Congrats! You’re getting promoted, moving up the chain, maybe taking on a Public Affairs assignment at the Division or Corps staff (or higher). Sure, you’re further away from the action and dealing with some additional staff bureaucracy, but you’re also dealing in strategic releases for more substantial audiences. To top it off, you’re in a weird position where you’ve got to drive action and clear understanding, by working with and through a team of empowered PAOs in your subordinate units.
I’ve seen great and bad Public Affairs staff work as a PAD Commander, BCT PAO, and PA staff officer at 2-, 3- and 4-star commands. Here’s what I’ve learned lower-level PAOs need from their higher headquarters’ PA Director (and staff).
Do: Reinforce Strong, Simple Themes and Messages. The higher up you go, the shorter and simpler you have to be with your messages. If your headquarters lists the Cheesecake Factory menu’s worth of key themes and messages, your subordinate PAOs may never learn to integrate the right ones at the right times. Have two, maybe three, key messaging campaigns and teach PAOs to forever and ever hammer those forever lines.
Don’t: Treat Subordinate PAOs Like They Work For You. You have a staff, and the subordinate PAOs ain’t it. Walk a fine line of coaching them and partnering with them. No need to enter a one-sided, prescriptive relationship. At the end of the day, they work for their own commander … who just happens to work for your commander.
Do: Share the Commander’s Guidance. Information is money, and you’re driving the information bus. Arm subordinate PAOs with the commander’s latest guidance, or what the boss is reading today. They’re probably not getting that from their own leaders, and in some cases could actually be providing it for their own leaders.
Don’t: Demand Constant Updates Without Adding Value. No one likes the higher headquarters who creates additional reporting requirements, or meetings, just to “check in” or “maintain awareness” without making anyone’s job easier. Respect the other PAOs’ time, but when you do engage, provide new information and additional resources to support their efforts. If you don’t know what a subordinate PAO has been doing lately, a friendly phone call or visit will achieve more clarity than a new recurring meeting.
Do: Find and Fix Inconsistencies. Are first and second brigades using different words to describe the same mission? Is third brigade refusing to release information the others are freely giving? Consistency is almost as important as context. Break the ties that your subordinate units may not be aware of; and make sure you’re not breaking the same rule against your sister headquarters.
Don’t: Outsource Work Your Staff Could Do. C’mon, give me a break.
Do: Ask the Right Questions. It happens to all of us: PAOs spend their time with leaders and staffies who speak the same language, all the time. Widen the aperture for your subordinate PAOs by productively exploring the words they write, the way they coordinate with their staff, and way their operations are discussed outside their silos.
Do: Fact Check. Goes along with asking the right questions. Yes, you ought to trust your subordinate PAOs, but you’re in a position to make sure their recommended Public Affairs guidance and releases match the reports their unit is sending your G-3 and G-2. Find discrepancies and root out the source, or else reporters will later.
Don’t: Be the HHC/HHBN PAO. Think about plans and operations at the same level as your commander. If subordinate PAOs only hear about your coverage of that cake-cutting ceremony, you’re an HHC PAO.
Do: Set Standards. What does your organization’s best public affairs work look like? If you don’t have examples and standards, build them alongside your subordinate PAOs. Apply those templates and checklists across the organization, and break them out before major events.
Don’t: Copy Edit. Who gives a shit? This is an important difference from “Set Standards” above … either something they send you doesn’t meet those standards and gets sent back for another look, or it does meet those standards and your team takes it from there.
Do: Build Bridges and Break Down Walls. Does the subordinate commander know and trust their own PAO? Are all the PAOs speaking with each other? Are you introducing them to senior PAOs in the Pentagon, and journalists they ought to know? You can and should be a connector.
Challenge: I’ve learned these lessons as an officer and civilian. Senior NCOs, what’s your perspective? What do you have to change or add?
(Photo by Brian Godette, DVIDS)
