Primarily, I work with government clients. I have worked across the APS and there is one common problem. SMEs do it, the SES do it, and it drives me insane. It does matter if you are at DAWE, DISER, OTA,…
What to do with your team on day one back in the office
If you are a team leader, you might be a bit nervous about going back into the office. For the last two months (or more), you have been managing your team remotely. You have only had to check-in via phone…
What has COVID changed about how you work?
As we see the light at the end of the COVID tunnel in Australia, many people are reflecting on what we have learnt during this weird period of our lives about how we work. The way we work has changed.…
Developing your communications plan for returning to the office
This week National Cabinet is going to meet to discuss lifting restrictions. With a focus on getting the economy back up and running, there is a high likelihood that we will be heading back to the office. Now is the…
Then corona happened.
Today I was supposed to fly to America for my cousin’s wedding. My husband and I were doing a road trip across California, Arizona and Nevada arriving in time for the wedding in Vegas. Then corona happened. It feels selfish…
Managing stakeholder expectations in uncertain times
The world is full of uncertainty. None of us knows what is coming next. Most people are focused on how to work from home, how to home school kids, and where to buy food. But soon this will become our…
Canberra Communications Professional Series: Simon Langford
For the first Canberra Communications Professional Series, I spoke to Simon Langford, Communications Director at the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science (or from 1 February Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources). Simon and I go way back, to…
What would Jacinda do?
We have all watched in horror over the past few weeks as the south-east coast of Australia burned. For those of us that were holidaying down there in Jarvis Bay, we initially joked it was like armageddon. For those further…
Taking clients with you on your comms journey
Ever wondered why people don’t really care about your communication strategy? You spend weeks perfecting it. Getting just the right tone, great messaging, creating detailed environmental scan. You send it off to the business area or client and…silence. No one…
Staying above the line
Many years ago, Samantha Sutherland ran a team building session with my government communications team. We had been struggling with several issues internally, including the age-old combo of demanding clients and feeling undervalued. As the manager, I was concerned it…