Another thoughtful entry by none other than, Grant Neeley. @grantneeley is a Navy Reserve Public Affairs Officer who most recently served as the PA operations chief in Afghanistan. In civilian life, he is a professor and political science department chair at the University of Dayton.
Journalists have them, organizations have them. What happens when a short-fused internal one pops? How do you react? Complain, do the bare minimum, or do you seize the initiative and show how competent you are?
As PAOs we are supposed to be nimble and constantly scanning the environment. If anyone on the staff should be able to seize the moment and meet a quick, tight deadline, it should be us.
While you or your office might have other priorities, remember – Public Affairs is only as strong as the organization for whom we speak. If this is an organizational need, you have to meet it.
Be the leader on the staff when facing a time constraint – solidifying your reputation and showing the rest of the team you are all in.
