How to break up in PR

 16th January 2014    PR Guru 

PR is all about relationships, and the problem with relationships is that they often go wrong.

When they do it can be messy, whether it’s an illicit affair you are having with a client (or even worse, a journalist) or you think it’s time to sack an employee.

Here are my ideas for making it as painless as possible:

1. The journalist who lets you down: I get it. I realise I need to be nice to journalists. But, not turning up to a client meeting or a blatant mis-quote is just plain rude. Next time they ask you to do them a favour, ignore them.

2. Once a slow payer, always a slow payer: The client who doesn’t pay. Whatever you do, don’t listen to their excuses and keep working for them. This is the type of break up that needs a letter from the solicitors.

3. The colleague who is crap: Think of it as tough love. If you're useless at something it's better to be told than to waste your life thinking you're good at it and moaning when you don't get promoted. Think of yourself as the Remo D'Souza of PR.

4. The illicit affair with someone at work. This is tough, but if you have to dump them, then just grit your teeth and do it. Face to face. Not in the middle of the office, preferably. If it then looks like they have no intention of looking for another job, then you should. Working with the ex is never going to work out.