One of the tougher challenges for most of us doing public work is convincing the people who run the organizations we work for that communicating with and engaging people really is the priority that we know it is. Most organization leaders that I’ve consulted or worked with start out believing that no harm comes from… read more →
It’s sometimes tough to get people to take communication very seriously. I mean, everybody communicates – you’re always communicating something whether you think you are or not – and professionals assume they’re communicating well even when they aren’t. The question comes up a lot in relation to authentic public engagement, which means that people will… read more →
Although this was written for a slightly different purpose, it will suffice for whatever message you’re working on right now. So, say exactly what’s necessary and no more, provide evidence, and make it relevant to the receiver. Period. Read more
Most credible public health experts agree that COVID-19 is surging in most states, but there’s still a way to get a handle on the way that it’s being handled and presented to us. This would save lives. Read more
Goldman Sachs – not exactly a bastion of liberal fervor – says, “We estimate that statewide mask mandates gradually raise the percentage of people who ‘always’ or ‘frequently’ wear masks by around 25%.” This, they say, would save the country 5% of its gross domestic product. In other words, Goldman Sachs says mandating masks would… read more →
Whatever you’re trying to get across, remember that it’s about the why, not just the what. People need reasons – evidence to believe whatever it is that you’re trying to get across. All engagement and all conflict resolution have to begin with a common understanding and acceptance of the basic facts and information. The burden… read more →
Made up, malicious, intentional disinformation is no longer the rare exception that can simply be ignored or dismissed; it’s now constant and it has infected our traditional and social media, politics, culture, and it threatens the viability of democracy in the United States. Normalized lies are having profound changes on who we are, what we… read more →
On top of your real everyday life, your job and priorities have changed in the past few weeks. Although most of the people who read this are typically responsible for public engagement in their organizations, a lot of you also do double duty managing public information, internal communication, public affairs, planning or other disciplines. So,… read more →
Much of the communication around this pandemic has been less than stellar and in some cases it’s been appalling. At any rate, communicating hard, emotionally infested and complex information like what to know and do in the face of a pandemic requires some skill. Here are twelve points worth considering seriously. Read More …
If you’re fortunate enough to still be employed at this moment, count your blessings; you and I are better off than a lot of people. But you’re undoubtedly connected to work by phone and computer and probably through one of the several video conferencing platforms like WebEx, Facetime, Skype or Zoom. Virtual connections will certainly… read more →