Leadership FPRA Scholarship Applications Open Now

Are you interested in leading others? Want to learn more about leading? Would you consider stepping into leadership opportunities?

LeadershipFPRA offers insight to help you answer those questions with an intense broad perspective.

Over the course of a year, you will connect with up to 20 other classmates from all over Florida with myriads of PR experience. Five two-day sessions cover topics like government, law and ethics to business synergy and leading with influence, and more. Behind-the-scenes exclusive field trips provide inside opportunities beyond what the traditional public sees. Orientation kicks off each LeadershipFPRA year at Annual Conference, and graduation at the next Annual Conference wraps up the incredible opportunity.

Visit www.fpra.org/leadershipfpra to apply for LeadershipFPRA Class VII by June 15, 2022. Apply for an Ocala Chapter scholarship by June 15, 2022, by visiting www.fpraocala.org/professional-development/leadershipfpra/.

 

Lauren Debick Graduates From Leadership FPRA

Ponte Vedra, Fla.,  Aug. 4, 2018— Ocala Health Marketing and Communications Manager Lauren Debick graduated from Leadership FPRA at the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) Annual Conference recently.

Debick was chosen to receive a scholarship to participate in the program from among the 15 members of the 2017 Joe Curley Rising Leaders Class.

LeadershipFPRA provides members with the tools they need to become stronger leaders in their organizations, their communities and FPRA. The program is formal, consisting of an orientation and five full-day sessions held over 12 months.

Class size is limited to 21, so applications are competitive. The LeadershipFPRA Selection Committee reviews all applications and choses the most qualified applicants. And while the Selection Committee evaluates individual applications, it is also charged with building a class that represents diversity—professionally and geographically, as well as in the areas of age, race, gender and ethnicity.

Each class member participated in LeadershipFPRA orientation the day prior to the start of the 2017 Annual Conference, followed by five seminar-styled leadership training classes from a faculty of some of the most accomplished professionals in the state. The curriculum is challenging, and participants are required to attend the orientation, graduation and four of the five independent classes of the program instruction.

Graduates of the LeadershipFPRA program are better equipped to not only function as PR professionals in their respective workplaces, but also strengthen their rightful seat at the boardroom table and to evolve into further leadership roles in FPRA, their communities and the industry in general.

FPRA Really Is For Leaders

The New Year kicked off with many opportunities for professional development through FPRA. My LeadershipFPRA class had two separate sessions this past month. The first session was part of the Counselor’s Network Winter Symposium. I found this session valuable because our class was able to bring up topics and ask questions of highly experienced PR professionals. This type of forum gave new perspectives and insights to workplace challenges and opportunities. I look forward to earning my CPRC so I can attend more CN events in the future!

Our second session covered the topic of government and was held in Tallahassee. While legislative processes are not items I work with on a daily basis, I went into today’s session having enough familiarity to keep up with what was being covered. The LeadershipFPRA class had the pleasure of starting the day off by attending the Capital Chapter’s monthly meeting. The speaker was Meredith Beatrice, Director of External Affairs for the 2017-2018 Constitution Revision Commission (CRC). Many thanks to the Capital Chapter for having us! I came away from that meeting with more knowledge of the CRC as well ideas for us to use in the Ocala Chapter.

After the meeting, our class headed to the Florida Supreme Court to meet with Craig Waters, the PIO for the Florida Supreme Court. Hearing his perspectives on the changing landscape of technology and social media in relation to his role was fascinating. We also had the opportunity to meet and ask questions of Former Supreme Court Justice Major Harding, Rep. Elizabeth Porter, Pete Dunbar, and Senator Denise Grimsley. Having the chance to speak with such high-profile individuals was a great experience for my class. During this session, we also toured the WFSU’s Florida Channel and were recognized as a class during a Senate session.

The biggest take-away I have from the Tallahassee session is the importance transparency and ethics have in our professional roles. Because of rapid changes in technology, presenting factual information within a context is extremely important. This is a reminder I believe everyone can take to heart.

Thank you to Joe Curley, APR, CPRC for the scholarship I received as part of the 2017 Joe Curley Rising Leaders Class of 2017. Your investment in me will not be squandered or forgotten! Thank you again to the Capital Chapter as well as April Salter, APR, CPRC and Colleen Thayer, APR, CPRC, who helped organize the Tallahassee session.

Applications for the next LeadershipFPRA class aren’t due until June, but why wait? Go ahead and apply to be one of the 21 chosen to participate in this outstanding program. This is truly a fantastic opportunity and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to advance their PR career.

With gratitude,

Lauren

LeadershipFPRA: Leading and Managing

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” -John F. Kennedy

The second LeadershipFPRA class had our first session today. Carolyn Maue, Executive Coach and Consultant at the Maue Center facilitated the leading and managing session. My classmates and I took a strengths profile prior to the session. It was very energizing for me to spend the day analyzing my personal strengths and weaknesses and how I can use these in my professional life.

Five Takeaways from leading and managing session
1) Identify your strengths: You may have experience with a personality test or another profiling assessment that determines your strengths and weaknesses. Another way to figure out your strengths is to think of something you remember doing as a child that you still do now, but most likely much better. The idea is strengths often have deep roots from childhood.
2) Interrupt the day: As a leader, another important concept to recognize is the necessity of taking time throughout the day to pause and refocus. Give yourself permission to take the space and time needed to ensure you are using your strengths in the best way possible and change behaviors if needed.
3) Weaknesses: Weaknesses are not a negative thing and can be approached and handled in several ways.
-Partner with someone who has your weakness as a strength
– Work on improving the weakness
– Decide if dedicating time to working on the weakness is beneficial. If not, refocus on your strengths.
-”Sandwich” the weakness between two strengths
4) There is no “right way” to accomplish something: Leaders can use different strengths to accomplish goals. Just because someone goes about something a different way than you, using their unique strength; does not make it wrong.
5) Every team you are on can be a great team: The “recipe” for a great team includes, trust among team members, good team conflict, commitment to the team, accountability, and attention to results. Any team we are on can be a good one if these pieces are in place.

Thank you to LeadershipFPRA and the team at the Maue Center for an excellent session and for giving me many things to contemplate.
I am looking forward to our next group session in January!