In PR, saying yes will take you a lot farther than saying no…especially early on

A word of caution for those who are early on in their PR careers…

You’ll see a lot of posts on LinkedIn that say things like “Stop saying yes to every request, because that makes you just an order-taker rather than a PR strategist.”

That sounds bold and strategic. But it also needs some context.

These posts are often made by senior PR pros who are vying for their place at the executive decision-making table.

If you’re below the level of, say, vice president or director of corporate communications, this is probably not your battle.

Most comms staff roles like yours report to someone else who owns the priorities. As a staffer, your job isn’t to win a philosophical debate about whether a request is worthy. Not yet.

Right now your role is probably to help people execute what’s already been hashed out by your superiors. Giving pushback or saying no makes it sound like you’re just being difficult, and is a good way to get yourself sidelined.

Or even fired if you cross the wrong person.

Asking why something is being done isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and neither is suggesting a better approach. But it should be done with an attitude of humility, not hubris.

Execution isn’t beneath you. It’s how you earn the credibility over the long run.

Saying “Yes, and here’s how we might be able to make this stronger” will take you a lot farther than saying “No, we’re not doing this. I don’t think it’s a good strategy.”

Just something to keep in mind before turning a viral post into a big career misstep.