Very few things come between me, a glass of wine and 
catching the latest episode of ABC’s hit show Scandal on any given Thursday night. With the premiere set to debut tonight, Olivia Pope and her team of gladiators will pick up a whole new set of crises to tackle, complete with nail-biting, jaw-dropping pr disaster moments.
But has my series obsession morphed out of a love for drama and suspense, or is it because of the professional similarities I share with Pope & Associates?
Although the show is based on a different breed of pr pros, Olivia and her fixers put to work some valuable practices that are frequently used by a variety of pros in the industry.
Here’s a list of best practices that all pr pros can learn from Scandal.
· Leveraging Relationships. Let’s face it, Olivia Pope knows how to work the White House. With her empire network of former clients, secret service agents and not to mention the President, Pope’s always has someone to reach out to for help. Although it Pope’s contacts may seem a little unrealistic, it’s important for a pr pro to forge relationships and not be afraid to use them when appropriate.
· In-depth research. Although they can dig up a little more dirt than the average person, there’s no such thing as too much research at Pope & Associates.
· Creative Strategy. When you hear Olivia say, “I’m thinking,” you know something big is about to happen on Scandal. Every pr pro aspires to be creative and strategic and Pope is a perfect example of it.
· Level-headedness. It’s not always crisis control in the pr world, but there are many pros who can speak to a few very stressful moments in their careers. Pope’s ability to stay calm in stressful situations is a characteristic pr pros aim to possess.
See something missing? Comment and tell us what you’ve taken away from ABC’s hit show Scandal.