DEEP TALKS WITH PR GLOBAL LEADERS
PH.D. ELINA MELGIN
Adjunct professor, Senior Advisor, CEO of ProCom – Finnish Association of Communication Professionals (2005-2022), Painter
“Communication and PR means interaction-based influencing but not all PR is ethical”
Adjunct professor, Senior Advisor, CEO of ProCom (2005-2022), Painter
In Spain when a person is relevant we say that "he/she paints a lot". Elina Melgin paints a lot, not only in the Communication and Public Relations industry, but also as a hobby. If you think of a leader in PR in the Nordic countries, the name Elina comes up spontaneously. She is one of the most experienced public relations professionals in Finland and contributes to the development of the profession through her leadership of ProCom for the last 17 years and her academic activities. Her experience and intellectual capacity are reflected in the answers that follow, which share an ethical and committed vision of public relations and are a good guide for professionals in the sector to follow.
From a professional perspective, the headline is a nice definition of PR. But, personally, I have chosen from the interview the following quote: “A good reputation is a prerequisite for success”. Elina has both: reputation and success.
José Manuel Velasco (JMV): You have a very large background in the PR business. But why did you become a PR professional?
Elina Melgin (EM): It all started with writing. With my experience as a freelance journalist, I got into my first job as junior PR professional. I needed to make a holistic impact for different stakeholder groups. The work was strategic, and challenging. I liked it.
JMV: Could you share a short story or anecdote related to your vocation?
EM: My story is included in a just published book Renaissance of Multi-Competence. I graduated with a doctorate in history. I study and write using the methods of two different disciplines. My calling is multidisciplinary. I want to do many things at once. I am also a painter.
JMV: What does the PR profession give to you?
EM: It gives me opportunities to influence. In my role as a spokesperson for the entire communications industry in Finland, I have promoted research driven decision making, equality, freedom of speech/expression and ethics.
JMV: Choose a key moment of your professional career.
EM: I remember festive moments receiving or given PR awards. But yet: encounters matter the most. When I was young I got an opportunity to handle a PR affair of the famous film director Krzysztof Kiéslowski (early 1990s). He wanted to give only two media interviews and I was to select to whom. Kieslowski had just made his film trilogy Blue, White and Red. I felt myself very privileged.
JMV: Define the purpose of the PR profession.
EM: Communication and PR means interaction-based influencing but not all PR is ethical. I have used this simple definition (translated here) because anyone can understand it. In general PR work is explained in far too cryptic terms.
JMV: Do you think the profession is really globalized?
EM: Local culture and politics are linked to the profession. In the Nordic countries, for example, communication and PR are considered ethical, but in some other countries, PR is still mixed with propaganda. Unfortunately.
JMV: How digitalization is impacting on the PR job?
EM: Social media platforms are available to anyone to influence. Digitalization promotes democracy and freedom of speech. The downside: spread of mis- and disinformation threatens democracy.
JMV: What do you think is our main challenge?
EM: As members of the Global Alliance we should fight for the ethics of PR and responsible communication. This has been my personal mission for 17 years as CEO of ProCom.
JMV: Is the PR function threatened by marketing?
EM: ESG inlcudes both PR and marketing. A good reputation is a prerequisite for success. Success, on the other hand, is not possible today without environmental, social and governmental sustainability.
JMV: Which do you think is our main challenge on the ethics side.
EM: The greed of people, companies and organizations. The short-sighted pursuit of self-interest eats the credibility of our profession.
JMV: Do you think “truth” is threatened in the digital world?
EM: There have always been lies and deceptions. There have always been many kinds of truths. But today social media and dictatorial leadership are spreading mis- and disinformation, people and organizations are more vulnerable than ever. Young people in particular, who do not read journalistic media, are easily manipulated. Media literacy should be developed from primary school onwards.
JMV: What do we have to do to elevate the profession? That means, for example, to be recognized as a C-Suite function.
EM: The value of PR work comes visible in a crisis. During the pandemic the importance of PR and communication has been widely understood. C-Suite level influencing can be reached if a PR professional is knowledgeable, has foresight, negotiation skills, ethics and has strong will to improve things, together.
JMV: What attitudes need a PR manager?
EM: A great PR manager is a problem solver. He/she has the so-called can-do- attitude.
Understanding the expectations of stakeholders is essential in influencing. Identifying and responding to them is part of strategic communication. You have to be genuinely interested in people. If you follow the ethical code of the industry you will not get lost along the way.
JMV: And skills?
EM: PR work requires excellent organizational skills and creativity. One must have the ability to engage people for a common goal. It requires the ability to listen. PR person is a civilized person e.g. capable to speak different languages, capable to understand and respect diversity.
JMV: How are evolving or should evolve PR associations or professional bodies?
EM: The idea of PR associations was born in Europe after WWI and WWII. Much more should be done together for the cause of peace and the preservation of democracy. Diplomacy must not be left to the shoulders of nation-states. We need peaceful cooperation at all organizational levels.
JMV: What is the main demand of a member?
EM: A common code of ethics, to underline that we understand what this profession is all about.
JMV: Do you think the Academia is serving the needs of the profession at the right pace?
EM: This is a difficult question that I dare not answer because I do not know enough about university education in different countries. In the Nordic countries, education is at a fairly good level, although I believe that knowledge of world politics, understanding of cultures, and means of diplomacy could be increased.
JMV: Which managerial skills should improve or develop a PR manager?
EM: I believe in multidisciplinarity. In addition to PR work, you should study something completely different, such as psychology, political history, or, for example, production economics.
JMV: What would you say to a trainee on his/her first day of work?
EM: Congratulations. You have chosen a unique industry where you can do meaningful work for the rest of your life.
JMV: And the same to a senior manager over 50 years old.
EM: Thank you for joining us. We believe your experience and knowledge bring wisdom we need in this uncontrolled world.
JMV: Please, share with us a quote which impacted you the most.
EM: Everything important gets done (so don’t fool yourself!). This is a quote I invented during my rush years. In the end, we always make our own choices.
JMV: Recommend a book to the Global Alliance community.
EM: Anu Partanen: The Nordic Theory of Everything (2019).
Any thoughts or opinions expressed are that of the authors and not of Global Alliance.