Summary: Having a good reputation is MISSION CRITICAL to a public sector organisation according to Andrew Fairburn, one of my guests this month. How well these organisations communicate with their internal and external audiences has never been more important. So this show explores what the challenges for public sector communicators are right now and how to make sure, that valuable reputation is protected. To listen to the podcast, click the grey arrow below. My first guest isnbsp;Paul Masterman, who's currentlynbsp;interim Head of Communications at Lancashire County Council. Paulnbsp;has over 20 years communications and marketing experience in both the public and private sectors and he believes there are a numbernbsp;big issues facingnbsp;communication teams in the public sector including: THE NEED TO BECOME MORE STRATEGIC - fully aligningnbsp;the communications strategy with the organisational businessnbsp;plannbsp; BUDGET RESTRAINTS - the need to slim down and doing better with less money LOCAL GOVERNMENT FACES A HUGE REPUATION ISSUE - the job of explaining how important local government is to people, why it's doing a good job and how it's spending it's money is a major concern PLANNING COMMUNCATIONS MORE EFFECTIVELY - to deliver for our organisations and justify why communications are needed LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO THINGS - how to engage with local communities through modern technology PROVE COMMUNICATIONS WORK - as a real business driver and not just a nice to have PROVIDE LEADERSHIP - be less reactive and more challenging by 'Speaking Truth to Power' Paul feels that the same rules shouldnbsp;apply to internal communications and any internal messages should also be well planned and more responsive to the needs of the business. His advice is: COMMUNICATIONS AND HR MUST WORK TOGETHER -nbsp;with a plan that identifies what needs to be done to motivate and engagenbsp;staff, and how this is measured RECOGINSE THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO POOL RESOURCESnbsp;- to be much more effective CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE THROUGHOUT ANY DIFFICULT PROCESS -nbsp;anynbsp;change activity stands or falls by the quality of the communications UNDERSTAND WHICH COMMUNICATIONS TO USE -nbsp;you need tonbsp;know how your staff will respond INVOLVE STAFF IN THE PROCESS - to lock them into the change program His final thoughts on how communications teams of the future will looknbsp;are - smaller, central and more strategic. Andrew Fairburnnbsp;isnbsp;Director at Regester Larkin and advises senior figures on how best to handle challengingnbsp;political or reputational issues. His advice to public sector organisations is: A PUBLIC SECTORnbsp;ORGANISATION'Snbsp;RIGHT TO EXIST DEPENDS ON MAINTAINING PUBLIC GOOD WILL - so it's not an add-on or nice to have, it's mission critical and without it it will be hard to take your local community with you on difficult and challenging changes to services ORGANISATIONS THAT DON'T DO THIS WELL WILL COMEnbsp;UNDER EVER INCREASING POLITICAL SCRUTINY - at both a local and national level,nbsp;the auditors will take a closer look and it will harder to get done what they want to get done in their local area. THEnbsp;LEADnbsp;HAS TO COME FROM THE TOPnbsp;- without this, it will be seen as an add-on, which is one of the shortest routes to an organisation developing a poor reputation CONSIDER REPUTATION - at all stages and factor this in an the beginning of any policy making process INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS ARE ABSOLOUTELY VITAL TO MANAGING REPUTATION - you're likely to be one of the biggest employers in the area so what your staff are saying about you in the pub, in the supermarket or at the school-gate and the impression they give and how they act as ambassadors, is probably going to have a bigger impact on your reputation in the community, than what's on the front page of the local newspaper Andrew believes ...
