2025: Tiny team, big year
At the end of every year, I write a blog about what we have achieved as a team. It has been something I have been doing since I was in the public service. It is a ritual that captures the…
- Australian Government, Blog post, Business information, Communications professional, Leadership, Professional development
Lessons from Japan: Patiently getting better outcomes
Last week, I travelled to Japan to meet with the Japanese government and stakeholders for a project I am working on. I haven’t worked in Japan before, but I know the business culture is very different from the laid-back and…
- Australian Government, Communication, Communications professional, Leadership, Professional development
Why do we say yes when we want to say no?
– “Can you just put together a factsheet quickly?” *Internal voice: No. Factsheets are a terrible idea. They’re hard to search, often inaccessible, and no one wants to download anything these days.* “Sure.” ————————————– “We just need a quick 5–10…
Seven lessons in seven years
In 2018, I left the public service. I needed a change—a new challenge, a different rhythm, new scenery. “Start a small business,” they said. “It’ll be easy. You’ll have so much flexibility.” In seven years, running Elm has been anything…
How can we hold our work lightly?
When working in communications, we often put a little piece of ourselves into our work. Your blood, sweat and a few tears into a communication strategy, hours spent on carefully crafted messages, or that presentation that you worked on until…
- Australian Government, Communication, Communications professional, Professional development, Social media
We unapologetically use AI (and you should too)
There’s been a lot of talk lately—especially in government—about the risks of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on the way we work. Questions about privacy, security, and job displacement are valid and important. But amidst all the noise, I…
What’s the difference between a communications strategy and a communications plan?
People often use communications strategy and communications plan interchangeably. I was recently asked to explain the difference, and while it’s a hot topic in communication circles, here’s my take. They serve distinct purposes and play different roles. Understanding the difference…
Ask yourself: Do I need to be engaging?
Over the past few years, I have seen a trend: engagement for engagement’s sake, or, as I like to call it, fake engagement. Across many government departments, engagement is required for every significant policy or program, for each grant, or…
- Australian Government, Blog post, Communication, Communications professional, Leadership, Professional development
The growing demand for communication services
We are hearing that communication teams are being asked to deliver more than ever. Everyone is being squeezed. Recruitment freezers are popping up across government, and budgets are tight (or non-existent). Teams are increasingly expected to provide expertise across a…
The dark days of 2024 and the team that got me through
Some years are harder than others. You know, the ones where you crawl to the end, counting down until the year is just over. 2024 has been one of those years for me, both personally and professionally. For many reasons,…
