ABSTRACT
Being an accomplished communication technician is an essential part of public relations leadership. The sort of technical skills usually associated with public relations include writing, content development, making a presentation, negotiating with others and carrying out research. 1 These are the practical abilities practitioners display in their key areas of operation such as media relations, crisis management, marketing communication and employee engagement. As with other professions such as accounting and law, demonstrating technical proficiency is necessary if public relations practitioners wish to be considered for executive management positions. Having reached such senior positions in the organisation, public relations leaders continue to display high-level technical skills in tandem with their role as a strategic adviser to the CEO and other executives. This might include high-level media briefings linked to mergers and acquisitions, crisis communication and political lobbying.
