Name: Delali Diana Amaglo
Company/Position: Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited/Public Relations Officer
Describe your job in one sentence.
It is challenging, fun, and most of all an eye opener every step of the way.
How did you get into Public Relations; how long have you been in PR?
I’ve been in PR steadily for almost two years. But I’ve also been in communication for the most part of my life without concentrating on a specific aspect. I finally decided to focus on PR because it is first of all an area of interest to me. Then I also realized how essential it is increasingly becoming to the survival of individuals and corporate bodies as a whole. So when I felt like a ‘’square peg in a round hole’’ in all the other fields and employments I’d been in, it dawned on me that it was time to do what I love to do best – Public Relations.
What is your interest/specialization in PR?
I am usually interested in the Issues and Crisis Management part of PR. But my specialization will be in Strategic Communication and Negotiation. For now, I’m an all-rounder.
What is a regular day for you as a PR Person?
Every day comes with its own pressure. Sometimes, there is a lot of desk work to do. Other times, I’m out and about. There are usually unforeseen interjectory schedules but generally, I have a full plate. Busy you call it?
I think no matter how well a brand is established or relatively quiet, if a brand decides to stay without any effective public relations effort, it will take the public a longer time to understand the relevance of the brand to society. Therefore, a brand needs to be strategically propagated by a skillful PR person in order to gain the needed recognition. That notwithstanding, a brand could stay in obscurity or be known but not for its real reasons. Hence to gain the required understanding and long-term acceptance, the brand will need a creative and analytical thinker to prepare and convince the public to garner the necessary positive perception of whatever brand image it intends to put in the public domain.
What kinds of challenges do you face in your Public Relations career choice?
Before I answer this I need to state that, Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited is a 100% Chinese owned company. It is also important to mention that China is a Communist Nation and this makes them very conservative across all spheres. In effect, the role I play is essential in bridging the communication gap between the conservative Chinese workforce I find myself with, their culture, work ethics and policies and the “extremely liberal” Ghanaian culture and work ethics. The biggest challenge however is learning to understand the Chinese way of working and getting the Chinese to understand the acceptable way of working especially when it comes to PR and communication in Ghana. All other related issues usually take me through different phases of emotions - psychological and intellectual- but I eventually settle in.
As a PR Professional, what can’t live without……?
I really can’t do without my phone, information (internal and external) and access to the internet. There is little information one can get access to without the internet. And since PR thrives on information, it is only prudent to have a device that can afford you such convenience always. Besides, the internet is essential for the transmission of whatever information my attention is drawn to, in sending or receiving. It is therefore crucial to have these three.
Do you feel pressured to dress well for the job?
Pressured? No. Am i conscious of my appearance? Certainly! It is the number one thing for me. As a lady and a PR practitioner, my appearance speaks volumes. It determines the level of attention I’m accorded at a first glance and the physical impression i leave on the minds of the people I encounter on the job as the face and representative of my company. Hence, there is no room for shabby dressing even if I’m not on official duty. Every day and place is a working environment for me as a PR practitioner, so i need to unapologetically look the part.
Any advice to young ladies especially African women who may want pursue a career in PR or any communications related field?
Young ladies should disillusion themselves from the myth that PR is a walk over and anyone who speaks eloquently can be a PR practitioner. Again, PR is not a platform for lies and popularity contest. There is more to it than all that. It takes love, passion, selflessness, wisdom, a high sense of composure and professionalism to make a good PR practitioner. In effect, they should not try to take up a career in PR just to fill a void.
This is a series of interviews for Women in PR in Ghana (#WIPRgh). Its purpose is to bring the spotlight on such women and also serve as a resource for students in PR.
Faith Senam Ocloo
CEO
E’April Public Relations
Follow me on twitter @eaprilPR and @faithsenam
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