It’s one of the most defining questions facing the PR profession: How do we ensure our voice, our insight, our expertise, is given its proper place among C-levels in our company/organization? In some cases, this very question can define a professional’s entire experience with a company.

So big, in fact, is this question that the PR profession has been debating the topic for years. A recent interview series on public relations ethics from PRSA’s Public Relations Tactics magazine shed some light on how some industry thought-leaders view the balance professionals face between being an internal adviser/counselor and an external communicator. One point, in particular, I was motivated by came from Keith Mabee, APR, vice chairman of Dix & Eaton:

We have to be organizational boundary riders with one foot in the inner sanctum of the C-suite and the boardroom and the other foot out there in our constituency environment. A lot of it has to do with having the courage of your convictions, adept interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate your breadth and knowledge of the business and the industry you’re operating in.

“Organizational boundary riders,” while reminding me a bit of a 1970s-era made-for-TV movie about a motorcycle riding gang of PR professionals, is an excellent summarization of the balancing act many of us feel on a daily basis. We find ourselves caught between two interconnected, mutually-beneficial worlds (internal organization and external audiences/constituencies), yet the goals, values and desires of these two worlds can often be vastly different from one another. And we’re charged with counseling one audience (internal) on communicating broad values and organizational goals to both internal and external audiences, while engaging and listening to the other side (external) and figuring out how to take its desires and concerns to the people in charge.

It’s a very delicate balance; one I think cannot be underestimated. A professionals’ success in achieving that balance will have major implications on how strategically important his or her role is viewed within the company throughout their tenure.

This back-and-forth balancing act helps explain why it’s so difficult for executives in many organizations to immediately give PR professionals that proverbial seat at the boardroom table. More so than any other high-level executives within a company, PR professionals—whether a CCO (Chief Communications Officer), VP of PR or someone similar—split their time between two connected, yet disparate, areas of an organization.

And for some, that can create confusion about where our true value lies. Should we be seen as a high-level executive counselor, with a direct ear to the CEO, as well as legal and marketing teams? Or, do we fall somewhere in between, having the CEO’s ear only when necessary, but with more of our time and energy devoted to outside audience listening and engagement?

This debate is far too individualistic and nuanced to attempt to answer by the broad stroke of an entire profession. The onus will ultimately fall on each individual PR professional to prove their strategic counsel and expertise places them squarely among other C-levels a CEO utilizes at their company/organization. As a profession, we can, and should continue to, provide the tools, messaging and support to back up these efforts. But ultimately, it’s up to the individual who will be providing that counsel to ensure their spot.

What are some strategic points you use to demonstrate your value among organizational executives?

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