People Like Me
During the 2005-2006 academic year I took a leave of absence to work full-time as a writer/editor with a sales communications team at one of Canada’s most successful banks.
When I returned to Centennial College, I learned that my colleague Gary Schlee, had dived head first into the Web 2.0 world. Excited to incorporate this new knowledge into our curriculum, he introduced me to local and global PR practitioners blogging and podcasting at that time.
As I listened and learned, it struck me: most of these early adopters were middle-aged, mostly white guys. I quite like middle-aged guys. I’m married to one. But, I wondered: where are all the women? And, more importantly , where are Canadian women who might inspire our students–the majority of whom are young women.
Then, I began reading about Maggie Fox, founder of Social Media Group that bills itself as “one of the world’s largest and best-known agencies devoted exclusively to helping business understand Web 2.0.” A fearless entrepreneur whose Dundas, Ontario agency has more than tripled in size in a year, she’s much in demand as both a consultant and speaker.
When she agreed to come in this week and speak to our students, I was thrilled. Maggie didn’t disappoint. While she delivered a powerful message, her low key, confident presence spoke volumes. She let students know: “this is your time,” “you can do it,” and “learn all you can.”
After the talk, several female students told Maggie just how inspired, energized and encouraged they now felt about starting their careers in communications. They saw themselves in her place in a few years. Just like her. Confident. Competent. Capable. And, maybe even owning and running their own businesses.
One of the findings of Edelman’s 2008 Trust Barometer is that (at least in Canada), when it comes to spokespersons, people trust “people like me.” By the same token, students relate to PR professionals they can one day see themselves becoming. That’s such valuable learning. Thanks, Maggie!
Hi Christine, thank you so much for asking me to speak to your students - they were a great group, and threw some really thoughtful questions my way.
It was incredibly moving to hear those young women express their excitement and ambition, and I hope that they will continue to be inspired and know that they truly can do anything they put their minds to. That’s what my mother always taught me!
maggie fox — February 15, 2008 @ 12:46 pm
Christine:
This is an interesting post. Our colleague Bill Sledzik, who teaches PR at Kent State University and writes the blog, Tough Sledding, recently posted “where are the men in PR?” The trend is that women dominate the PR, advertising, and marketing fields in sheer numbers.
Most all of my students at Towson are female. Ironically, we had a group of 11 PR students visiting us this past week from Russia, and guess what? Ten of the 11 were female.
So, my answer to the question of where are the men in PR is, “who cares?” If they wanted to be in PR, they would be. I am happy that women find the profession attraftive, and I do all I can to make them understand that they will be successful.
My blogroll contains female bloggers whom I follow religiously, you included. My point is that women do not have to feel ill at ease about their gender in this profession. They rule!
Keep ‘em dreaming, Christine.
Les
Les Potter — February 15, 2008 @ 6:52 pm
I enjoyed your presentation, Maggie. I struggled to think of a question, but I must say, Gary and Christine are doing a great job of pushing us to explore social media; and I’ve learned a lot through that.
What I liked most from your visit is the assurance that we can turn an interest or passion into a lucrative career in the PR industry.
-Rick
Rick Weiss — February 17, 2008 @ 4:22 am
I think our classes in social media are advantageous as we get ready to enter a very competitive field. That being said, I am not of the opinion that social media is the be all and end all. When “that person you trust” is removed through a network of fibre optics, the message runs the risk of being tainted, confused, etc.
The Edelman’s Trust Barometer is a good point. I can certainly note the guest speakers this year who have inspired me. In particular, Kari Kuss from TGLN, despite her being in the not for profit sector– an area that I have no interest in. What makes a guest speaker captivating is not just their job title, but the qualities they reflect in doing that job that I can admire.
Brandon Carlos — February 18, 2008 @ 10:32 pm
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Maggie Fox. Being a novice blogger, I try to attend networking events such as Third Tuesday to get different perspectives on social media.
The overall message I am hearing is that social media is NOT the end all and be all. It is another way to communicate. The power behind it lies in the ability of an organization to reach your stakeholders directly.
I think this leads to a fear of social media, especially in the ability to interact directly with an audience once kept at arm’s length. Overcoming that fear is the first step in understanding how this new medium works and determining whether it is a good fit for an organization.
I also believe the fear is a positive thing - it prevents people from jumping into a field where the ethics are still unclear. Just ask the CEO of Marriott.
Bonnie Dean — February 25, 2008 @ 6:07 pm