REFLECTIONS ON THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATORS

							REFLECTIONS ON THE ROLE
    OF GOVERNMENT
   COMMUNICATORS



   Government Communicators
   Workshop, 23 October 2009
            CRITICAL ROLES
Read & know the environment

Know the business of government & local
 government

It’s all about the Messaging
READING THE ENVIRONMENT
                        Surveys




                                             Political
 Hot Spots
                                             Monitor
                          Local
                        Government




         Targeted
      Organisations &                Media
      Opinion Makers
   READING THE ENVIRONMENT
• Identifying (the source of) positive & negative stories, trends
• Undertaking risk analysis & reading early warning signs
• Implications for messaging & ACTION


                                 “Government
   “The councillor could          might listen
   not even answer the            but they are
    young person who                                    “They pretend
                                  not going to
     addressed him in                                       they are
                                  do anything”
    English because he                                   listening and
     could not express                                     they forget
  himself well and ended                                    about us
    up just murmuring.”                                 that’s why we
                                                          take drastic
                                                             steps”
     KNOW THE BUSINESS OF
GOVERNMENT & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Technical Content &              Political & Policy
  Imperatives:                     Imperatives
• Study Policy & Legislation     • Get to know our political
• Participe in content & line      principals – very well !
  function workshops, seminars   • Continuity & change: approach
  etc                              of the new administration
• Listen, listen, listen to &    • Administrative officials &
  ENGAGE with colleagues           communicators don’t originate
• Many communicators are           policy
  generalists (seek advice)
 First learn the
meaning of what
 you say, and
  then speak.


   Local Government is
   Everyone’s Business
        Be Part of It !
                              “While saying that we have a lot of work to
                                do, we must also recognize that a lot of
                               progress has been made over the years.
                              We have some outstanding and successful
                               municipalities which are very exemplary.
                                Significant progress has been made to
                             deliver basic services to our people since the
                               advent of democracy. More people have
                               access to clean water; more people have
                               access to houses that are electrified; and
                                 basic sanitation has been provided to
                                         millions of households.
                                 Municipalities are at the forefront of
                              providing these services. But it is also true
                                    that significant backlogs remain.

                               It is clear that we need to do more, and
Cape Town, 20 October 2009      that we need to do things differently.”

                                                                          7
       MESSAGING IS CRITICAL
• Timing of the message is
  important
• Simple language
• Clarity of purpose
• Use appropriate
  technology
• Audience Relevance
 “Communication is the real
work of leadership.” (Nitin Nohria)
MESSAGING MUST BE AN ENABLER FOR
   DELIVERY & EMPOWERMENT !




WORKING TOGETHER,
TURNING THE TIDE IN
LOCAL GOVERNMENT