Who wouldn’t love super hearing? The ability to listen in to others’ conversations, to be in the know about the latest gossip. Sounds appealing in a decadent voyeuristic way. Superman used his power of super hearing for the good. But hearing is different from listening. And, in the world of communications, the superpower of listening is everything. If you’re a good listener, your communications will be more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall crises in a single bound (I had to do it).
 
But what makes a good listener? If you’re a communications leader in your organization or just looking to harness your superpower listening skills within your agency, below are three tips to get you started:

• Let people talk. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve encountered leaders who never take a breath during meetings to allow input from their staff or community partners. Listening is a 2-way street. If you want to be listened to, you must give people a chance to talk.
• Engage effectively. Make strong eye contact. Don’t cross your arms. Use body language that is open and engaging. Try to find common ground in what your audience is saying. Relate on a human level.
• Follow-up in a meaningful way. Repeat what you’ve heard and provide actionable steps that will create leadership and staff accountability. People need and want to know they are being heard. This is vital when dealing with staff and community partner concerns.

 
​For more communications strategies, tips, and tactics, check out my latest blog posts on this site and on Instagram at @lmgpublicrelations.

​I don’t have to tell you that the world is a heavy place right now. Pile on the stresses of your average workday as a communications professional, organizational leader or business owner and you have a recipe for burnout. The last few years there have been a lot of articles, videos, posts, etc... about how to avoid burnout through meditation, exercising, sleeping enough, and eating right. That’s all great, but let’s talk about tips that are directly work-related and specific to what you do every day.

Here are some tips that have helped me, and I hope you find them useful!

• Prioritize the work in front of you. I don't know about you, but a lot of my work stress comes from trying to juggle too many projects at once. This is where I find my compulsive list-creating helpful. Every Friday, late afternoon (please don't do this on Sunday), I create a “to do” list for the next week. This includes every meeting/call/appointment I must do and only the projects I absolutely need to tackle for that week. For instance: write this blog post on burnout, take a call with Client A, etc. As I complete the tasks during the week, I check them off this list. This sounds simple, but there is nothing more satisfying than looking down at a list with everything crossed out.
• Find perspective. Did you really forget your agency’s name on that live spot on the 5 o’clock news? So your news release went out with a typo in the headline! Yeah, it’s annoying, but is it really the end of the world? In this fast-paced comms environment will anyone even notice? Believe me, it will be forgotten in 5 minutes. Analyze it for 10 minutes, write down a few ideas to do better next time and move on.
• What brings you joy in your work? Yes, let’s “Marie Kondo” this. If the well is dry on this one, force yourself to find at least one thing you like about your work. Is it telling stories? Is it the reward of problem solving? Or maybe it’s the fantastic work of a client or staff member you helped to media train. Find. Something. Look to re-spark the joy in your work by suggesting a new initiative or project that is proactive instead of reactive. It will give you something to work on in between crises.

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Let's face it. Most communicators in the non-profit and public agency world didn't get into it for the glamour or money. When you're called to serve, you do it without fanfare, lucrative bonuses or walks on the red carpet. You're not representing celebrities, you're representing us, the tax paying public, and not all of us are happy to see you all the time.
But what I know from working in the public affairs realm is the reward comes in other ways. Helping families navigate social services, educating people on where to vote and serving as first responders with information during emergencies and natural disasters serves a higher purpose and one that, as communicators, you should be proud of. 
But how many people outside your organization know about the important work you do? Can everyone in your organization quickly describe your work and values so that even your neighbor could understand them? Can you succinctly talk about important policies and initiatives so the community and media care? 
In this current climate of storytelling, public affairs and government professionals are increasingly responsible for telling the vital story of how their agencies make a difference in the community.
By beginning at the foundation, with an effective key messaging strategy, you can begin creating a positive narrative that makes people care about the work you do and the people working for your agency. These stories matter. They can provide education about vital programs, help you reconnect with clients and the community and recommit your organization to building an effective communications plan that assists with the important work being done.
I'm so honored to speak at this year's Public Relations Society of America Public Affairs & Government section summit in St Louis, MO! My session, "Your Story Matters: How to Build An Effective Key Messaging Campaign to Promote How and Why Your Serve" will touch on how to start building or strengthening an existing narrative through key messages. Let's start telling your story! 

​Posters. Social posts. Flyers. Logos. Brochures. All of these are tools for telling the story of your organization, the people working in it and the community you work with. But before you even consider creating and using any of these valuable tools, you first must set the foundation for your communications.
 
Creating organizational messaging comes first and the right time to start thinking about crafting your key messages was yesterday.
 
Key messaging is the common language you and your staff will use when talking about who you are, what you do and why you do it. They are not slogans. They are not taglines. Key messages use very specific and simple language to define your values and goals in a way anyone on your staff and any community partner can understand.
 
If you haven’t developed key messages for your organization, the time is now.
 
What do you need to get started? Here are 4 basic elements to think about:

• A messaging working group consisting of a cross-section of staff and leadership
• The willingness to come to consensus
• Patience to work on crafting language
• A plan for staff and community buy-in and inclusion.

 
If you need help with starting on the strategic work behind creating your key messages, don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected] and follow us on IG @lmgpublicrelations