Why one great media story won't build trust | Pam Fultz

0:00Trust is not built all at once. It's built conversation by conversation, commitment by commitment, and relationship by relationship.

0:11Jason Mudd: Welcome to On Top of PR with Jason Mudd.

0:18Jason Mudd: Hello and welcome to On Top of PR. I'm your host, Jason Mudd. I'm with Axia Public Relations. Today, we're here joined by Pam Foltz. Pam is the Senior Community Relations Manager at B Living, a national senior living company. She teaches at the University of Florida and Northeastern University. Pam is accredited in public relations and a past president of PRSA's Gulf Coast chapter. And we're talking about how to build trust with stakeholders. Pam, welcome back to On Top of PR. Thank you so much for having me back, Jason. I really appreciate it. Yes, you're entering an elusive or exclusive, I should say, club of people who are doing more than one episode on Top of PR.

1:04Jason Mudd: Pam, we hold those for some of our best guests. So thank you for coming back. Well, I feel very honored and very appreciative and so thrilled to be back and offer what I hope will be some really good information. Thank you. We're glad to have you back here too, Pam. So we're talking, Pam, about how to build trust with stakeholders. And I want to talk about why trust is essential to effective leadership and communication and why it matters across internal and external stakeholder relationships. Well, I think that trust is really an important organizational and leadership topic that we cannot talk about enough.

1:42And I think it's really always mattered, but today it's more visible and present than ever. people are just being exposed to an overwhelming amount of information. They have countless sources competing for their attention. As you know, I mean, when we pick up our phones in the morning and our computer, constantly evaluating which sources deserve their confidence. But what I've learned throughout my career is that trust is not built through just one big announcement or one successful event or one really great media story. It's built through dozens, even hundreds sometimes of interactions over time.

2:19So whether I'm working with community partners, journalists, professional organizations, or students when I'm teaching, people are ultimately evaluating whether they can count on me or you. They're looking for consistency, authenticity, and follow-through. So trust is built over time when your consistent actions align with your spoken words, demonstrating integrity and reliability. And again, it's not something that happens overnight, as you and I both know. You can't expect to have one great interaction and then have forever trust with anyone, especially your really important stakeholders. So harmonizing between words and actions makes trust a valuable asset for leaders and organizations.

3:04And keep in mind that as you and I, again, both know just one misstep and really set you back. Once trust is lost, it's harder to rebuild.

3:15Jason Mudd: Well, Pam, you really teed this up in two different ways. You said earlier that you can't build trust from one interaction. And then you also said that once you lose that trust, it's hard to rebuild. But behavioral psychologists also tell us that in a relationship, when you go through a difficult time or a struggle or tension or even an argument together, that sometimes you can come back with those bonds being built stronger than they were before. Do you have any thoughts on that recommended for our communications audience or our marketing PR audience who's listening to this episode? Well, I would say that hopefully, I mean, any organization, you would not lose that trust.

3:56But to your point, sometimes you can have those tensions and you could end up in that type of a situation.

4:01Jason Mudd: Pam, why do you think trust has become such an important organizational and leadership topic? Well, I think trust does always matter, Jason, but I think today it's really more present and visible than ever. People are just being exposed to an overwhelming amount of information. As you know, when we get up in the morning, you have your phone, you have your computer, you're looking at countless sources of information and news, and it's really competing for their attention and they're constantly evaluating which sources deserve their confidence. So what I've learned throughout my career is that trust is not built through one big announcement or one successful event or even one great media story.

4:42It's really built through dozens and often hundreds of interactions over time. So when I'm working with community partners or journalists, professional organizations or students when I'm teaching, people are ultimately evaluating whether they can count on me or they can count on you. They're looking for consistency, authenticity, and follow-through. Trust is built over time when your consistent actions align with your spoken words, demonstrating integrity and reliability. And again, it's not something that happens overnight, as you and I both know. You cannot expect to have one great interaction and then have trust forever.

5:21You really have to harmonize between the words and the actions and make trust a highly valuable asset for leaders and organizations. And the other thing you have to keep in mind is just one misstep can really set you or your organization back. Once trust is lost, it is so much harder to rebuild.

5:40Jason Mudd: Pam, you talk about communicating clearly and consistently. What does that look like in real life? Well, Jason, one lesson that I've learned is people rarely complain about having too much clarity. You can give too much information and confuse the situation, but you really cannot have too much clarity. So when organizations communicate clearly on a regular basis, people feel informed and they feel respected. When communication becomes inconsistent, people begin filling in the blanks themselves. And that's often where those misunderstandings really begin. And this could be devastating if it happens with media, right?

6:18Imagine that you and your organization don't respond to an inquiry or in a crisis situation. Typically, media outlets will not just turn away from the story, as you know. Instead, they'll just find other people who will give them information. And that can be really risky, especially if the information is incomplete or it's incorrect. What might not have been a crisis could become one with bad information that they get from someone other than you or your organization. And I've seen the value of consistency both in community relations and in higher education. For example, when I'm teaching, I establish expectations from the very beginning of every semester.

7:00So students know how to reach me, what success looks like, and when major assignments are due. That consistency creates confidence, and again, it reduces uncertainty. And the same principle really applies to organizations and their stakeholders. When those stakeholders are assured of consistent, accurate information and regular updates on developments or changes with an organization, they're far more likely to trust that organization over not just the short term, but also the long term.

7:32Jason Mudd: Yeah, that's really good advice. And you know, at the end of the day, good communication clarifies expectations, sets expectations and reinforces them. And I think life is all about relationships, communication, and expectations. Absolutely. I can't stress enough when we talk about public relations and anything that we're doing, it feels like it always goes back to storytelling and relationship building. Yeah, for sure. And Pam, I'd like you to share an example of when transparency made a difference. Absolutely. I think organizations sometimes worry that acknowledging challenges will damage trust with their stakeholders.

8:10But in reality, they often appreciate honesty more than perfection. None of us are perfect. I've found that people are generally understanding when leaders communicate openly about obstacles, they explain what's being done to address them, and then they provide realistic expectations. Transparency doesn't require having all the answers. It requires being truthful about what you know, also what you don't know and what steps are being taken to address any situation. This could occur during a crisis. A specific example that I could share from my recent experiences would be hurricanes, since I spend a lot of time in Florida, as you know.

8:49These storms can create anxiety and confusion for people. And within the senior living industry, it's essential to communicate as much information as possible as often as possible and through multiple channels to reach all stakeholders and help reduce anxiety and confusion. That approach really demonstrates accountability, and accountability is what is helping to strengthen that trust. Again, most times stakeholders are not looking for perfection, but they're looking and hoping for honesty.

9:20Jason Mudd: I really like that. I think at the end of the day, it's about honesty and transparency. Like you said, nobody's perfect. While some people might expect perfection, they're always going to be disappointed. But as long as you're honest with them and transparent with them and genuinely seeking to be helpful, right, that makes you very trusted. I know one of your key recommendations, Pam, is listening before responding. Why is it so often that people overlook the skill of listening? Well, Justin, I think it's because communicators are naturally focused on giving information, delivering messages. We talk an awful lot, but do we listen?

9:56I really think we get some of the most valuable information from listening. It's not passive. It's one of the most strategic actions that we or an organization can take on because it helps leaders make informed decisions and build stronger relationships. For example, in organizations, when leaders listen actively, they identify issues early. They understand stakeholder concerns and they're able to gather insight they might otherwise miss. Also, in the classroom, students often communicate what they need if they're given the opportunity, whether it's questions about assignments or feedback on their learning.

10:35So you need to create a space for listening. By cultivating an environment that's safe for your stakeholders, it's respectful and it's also welcoming.

10:45Jason Mudd: Wow, it sounds like teaching has really influenced your views about trust. Well, Jason, teaching graduate students has really reinforced almost everything I believe about trust. Students don't automatically trust you because of your title or your credentials, even though you might like them to do that. But they trust you because of how you show up, even in the virtual learning environment, which is where I teach. They notice whether you're prepared, whether you keep your commitments and whether you're available to answer questions or whether you genuinely care about their success. One thing I've learned is students respect authenticity.

11:21They don't expect professors to have all the answers or go back and we say it again, be perfect. But they do expect honesty, fairness, and consistency. And I really think that's a valuable lesson for all of us, especially as leaders. People trust leaders who are genuine and approachable. And those qualities matter just as much, if not more, than expertise that we might bring to the table.

11:46Jason Mudd: So how do you recommend building trust with community partners and external stakeholders? Well, one of the most important lessons that I've learned is that trust is built long before you need something from someone or an organization. My role is focused on building awareness, creating partnerships, generating interest in helping maintain a positive presence in the community. That means developing relationships with media, nonprofit leaders, business organizations, community groups, and other stakeholders. So when dealing with any of these people, I'm building relationships. People want to work with organizations they know and they trust.

12:29So I found that credibility comes from showing up consistently, following through on commitments, and demonstrating a genuine interest in helping the community succeed. doftailing and going back to talking about those students right it's very similar whether you're dealing with your students in your classroom or a community at large the relationships just cannot be one way or about what's in it for just me or just my organization another important part of relationship building is really understanding what matters to different stakeholders every group has different priorities, and trust grows when people feel understood.

13:09Again, we go back to listening and making people feel listened to, understood. The strongest partnerships I've seen are built on shared goals, mutual respect, and ongoing engagement rather than just a one-time transaction.

13:26Jason Mudd: Pam, I want to shift gears a little bit and talk about media relations. That's an important topic for our audience. It's an important practice at my agency. In your experience, what builds trust with journalists? Trust with journalists is built much the same way as trust with any stakeholder, really. Accuracy matters with them. Responsiveness matters. Credibility really matters. One of the most important things I've learned is media relationships should not begin when you need media coverage. That relationship should not start when you have a press release that you want to distribute or you have an event or something coming up.

14:03The strongest relationships often develop through ongoing interactions and a reputation for being reliable. As a former broadcast journalist myself, I understand that if a reporter reaches out with a question, you have to respond promptly and demonstrate respect for their deadlines and their needs. It's not all about you and your organization. You have to think about them. So if you're providing information it needs to be accurate complete and easy to verify in this day and age it's a little bit different than when i was in broadcasting and you would get something off the fax machine and you could just verify that information was accurate so we have to be really really concerned about making sure that we have good information and it's easy to verify for them over time the professional habits establish trust and make future interactions more productive and then the reporters start coming to you for stories.

14:55You don't have to reach out to them. It's not necessarily always the other way around. Again, this becomes a win-win for both because you're helping them and they're helping you and your organization.

15:06Jason Mudd: I have to say, I absolutely agree with you. That's how we've built our best media relationships is by being consistent and accurate and cooperative, right? And so that really stands out, I think, to a busy reporter in the newsroom who's going, bouncing from deadline to deadline and story to story. It's funny that you mentioned, you know, that with lower technology, lesser technology, I do sense I could be wrong, but my instinct and my recollection feels like that there was more accuracy in journalism at that time compared to today where we have all this access at our fingertips. There's just so much noise and confusion and disillusion that's occurring that I think that it's even harder to verify, your sources and your facts despite all the technology and how fast we have access to it.

15:55And that's another thing, another point to bring up too, when you are dealing with journalists, we have to be respectful of their time too. When they reach out to us, if we set them a price release and we don't have all of our ducks in a row, we do not have our spokespeople ready to go at a moment's notice, we're not being helpful to them because they have a deadline. So make sure that we have everything lined up. Don't pitch a story, even if it's just a pitch and it's not a price for what you say, oh, I have someone who could talk about X, Y, and Z. If they're not ready to go in 10 minutes and they're not ready to go that day, then you've promised a story.

16:31Then again, you've lost their trust and it's going to be harder to build that relationship back after you lose their trust. If they lose one story, they were counting on it and they don't get it. it will be harder to build that relationship back.

16:45Jason Mudd: Well, I'm really glad you said that because I advise our clients on that often. And I think you are exactly right. So unless you know to be able to tell them, I don't have this ready today, but I want you to be aware of it or something like that. And, you know, I think journalists get it. I mean, their timelines and priorities and assignments change at a moment's notice. They're not as patient or considerate when ours change. but you know they have what we want and we've got to make it so they want what we have too well and it's interesting too when we come back to that working in senior living things can change at a moment's notice and sometimes you think maybe you have a resident who is elderly and they're willing to come out and do a story and at the last minute something happens and they're just not up for it that day but you know what i always try and do is have another story that's ready to go or something that i can help them with and i'll say oh my goodness i'm so sorry this didn't work out today.

17:39But you know what? If you can come back next week, we'll have an even better story for you.

17:43Jason Mudd: Yeah. Or just one ready to go on call or on standby as well would be what I found to be really helpful. And I think if we've been doing this work, line of work long enough, we've learned that improvising is one of the core values you have to have as a good public relations practitioner. And I would also suggest that you've just got to be ready to have another card up your sleeve or another, you know, resource on the bench ready to pull in at a moment's notice. Absolutely. All right. So I want to talk to you about how some organizations struggle because their actions don't match their messaging.

18:17Jason Mudd: And why is this important? And how do you prioritize alignment? Well, it's absolutely essential in my mind. Stakeholders pay far more attention to what organizations are doing than what they're saying. Organizations spend a lot of time developing mission statements, values, key messages, but trust really depends on whether people see those values reflected in real actions. For example, if an organization says it values community engagement, stakeholders should be able to see that engagement in practice. What are they actually doing in the community? If leaders talk about transparency, stakeholders should experience that transparency.

18:58Trust grows when words and actions consistently reinforce one another. An organization or a leader cannot say one thing and do something completely different and expect stakeholders to trust them.

19:11Jason Mudd: All right, Pam, what role does trust play during a crisis, especially in a heated moment or a sense of urgency? I think trust is one of the most valuable resources an organization can have during a crisis situation. You could really compare it to a bank account. Over time, organizations make deposits through transparency, responsiveness, consistency, and strong relationships. Then when a difficult situation arises, those years of relationship building really matter, even more than ever at that point. Stakeholders are much more likely to believe information coming from a source that they've trusted in the past, especially if it's been a really long time.

19:53They just naturally assume the information is reliable because in their experience for all those months or years, all the information has been true and reliable. That's why trust building cannot begin during a crisis. By then, it's often too late. You really need to start before. Organizations that have invested in relationships beforehand are much better positioned to maintain credibility when those challenges occur. It's especially important with media. Again, as we mentioned, it's crucial to have those well-established relationships. So contacts reach out to you for comments if there is a crisis.

20:30Otherwise, they might just go with a story, which could be inaccurate or one-sided, or potentially they reach out to people who they think might know about your crisis situation, and they get bad information, and that's the information that they pass along.

20:45Jason Mudd: Yeah, that's great. Good advice, Pam. What advice would you give to communication professionals who want to become trusted leaders in their organization or their community? I would say focus on relationships rather than the messages. We all, again, like to talk, especially as PR professionals, but it's those relationships that really matter. Communications professionals spend a lot of time discussing tactics, platforms, technology, trends, but trust remains fundamentally human. In short, I like the acronym ATTRACT or ATTRACT TRUST. Be accessible. Make it easy for people to reach and know that they will be heard.

21:26Be transparent. Share what you know. Acknowledge what you don't know and explain what comes next. Be timely. Respond promptly so people know their questions and concerns matter. Be responsive. Address needs with care, clarity, and respect for the relationship. Be attentive. Listen first so you understand what people truly need and value. Be committed. Follow through on what you promise, even when the details are small. And be trustworthy. Let every interaction reinforce your credibility and your reputation. Trust is not built all at once. It's built conversation by conversation. Commitment by commitment and relationship by relationship.

22:11Jason Mudd: Okay, for our listeners who want to start building trust today, what's one practical first step they might take? Well, I would say start small and start consistently. People sometimes think that trust requires a major initiative or a large communications campaign. In reality, it begins with simple actions. Return the phone call. Answer the email. Attend that community event. Follow up when you say a follow-up. Keep a promise, even if it's a small one. It really matters. One exercise I encourage people to do is to identify their five most important stakeholder groups and ask themselves a simple question.

22:51What am I doing today to strengthen trust with each of them? And the answer doesn't need to be complicated. Maybe it's just reaching out, offering support, sharing useful information, or simply expressing appreciation. Trust, again, grows through consistency more than grand gestures. And if you commit to showing up and being honest, following through every day, you really will be amazed at how quickly strong relationships begin to develop and you have that trust.

23:25Jason Mudd: Well, Pam, we've run out of time for today, but I've really enjoyed this conversation. I'm appreciative for you coming back on the show and sharing your insights with our audience. Well, thank you again, Jason, so much for having me back on the program. I've really enjoyed our conversation and this opportunity. And don't forget to attract trust. Yes, I love to attract trust. So thank you for that reminder for sure with the acronym. We appreciate that. To our audience, I want to say thank you for your loyalty and your following. I was at PRSA's International Conference earlier this week. And thank you for everybody who's a fan of our show who came by the booth and said hello and told us how our show and our content has been helpful to them in their career and in their organizations.

24:08Jason Mudd: My heart was warmed by all those kind words and all those great interactions that I had. And if you're listening to this episode, beyond sharing it with a friend or colleague who you think might benefit from it, would you take a moment and leave us an online review so more people can find out about On Top of PR? the best way to do that is rate this podcast.com slash on top of PR. I would be grateful for that. And those of you that leave a review will get entered into a drawing and you might pick up some on top of PR swag. So with that, this is Jason Mudd from Axia Public Relations signing off, wishing you well.

24:44This has been on top of PR with Jason Mudd presented by ReviewMaxer.

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25:24Bye.