Yet, I work for the largest private Public Relations firm in the world, Edelman. Luckily however, I was hired on the Digital team which doesn’t require a whole buncha’ public relations knowledge. And, to be completely transparent (since that is the word of the decade), I used to laugh at PR people because I thought it was such an easy job.

Working for Edelman Digital has opened my eyes to this new skill set and I am learning something new every day. There is a lot more to public relations than most people think. I used to be of the mindset that it was just about writing a press release or getting mentioned somewhere in the media.

I was wrong.

A few weeks ago, I attended an event at the Churchill Club, “What the Public Believes: New Trends in Corporate Reputation Management” featuring Richard Edelman, the President & Chief Executive Officer of Edelman.  Also on the panel was Paul Bergevin, VP, Global Communications @ Intel, Peter Diamandis, President, Chairman & CEO of X PRIZE Foundation and Frank Shaw, Corporate VP of Corporate Communications at Microsoft.

The panel was truly enlightening for a marketing guy like me. Rather than summarizing the commentary myself, here is a collection of tweets from the event that really captures the true vibe of the conversation:

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Britopian: Paul Bergevin from @intel says that sometimes it takes a crisis for management to take corporate reputation serious-agreed #churchhillclub

defcon_5: Are they still using ad agency to lead crisis response? Cld be why.. RT @JohnAByrne: Toyota got a D from PR guru at my #ChurchillClub panel.

prsasv: RT @JOHNABYRNE: Toyota got a D grade from a PR guru last night at my #ChurchillClub panel in Palo Alto. This latest story won’t help. http://nyti.ms/9kN6H0

LaurenEdwardsSV: RT @Xtel: Byrne asks @richardwedelman if reputation is more art than science. Answer: it’s about what companies do, not just say #churchillclub

LaurenEdwardsSV: RT @Xtel: #churchillclub @richardwedelman: Era of celeb CEO is over. Toyota should have sent head of engineering in addition to one visit by CEO

barrseitz: RT @mchui: R. Edelman: Only 13% believe in the messages they hear through ads. Start w/ employees, social meda, then ads #churchillclub

jenniferjones: RT @jowyang: Conversation around Toyota’s PR crises: Richard Edelman says companies need: good products, transparency and reason to trust #churchillclub

Xtel: Frank Shaw (MS) explained that reputation doesn’t mean much to execs until value impacts bottom line or stock price #churchillclub

CEOGlobal: RT @ChurchillClub: “The era of celebrity CEO is passé …” They shouldn’t be the only messenger … Quote: Richard Edelman #churchillclub

setlinger: In Silicon Valley we should invest less in engineering and more in reputation, says Intel’s Paul Bergevin #churchillclub /via @Xtel

Xtel: RT @ashleymayer: Peter Diamandis, X Prize: “Use social media to crowdsource genius” #churchillclub < more feasible than hiring them

KarenTucker: @richardwedelman @Edelman advice for managing corp reputation: “do and then tell.” #churchillclub

Xtel: #churchillclub @richardwedelman: 75% of people think that business will go back to business as usual after the recession is over.

mchui: Frank Shaw (VP of Corp Comm): You need to understand that personal opinions become professional opinions in social media #churchillclub

ashleymayer: Paul Bergevin, Intel re social media policy: “Companies need to democratize info flow” Frank Shaw, MSFT: 1 rule = “Be smart” #churchillclub

Xtel: @fxshaw: SM challenge: pro & personal identities. An exec may tweet about bad airline service not realizing it’s a client #churchillclub

Xtel: #churchillclub @richardwedelman: in a world with shrinkage of non-opiniated media, companies have to create their own media.

mchui: Richard Edelman: Crisis mgt: 1. Tell the truth 2. Personalize solution (a leader to own the problem) 3. Tell your employees #churchillclub

AMcCann2285: RT @jowyang: Conversation around Toyota’s PR crises: Richard Edelman says companies need: good products, transparency and reason to trust #churchillclub

map650: Biggest miss companies make is not talking to it’s employees. Edelman #churchillclub

KarenTucker: @intel Paul Bergevin says America has tremendous redemptive spirit. Straying golfers might even be forgiven. #churchillclub

Marblescia: Edelman: “Your brand and equity can’t stand to deal with that type of matter” (re: Tiger) #churchillclub

mchui: Richard Edelman: Previous important factors for corp reputation – strong leader, good financial numbers – now at bottom #churchillclub

DBBradway: @richarderdelman says stakeholder over shareholder is the key in Corp Reputation Mgt #churchillclub

Xtel: Frank Shaw (MS) explains that reputation doesn’t mean much to execs until its value impacts the bottom line or stick price #churchillclub

bfr3nch: Frank Shaw Own your own story – know & acknowledge where problems are #churchillclub

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