how to approach your boss: lessons for youths

QUESTION ONE
The statement may be well meant but the chairman might not understand its implications.

v Firstly, although the company may really mean to complement current efforts in the country to improve Zambians’ lives, it may imply that Zambians are poor and lazy people who cannot do anything to improve their standards of living on their own. This is because the statement can be misinterpreted by some people. The unemployed publics for example may have their hopes raised as they will expect more jobs to be created for them which will improve their living standards even when there are other determinants to that, which the company may not meet alone.
v In PR, statements should be made within reason that presents the company well to its publics for it to be understood or accepted and win good will. The company should be able to account for its statements and back them up with works. The company seems to have set for itself standards as implied in the chairman’s statement. Therefore, the publics expect the organization to live up to those standards. If it fails to meet these expectations, people may lose confidence and trust in it. Thus, the company will lose the goodwill of the public on whom any organization depends for its success.

v Additionally, the statement may imply that the government has failed to meet its responsibility of raising the standard of living for Zambians. If government views the statement in this way, it will create a bad relationship between the two of them. Government is their biggest investment partner, a regulator of investment policies and laws and helps create an enabling environment for smooth operations of investors. Therefore, a negative relationship between government and the company would put the company at a disadvantage.
v Another implication of the statement is that the chairman thinks that all Zambians are poor and desperate for foreign investors to bring development for them. This statement shows that the chairman came with a wrong perception of Zambia and therefore does not understand the actual situation in Zambia. Zambians are becoming suspicious of foreign investors due to past trends of promising things they could not deliver. Local investors also argue that they can do better than some foreign investors, and may thus have a ground to convince people that foreign investors are giving alienating statements they cannot live by. This may result into poor relations with potential local shareholders who may feel belittled.
v Another thing to take into consideration is that, there is no guarantee that oil will be found in the quantities that will raise the standards of living of the people as portrayed by the company chairperson. The company chairperson will be viewed as a liar.

QUESTION TWO
v As a PR manager of the company, I would say something pertaining to the company’s intentions in its investment in the oil industry. I would start with thanking the people of Zambia and government for allowing the company to operate in the country and explain that the company will try what it can to improve people’s lives in different ways. We hope to work well with other companies as we contribute to the country’s tax base.

v I would also explain to the public that the company has the duty to supplement government efforts in improving people’s lives by providing jobs. Our coming in the country will add on the number of jobs in the country. We give respect to the local authority and their efforts in ensuring that people’s living standards are improved will be supplemented in the best way possible.

v I would be obliged to clarify certain things from the chairperson’s statement that I feel would be misinterpreted. The chairperson may mean well, but the way he phrased the statement; “…and raise the standards of living for you Zambians,” may be discrediting to the company. Zambians are getting fed-up with investors’ statements that portray them (investors) as more concerned with the welfare of the people rather than the primary profit motive which drives them to which they often fail to live by (never come to reality).

QUESTION THREE
I would approach the chairperson and:
v I would tell him my view of the possibility that his statement might be offending to some Zambians because their experience with investors has made (many of) them to believe investors are not concerned with their welfare only profit. I will tell him that I will prepare a press release to clarify on your earlier statement so that people do not get a wrong impression about the company. I will tell him that clarifying things now may be less costly than at a later time. This (clarifying) will show that we treat people with the respect and maturity they deserve, and they will in turn cooperate with the company and support its programmes.