Felicia Blow, Ph.D, 2022 PRSA chair and affiliate VP of growth with Hampton College, stated her best challenges have include being a Black lady within the skilled world — however she’s by no means let that cease her from persevering like the ladies who got here earlier than her.
We caught up with Blow to get her tackle the present work of a PR professional and the way she units herself and her group up for fulfillment day-after-day. Right here’s what she needed to say for our “Day within the Life” sequence:
1. What’s your favourite a part of your morning routine?
Blow: I’ve an extended commute to my workplace. My drive is my me time. I’ve my espresso, take heed to a lot of Sirius radio information, and at roughly 7:45 a.m. day-after-day, I chortle my head off by listening to “The Steve Harvey Morning Present” phase that includes Nephew Tommy together with his morning prank. I feed my thoughts and my spirit with espresso, information, me time and laughter.
2. Who’s an important individual you discuss to day-after-day?
Day-after-day I discuss to God, my husband and my youngsters. That said, I’m certain your reference is extra concerning skilled/work colleagues. In that regard, there isn’t a one person who I join with day-after-day on the workplace.
Primarily based on the day’s priorities, I discuss with my management, my colleagues, donors, prospects, on-campus teachers and a complete host of stakeholders with whom engagement is important.
3. What’s the most important problem you’ve confronted in your profession?
I’ve had plenty of nice successes in my life and I’ve additionally had many disappointments and abject failures. Nonetheless, nothing has been more difficult than coping with the variety, fairness and inclusion problems with our time. I’ve confronted main difficulties in being understood or misunderstood and handled unfairly just by advantage of being an African-American lady.
However I don’t give attention to the obstacles and the previous challenges. I do what people equivalent to Ida B. Wells, Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Betty Ford, my 100-year-old grandmother, and lots of others earlier than me have carried out — persevere. I simply preserve shifting ahead and being my greatest self.
4. What’s your greatest ebook or podcast suggestion for PR colleagues?
The ebook “Good to Nice” by Jim Collins. It jogs my memory of the necessity to push for excellence in all that we do. Don’t settle for the great when you already know greatness is feasible.
5. What’s your favourite instrument you employ recurrently on your work?
I should not have one favourite instrument. I exploit plenty of software program packages particularly focused to my growth and fundraising work (i.e. Basis Search, Massive Information On-line, Banner Development, and so on.), however I leverage closely your entire suite of Microsoft merchandise, together with Outlook.
6. Are you in an workplace/distant or each? What do you want (or dislike) about your present setup?
I’m 100% within the workplace and have been so for practically your entire COVID-19 pandemic. I didn’t really feel this fashion initially, however I’m glad that I’ve been in a position to persistently get out of the home.
Ideally, I might like to see a state of affairs the place I’ve the flexibleness to work a day or two per week from dwelling, however that’s as a lot as I would really like. Being round teachers, college students, college, alumni and in an setting that conjures up is one thing I really like.
7. What’s one trick you employ to advertise well-being, make your self really feel good at work?
Selling private well-being is so necessary and I’m not nice at it proper now! I work approach an excessive amount of, and I’m not exercising in any respect. Nonetheless, there are a [few] issues which might be crucial for me: 1) going to church every Sunday morning; 2) sleeping in on Saturdays; 3) dinner with my household each Sunday afternoon.
8. What’s the very best recommendation anybody has ever given you in your profession?
Don’t attempt to change who you’re. Be your self and don’t be so arduous on your self. Study out of your errors and transfer on. Deal with one another the way in which you want to be handled.
