Compared to CEO, CFO, President and other executive roles, the role of Public Relations doesn't command the same degree of authority within an organization. Why is this the case? More importantly, what can the Public Relations/Communication Specialist do to gain authority among his or her colleagues?

There are entire courses taught at UC on the topic of risk. At its core, how does the practice of public relations and communication relate to risk? Does it mitigate risk...or amplify it? How so?
Here are two quotes:

a. (Richard Feynmann: physicist, mathematician) "Reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled."

b. (Alvin Adams: businessman, transportation magnate) "My view is different. Public relations are a key component of any operation in this day of instant communication and rightly inquisitive citizens."

If you had the opportunity to invite either Adams or Feynmann as a guest speaker to UCBA, who would you invite? And why? What messages would you hope to have them bring to today's student population and present in their speech.

Henry Kissinger (former Secretary of State) once made this comment about his relationship to the media and journalism: "Does anyone have any questions for my answers?" Thinking about what we have learned about the relationship between PR and journalists, what do you make of Kissinger's comment? What would be an ideal relationship between Public relations specialists and journalists?