If I knew then what I know now

In her Teaching PR blog, Karen Miller Russell tossed out a few blog topics for PR bloggers, all aimed at enlightening students. One of these was: “If I knew then what I know now.” How could I resist?

My full answer would be the length of the Encyclopedia Britannica or perhaps the whole of Wikipedia. However, I think I can share the Reader’s Digest condensed version in one quick post.

Here it is: When I first started working full-time, I thought my job was to work as hard as possible and to do everything perfectly. It didn’t take me long to discover that my REAL job was to make my boss look good.

I’m not trying to be glib here. Yes, you must accomplish your tasks on time and with competence, but no one expects you to be perfect. You’re going to make plenty of mistakes along the way. If you can support your boss’s efforts, however, you will do well and you will be recognized for doing well.

So how do you make your boss look good? Find out what makes him tick. Uncover her greatest needs in the organization and then try to help her meet them. Is Project A more important than Project B? Does he need assistance in a particular area to make HIS boss take notice?

If you make the move to your own business, as I have done, you need to transfer these skills to making your clients look good. (Yes, now I have 20 bosses to please.)

Here’s a question for the students: What do you think of this advice?

Comments

[Karen]

Thanks for taking me up on it and for the good advice, Donna. I'll pass it on!

[Ben Matthews]

Hi Karen,

As a PR newbie, I can idetify with the advice you've given.

Luckily, I have a very nice boss who gives me lots of support and opportunities for development.

In return, I'm always sending over ideas/articles/blog posts/new opportunities for him. Whilst he often takes the credit - which makes him look good and so generate more business - he also acknowledges my efforts, making me want to offer him more and thus make him look better.

I think that the ways to make your boss look good that you mention apply not only when you start your own business, but also when you get your first account - what have I done in the past to make my boss look good that I can use to make my clients look good?

I guess your good advice applies to different people in different ways.