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Elm Communications

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25.01.2022 In this weeks Canberra Communication Professionals series I profiled Samantha Lloyd. She is fierce and determined communication professional, who believes that we should never stop learning. She is also a working mother who somehow makes it all look easy (even if she doesnt always feel like it is). I worked with Sam for over a decade and still learnt so much about her through this profile - enjoy!... https://elmcommunications.com.au/2020/06/26/samantha-lloyd/

24.01.2022 How do you get an executive talking? Ask the right question. This is a short list but I love @kademy ideas on questions to ask to build credibility with your leaders. https://kademygroup.com/5-questions-to-build-credibility-/ ... What questions have worked well for you?

23.01.2022 Looking forward to listening to this new internal comms podcast from @KateIsichei Express Engagement. https://pos.li/2g984d

23.01.2022 In this week's Canberra Communications Professional series we hear from Paige Pettit. Paige is a Communications Manager at the Digital Transformation Agency and formerly the Clean Energy Regulator. I love that Paige wants us all of us to value the diversity of people that surround us - to get the best outcome we need to use the unique skills and ideas from everyone around the table. Paige is a quiet achiever, she rarely sings her own praises so I am so proud that she put hers...elf out there and participated in this series. https://elmcommunications.com.au/2020/11/17/paige-pettit/ #communications #communicationsprofessional #CBR #canberra

23.01.2022 I spent the morning facilitating a virtual workshop for the Entrepreneurs Programme. It was great to have everyone engaged for three hours online to talk about communications and marketing! Kind of nice running a workshop from your dining table in your slippers! #onlinefacilitation #workshoponline #newnormal2020

23.01.2022 There are days when writing just feels hard. If its not your thing or you just dont have to do it very often it can be a bit daunting. To help here is a #fridayfreebie for you. My quick #writing checklist. https://pos.li/2g988n

22.01.2022 It’s Friday! The end of another big week at Elm. The sun is finally out so it was time to work outside over brunch. How do you reward yourself after a big week?

21.01.2022 In this weeks Canberra Communications Professional profile I wanted to introduce Michelle Rowe. Having started life as a journalist Michelle quickly found a love for PR. For the last year, she has been running her own consultancy PitchPerfect Media. Michelle is one of those people who you know you will be friends with from the moment you meet. She openly shares her war stories and makes you laugh over long coffees (or wines). I hope you all enjoy getting to know Michelle just like I did. https://elmcommunications.com.au/2020/07/24/michelle-rowe/

21.01.2022 Now that you are back in the office you are probably frustrated at all of the meetings you have to attend. They go nowhere, you arent getting what you need out of them and you can get everyone on the same page. To run a meeting well you have to be able to facilitate it. To get you started here are a few skills that you will need to be effective. https://elmcommunications.com.au//uploads/2020/05/Facilita... #fridayfreebie #facilitation #meetings

21.01.2022 One of the things I have loved about COVID is the generosity of people to provide their knowledge and services for free. Yoga classes, webinars, cooking classes. Here is a great free confernece is coming up in July that some of my communications colleagues might be interested in. https://pos.li/2fzv08... #freebiefriday #communications #conference

20.01.2022 This weeks profile in the Canberra Communications Professionals series is Lisa Borthwick. It isnt often that you get to hear from someone with 40 years of experience in communications. As Lisa makes the big move down to the South Coast, she shares with us her top five tips (I let her share more than one!) and the challenges she sees for the rest of us in the next decade. https://elmcommunications.com.au/2020/08/24/lisa-borthwick/

20.01.2022 Working in #communications can be stressful. Its demanding and at times unrelenting. So it is important that we all take time for some #selfcare. I liked these quick tips to look after yourself during the tough times. https://pos.li/2g982x

20.01.2022 Did you know when you watch reality TV you dont play on your phone? But if you are watching the news you are really watching your feed. I love the annual Yellow social media report as it gives you all of the latest data on our social media use. It provides great insights to help you create better targeted content. Im off to create content that targets you in the morning, while you are on the lounge watching the news. ... https://2k5zke3drtv7fuwec1mzuxgv-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com//

20.01.2022 A great read about the lessons learnt from NZ after they returned to work after the lockdown. https://pos.li/2g9864

19.01.2022 If you are trying to work out how to get your team back on track after the last few months. Here is a free guide with team building activities to get you started. https://elmcommunications.com.au//Team-building-activities #teambuilding #fridayfreebie #leadership

19.01.2022 What did you learn about yourself in 2020? I discovered its ok to be me. This week I wrote about discovering a more authentic "work me" in 2020 and how that has changed how I present myself to the world. Have you reverted back to your normal work habits? Hair, makeup, clothes, background? I would love to hear your reflections on what changed for you in 2020.... https://elmcommunications.com.au//what-2020-taught-me-ab/

18.01.2022 Do you know what to say when someone says they arent ok? Its R U OK day and today is all about learning how to ask and what to do when someone is not ok. This year more than ever we need to check in on friends, family and colleagues because who really is ok during these weird times?!? ... Know how to ask and what to do.

18.01.2022 Working from home is not always glamorous! Having decamped to the coast for the week my husband and I are working in a much smaller space. Normally, I would head outside but the torrential rain on the south coast means we are sharing our dining table. Lets hope we dont have video calls at the same time! Where are you set up today? Share a photo below.

18.01.2022 Once upon a time (in a world many of us dont really remember any more) we had very clear work lives and home lives. Now we have life. For communicators, that means changing the way we engage with employees, shifting our messaging to focus on the human-side of work and building empathy with the balance many people are still trying to find. Here are some tips from @poppulo about moving to a more human-centric approach to communications.... https://pos.li/2g984m #internalcommunications #employeecommunications #communications

16.01.2022 Need some grammar tips? I love Grammar Girl. Check out her latest. https://pos.li/2g0go0

16.01.2022 When was the last time you stopped and did some analysis of your stakeholders? Wo are they, what are they concerned about, how influential are they? If its been a while how do you know you are still talking to the right people? Focused on the issues that matter to them. Here is a #fridayfreebie for you - a free stakeholder analysis template. Trust me, its worth it.... https://elmcommunications.com.au//Stakeholder-analysis..pd

15.01.2022 A few weeks ago I posted about how communications and behavioural insights should be best friends. The UK Government Communications Service has created a guide on how to adopt a behavioural approach to ensure your communications are strategic. It is based on the EAST (easy, attractive, social and timely) framework to consider how your communication activities can overcome barriers and realise your communications objectives through your proposition, messages and channel strategy. https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk//strategic-communication/

14.01.2022 NZ Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta on 730 last night said one of the key factors to the country's success in managing COVID was their great communication strategy. They needed the whole team of 5 million people to understand what they were dealing with and their approach going forward. A government that acknowledges and celebrates the power of communications! ... https://iview.abc.net.au/video/NC2101H016S00 (starts at 14:50)

13.01.2022 Have you been considering #accessibility when developing #SocialMedia content? Me neither. I always thought about it when I developed website content, but less so when I created social media posts. This is a great quick guide from the UK Gov Communications Service. There are a few simple things we can all do: - Limit the use of emojis... - Capitalise words in hashtags - Use full links where possible and avoid shortened versions - Use colour contrast on any image https://pos.li/2g9u91

12.01.2022 If you work in internal communications this is a must read report. It is a global study into internal communication resources, channels, priorities and challenges. Don't miss. https://image.ukinfo.ajg.com//8219d9d7-2ee3-4d3d-95c8-3464

11.01.2022 Being a team leader has never been harder. You are trying to lead your team through a period where there is no rule book. No guidelines. No process. As a team leader, one of the things that you can do to support your team right now is focus on their wellbeing at work. Here are a few tips from me about how to create good mental health practices as a team leader.... https://elmcommunications.com.au//07/20/team-mental-health/

11.01.2022 Do you ever have one of those days? Where you think I cant do this job. Then something happens and youre back - loving it. Riding the high. That is life in comms. One minute youre up, the next youre down. Is it ok to ride the wave? Is it normal? https://elmcommunications.com.au/2020/08/03/self-confidence/

11.01.2022 As you start to consider what does your communications plan look like for the rest of the year, never has it been more important to do an environmental scan. The world around us is rapidly changing. If you havent done one in a while (or ever) here are my tips on where to start and a link to a free template! https://elmcommunications.com.au///environmentalscanning/

10.01.2022 #Communications in an organisation has never been more important. This is a great article from @PRdaily about the lessons around simplifying messaging and building a narrative during the pandemic. https://pos.li/2g985o What have you learnt during this period?

10.01.2022 Like many other communications professionals working in government Lisa Ranson has spent the last few months figuring out how to communicate in a COVID world. She has also been working with the board of IABC Canberra to ensure members have stayed informed and engaged. Read about her adventures in this weeks profile. https://elmcommunications.com.au//canberra-communications/

10.01.2022 The APSC has released new social media guidance for public servants. For communications teams, this means its time to update your internal policy too. This policy was always a struggle for me. I understand why it is needed to ensure public servants are seen as impartial but I also believe they have a right to an opinion. More than once I had to speak to one of my team about what they had published on social media. I was always torn between my duty as a manager and my persona...l beliefs. I struggle with the concept that there cant be a separation between personal and private lives. https://www.apsc.gov.au/social-media-guidance-australian-pu

10.01.2022 This weeks Canberra Communications Professionals Profile is Monica from @bigbangsocia1, a local Canberran consultancy that focuses on supporting not for profits. She has been doing some great work across the capital and her work with community organisations brings a different perspective to working in communications. https://elmcommunications.com.au//canberra-communications/

09.01.2022 I love the Edelman Trust Barometer, it shows how much we trust our major institutions like Government, Business, Media and NGOs. If you want to know why you feel like you are fighting an uphill battle in communications - here it is! A lack of trust of everyone and everything. Some highlights: - Government briefly emerged as the most trusted institution around the world in May 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, but they squandered the goodwill and lost the most groun...d in the last six months. - As trust declines worldwide, people are looking for leadership as they reject talking heads who are not seen as credible. Authenticity is key people! - Trust in all news sources is at a record low with traditional media outlets seeing the largest fall. Don't worry we don't trust the information in social media either. - Business is the most trusted institution and the only institution seen as both ethical and competent. CEOs are now expected to be public figures speaking out about key issues impacting our society. Read on its a fascinating report https://www.edelman.com/trust/2021-trust-barometer

09.01.2022 What’s your biggest career mistake? Mine is probably not fighting enough for myself. I saw many people move past me because I didn’t ask for more pay, the next promotion or more recognition. https://www.allthingsic.com/some-of-my-biggest-career-mis/

09.01.2022 When you work in communications you need to provide a great service to your clients - it is how you create respect, trust and value. I learnt about creating value for customers growing up in retail (see embarrassing childhood photo below). I wanted to share my childhood experiences and how it applies to my focus on demonstrating value today.... https://elmcommunications.com.au//where-does-my-drive-for/ What childhood experiences have shaped your approach to work?

08.01.2022 What have we learnt about communications during COVID? Simple, clear and consistent communications is the key. This article from @PRDaily is a great summary of some of those lessons. https://pos.li/2g9879

07.01.2022 It is an issue that comes up for #communication teams every few years. Is there another way to offer our services? Do we have the right operating model? Should we change how we are structured? There isn't a lot of information out there if you think it's time for a change. I thought it was worth sharing three of the most common models I have seen across government and the pros and cons for each in this weeks article. https://elmcommunications.com.au/2021//22/operating-model/

07.01.2022 Last week, I joined Justine OBrien and Jaimee Thorpe on a panel for IABC Canberra where we discussed how to take the next step in your communications career. In case you missed the event I wanted to share a summary of our discussion in this weeks article. https://elmcommunications.com.au//next-steps-in-your-comm/... Photo credit: Amanda Dennett

07.01.2022 Full day of virtual meetings for a client. Love getting to understand a problem in more detail through interviews with stakeholders.

07.01.2022 From a professional standpoint, one of the organisations I really admire is the UK Gov Communications Service. They value creating a stronger profession and I liked this blog about the ongoing work they have been doing. It starts with this concept Excellence is not an act, it is a habit. https://pos.li/2fzv3a... #communicationsprofessional #communications

06.01.2022 Being a team leader is hard at the best of times let alone during a pandemic. Communication is your number one job right now and life just got a bit more complicated as people start returning to the office...sort of. Welcome to the "new normal" way of working. Here are my tips for where you need to focus your efforts when communicating with your team. https://elmcommunications.com.au//team-leader-communicati/

06.01.2022 I love the daily tips from the Change Superhero. They are those "ohhhhh" moments where you realise instantly how much easier your life just got. Sign up on the website for free. https://www.changesuperhero.com.au/ #change #tips

04.01.2022 We all have those days, we try and we try but the words wont come. We stare at a blank page or shut our laptops. Writers block can be frustrating and demoralising. It can be a blow to our confidence. There are a few simple things that I find can help... well it meant that I could write this article, right?!? https://elmcommunications.com.au//when-the-words-wont-come/

04.01.2022 This weeks #CBR #communicationsprofessionals profile is Emily Curlewis. Emily is the Chief Operations Officer at Veritec, following an amazing career working with some of Australias biggest brands. She shares with us her experiences, and some great tips along the way about resilience and finding your comms superpower! https://elmcommunications.com.au/2020/09/07/emily-curlewis/

03.01.2022 For the last few weeks, I have been doing editing jobs for government clients. I review guidelines, web content and reports to make sure "the public" can understand them. There has been a common theme across all of these projects. To be honest it has been a common theme since I started working in government. It is the use of acronyms. Honestly, there are whole paragraphs I havent understood because they are riddled with them. It means that very few people will be able to u...nderstand the point you are trying to make. So I am putting out the call, to all communications professionals to #stopusingacronyms - Fight the good fight. https://elmcommunications.com.au/2020/06/22/acronyms/

02.01.2022 Are you struggling to get attention? Not sure if anyone is even listening? The missing piece might be a communications strategy. I recently spoke to Victoria Taylor, GAICD from Amplify about why having a plan is an important part of your organisational success. https://www.amplify.how//video-communications-strategy-mel

01.01.2022 What are we working on today? Another busy week begins for the Elm Communications team.

01.01.2022 When was the last time you did some personal development? I know I know. You're busy. 2020 was a bit weird. You don't know what you need to do. It's all too hard to pick a course. It wasn't until I left the public service that I learnt how important personal development is and now regret not focusing more on it. Want to know why? Read this weeks article. https://elmcommunications.com.au//08/personal-development/... I am setting every communications professional a challenge in 2021 - one a month. Just one personal development activity a month. Who can do it? Post below.

01.01.2022 The Canberran Communications Professionals series for me is a chance to learn more about our local experts. Its a way that we could all learn more about each other and share our knowledge. A chance to celebrate our successes and learn from each others challenges. I have profiled professionals from public and private sector, small business owners and long time consultants. Here is what I have learnt from all of them - we are a passionate group of professionals who want to de...liver value, be creative and make a difference. Read about our local professionals on my website: https://elmcommunications.com.au/canberra-communications-/ Who would you love to hear more about? Tag them below! #CBR #communicationsprofessional #communications

01.01.2022 Last week Samantha Sutherland and I facilitated a hybrid planning day with people online and in person. It made all of us think about how we are engaging people working from home and how our old ways are no longer working. I wanted to share some of my take outs from the session about how to engage in our new 'hybrid' work environments. I would love to hear from you - how have you changed how you engage with your colleagues?... https://elmcommunications.com.au///16/creating-connection/ I wanted to share some of my take-outs from the session about how to engage in our new 'hybrid' work environments. #WFH #remoteemployees #remoteteams #remoteworkforce #engagement #teambuilding

01.01.2022 If you are struggling to get your team leaders to communicate with their staff maybe you need to think about how you are communicating to them. Here is a simple (and free!) template for a team leaders toolkit to help you support them to engage their teams. https://pos.li/2g9vnf #internalcommunications #fridayfreebit #freetemplates #teamleader #leadership