Communication In Politics: Lessons PR Students Can Learn From the White House Press Secretary

Taking on the role of White House Press Secretary is no easy task, but Jen Psaki is proving to handle the pressures of her duty with composure and professionalism. When asked by reporters, she promised to bring “truth and transparency back to the briefing room” — such a statement that almost begs for a sigh of relief. 

Students majoring in Public Relations, who are interested in pursuing a career path in public affairs and politics, can learn essential communication lessons from Psaki’s performance as the White House Press Secretary. Here are some of the essential communication lessons I gleaned from avidly watching the White House press briefings. 

1. Voice your values and uphold them. 

During Psaki’s first press briefing, she announced to reporters “I have deep respect for the role of a free and independent press in our democracy and the role all of you play.” She continued, “We have a common goal, which is sharing accurate information with the American people.” Psaki voiced her values by making a clear connection between her goal and the reporter’s goal, of working together to present and report accurate information to the American people. Drawing the connection between her goal and the reporter’s goal, she aims to bridge together politics and media, which is currently suffering from being bitterly divided by the Trump administration. It is so important to be transparent, honest and ethical in all communication roles, from the role of White House Press Secretary to a public relations professional. Words matter. Truth matters. 

2. Do your research and come prepared. 

It’s no secret that Psaki comes to the press briefing room with a large binder full of color-coded notes and references. When asked to answer a complicated question from a reporter, Psaki looks at her binder and references her notes. In some perspectives, glancing at the binder full of notes is a sign of being unprepared. This is quite false. Referring to notes is not a sign of being unprepared, it is actually the opposite. White House Press Secretaries are always held on a high pedestal and their words hold a lot of power and influence, which Psaki understands. She vowed to bring “truth and transparency back to the briefing room” and actually upholds this promise by referencing the binder, to ensure she is going to communicate with accuracy and precision. As a public relations professional, it’s important to conduct proper research by reading industry news and trends to become knowledgeable and prepared to tackle any issues that may affect clients. 

3. It’s okay to not know all of the answers.

    Let me repeat this again. It’s okay to not know all of the answers. The last thing a public relations professional or communicator should ever do is spread misinformation and blatantly lie, especially in such a high position of influence and power. When Psaki genuinely doesn’t know the answer, she often replies with the simple statement “I’ll circle back to you.” While this statement has received some criticism and became an online meme amongst Twitter trolls, it’s actually quite effective. She acknowledges she doesn’t know the answer and invites the conversation to progress forward once she knows more information on the subject. When writing crisis communications plans, acknowledge not knowing all of the answers and let the public know an investigation will be held, in order to seek out more valid information.

4. Less is more.

When asked a purposefully tough question, Psaki does not delve head-on into a long story or explanation with excess details. Psaki says what she is knowledgeable of, promotes the Biden Administration’s agenda, and doesn’t stray off the path. In her position, the more words and details used in a statement or answer can be turned into ammunition for the media to use against her. When putting out important statements as a public relations professional, it isn’t so much about the quantity but the quality of a statement. Ensure the public knows the company is aware, acknowledge the issues, address a plan on how the issues will be solved and end with the values of the company. Each word is absolutely vital to conveying a message, so choose wisely.