An individual who has authorization to speak on behalf of another subject, an organization or an institution is called a spokesperson . The spokesperson, therefore, expresses what a different person, group or entity intends to communicate .
It is a gender -invariant term. This means that one can speak of “the spokesperson” or “the spokesperson” . This characteristic is due to the fact that it is a compound word with a second element that is already feminine ( voice ).
It should be noted that spokesperson is synonymous with spokesperson . While in Spain it is preferred to use spokesperson, in several American countries they choose spokesperson, but both concepts share the meaning.
The spokesperson, in short, is the one who has the responsibility of addressing the media and, by extension, the community in general. Its function is to make known what others or a group of people want to communicate.
Sometimes, the spokesperson is a director of the entity . However, you can also specifically hire a professional to carry out this work.
Take the case of a political party . This group elects a spokesperson to inform the party's position regarding various issues of social interest. Thus, the spokesperson talks with journalists and gives press conferences.
Ideally, the spokesperson has knowledge of public relations and journalism to carry out their work effectively. It is important that your messages accurately reflect the organization's position and leave no room for misinterpretation.
In fact, there are many tips that those who assume this role can take advantage of to carry out their work in the most effective way possible. First is preparation , because a spokesperson cannot improvise. When speaking on behalf of a company, for example, you must have studied every detail of its economic situation, its future plans, its relationship with the competition and be aware at all times of the topics that it should not touch on during an interview.
All of this structure must be able to be communicated fluently in any situation, both when giving a lecture and when being interviewed, whether you are asking questions politely or being pressured for information that he is not allowed to share. Let us not forget that the spokesperson must face the public and the press in the most varied situations, of acceptance and rejection, when the firm he represents is at the top and when it is in the midst of a crisis, but always with integrity.
Empathy is another of the key points to be a good spokesperson. And this quality, which involves putting yourself in someone else's shoes, must be applied in two directions: towards your company, to get to feel firsthand its objectives and philosophy, and towards your audience, to understand how to communicate information . Knowing how to listen and knowing how to remain silent, saying what you are allowed to do without lying, giving a message with a hopeful tone regardless of the situation, are some of the fundamental objectives of this work.
One of the big problems of some spokespersons is the lack of clarity , something that arises from the impossibility of addressing certain topics in detail. To satisfy the public and the press in each meeting is a great challenge, difficult to achieve, but it should be the objective without exception. Going around a question and offering a vague answer is not good practice, in part because it affects credibility , another of the spokesperson's pillars. To earn the trust of others we must be honest, even if we cannot tell them everything they expect.