If you’re a young PR professional, let me explain what “a seat at the table” actually means.
It is one of the most popular phrases in modern Public Relations.
For years, PR professionals around the world have argued that communication should no longer be treated as the department that merely writes press releases, organises events or posts on social media.
Instead, PR should help shape business strategy itself.
The argument is simple.
If reputation can make or break an organisation, then the people managing reputation deserve to be where major business decisions are made.
Honestly?
I agree.
But here’s where my Nigerian experience complicates the story.
I have sat in two boardrooms that permanently changed how I think about this “seat at the table.”
The first was during my time in the insurance industry.
One day, my Group Managing Director looked at me and said,
“You people just collect money, money, money. Where are the financial returns?”
I laughed nervously.
He didn’t.
A few weeks later, he transferred me to Sales.
Till today, I still think he wanted me to experience the pressure of bringing money into the business before asking the business to keep spending money on me.
Years later, I found myself in another organisation.
Feeling wiser.
This time, I innocently asked why Public Relations didn’t have a department of its own.
The Finance Director smiled.
Then asked one question that completely ended the conversation.
“How much money does PR bring into this business?”
Silence.
Now before my fellow PR practitioners begin typing angry comments…
Relax.
I’m one of you.
I’ve defended PR in boardrooms.
I’ve argued that reputation matters.
I’ve explained why trust matters.
I’ve spoken passionately about stakeholder relationships.
But if we’re being brutally honest with ourselves, many Nigerian CEOs are not reading PR textbooks.
They’re reading profit-and-loss statements – the almighty P&L.
When business is struggling, nobody walks into the boardroom asking,
“How many press releases did we issue this quarter?”
They ask,
“What’s driving revenue?”
That’s the reality.
And pretending it doesn’t exist won’t make it disappear.
Perhaps this explains why “a seat at the table” remains such a difficult conversation in many Nigerian organisations.
Maybe Nigerian CEOs are not refusing to give PR a seat.
Maybe they’re asking a question PR has not answered convincingly enough.
“If we give you a bigger seat… what bigger business problem will you solve?”
Notice they didn’t ask,
“Can you write?”
They already know you can.
They didn’t ask,
“Can you organise an event?”
They’ve seen you do that.
They are asking whether communication can help grow the business, reduce business risk, protect revenue, strengthen customer loyalty, influence investors, retain employees or support commercial performance.
Those are boardroom conversations.
Not communication conversations.
This is why I sometimes worry about young Nigerian PR professionals.
Many are being taught how to write speeches.
Few are being taught how to read a balance sheet.
Many know how to pitch journalists.
Few know how to explain communications in the language of business.
And until we become fluent in both languages, we’ll continue wondering why the boardroom feels so far away.
Don’t misunderstand me.
But I’m saying PR should become Sales. (tongue out!)
I’m saying PR should understand business so deeply that when it finally gets that coveted seat at the table, nobody needs to ask why it’s there.
Because here’s the uncomfortable truth.
Boardrooms don’t allocate chairs because departments ask nicely.
They allocate influence to the people solving the organisation’s biggest problems.
Perhaps that’s the future Nigerian PR should be preparing for.
Not another campaign demanding a seat.
But becoming so commercially relevant that nobody can imagine the meeting without us.
The boardroom doesn’t owe PR a seat at the table.
PR earns that seat the same way every other function does by helping the business solve problems that matter.
Phew!
