ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at what the authors consider to be the most important of a public relations practitioner's (PRP) professional relationships, that with their peers. It follows the interactions of an in-house PRP, Kate, during her routine work day. It highlights two critical incidents that represent how she uses verbal and nonverbal interpersonal interaction to manage relationships between herself and her colleagues. There are three types of peer relationships that manifest themselves during organizational interaction: the information peer, the collegial peer and the special peer. Most professionals have a range of relationships with varying levels of "closeness", trust and self-disclosure. Power can best be described as the "ability to manage meaning", and is exerted through communication, and indeed language. The PRPs are aware they have to deliver some harsh news, as the authority's development manager has already made it clear he is unimpressed, especially with the estimated cost of the project.
