Advice for a new public relations person

The other day, I was at the Sprint store, getting my phones switched so that my wife could use my older Blackberry as her phone. While talking to the technician, I found that he was a student at UTSA, my alma mater and majoring in public relations. In the next day or so, he and I will discuss the career so he can write a paper.

Here's my advice:
1) Learn how to write really well. Keep working on your grammar. Even today, I read several grammar tomes that are sitting in my executive reading room to re-enforce my knowledge.
2) Take as many business courses as you can, especially accounting and finance courses. Both of these subjects are the language of business. You have to understand them to succeed.
3) Listen more than you talk. With both clients and the media, you should try to reach a three to one ratio when communicating. At times, the only thing I ask are questions or to clarify a point. There's a reason that God gave you two ears and one mouth.