilyn Laurie. She was my role model, mentor, friend, and my inspiration.
In your opinion, what are some critical issues around women and leadership within our field of communications that need immediate attention and action?
The idea that women can't break into the C suite is not a woman's problem. It's a man's problem. It's the men who need to accept and encourage women into their "inner sanctums," their boys' clubs. Younger generations of men, who have been raised to think of women as equals, are comfortable with women in traditionally "male" roles. I think we're about to witness a whole shift in the dynamic.
What can communications professionals in leadership roles, regardless of gender identity, do to enhance gender equity in the industry?
One of the reasons that men have had an inclination to regard women as "inferior beings" or "sex objects," is that that's how the media portrayed women in commercials, sit coms and movies. Even women were inclined to think of themselves as lesser beings than men. What communications professionals can do is to portray--in advertising, film and news-- real women who've achieved real leadership status. And I don't mean the stereotypical "Devil Wears Prada" kind of boss ladies.
What advice do you have for the new generation of female communications professionals?
Since 80% of the industry today is female, I think women are more likely to be dealing with other women than men in their climbs to the top. But there's one piece of advice I'd give any young man or woman with leadership aspirations: learn business and finance. Learn about the stock market, the economy, read the newspaper.
Given that you work in an industry where we’re in a position to #ChoosetoChallenge through communicating, what one message would you share with clients about gender bias and inequality?
To corporations: how you treat your employees is a reflection of your corporate culture, and a bad corporate culture can indeed impede good customer relationships.