Adventures in Government Communications

Happy Thanksgiving from NAGC

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 18:21:00 +0000

Greetings Fellow NAGC Members,

In reflecting on the coming holiday season, I realize that the tumult we have experienced this year may only be the beginning of the challenges ahead for government communicators. Remember, you are not alone in the journey. Thankfully, NAGC is here for us. We are an organization dedicated to excellence in government communications with a network of professionals available to help each other in times of need.

NAGC President Kathryn Stokes

As you begin to celebrate your Thanksgiving holiday, I hope you can make time to pause and give thanks for all you have in your lives. Embrace the people you cherish and reach out to those who cannot be with you. Also, take time to remember those friends and family who are no longer with us.

On behalf of the NAGC Board of Directors, I wish you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving. I look forward to the opportunities to support and advance each other as government communicators that lay ahead of us in the coming year and beyond.

Sincerely,

Kathryn Stokes, NAGC President

Politics, Political Savvy, Government Communicators and Transition Time

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 04:03:00 +0000

By NAGC President-elect Chris O'Neil

Then ...

And now.

It’s that time again – transition time. The elections are over and for many offices that means change – from one administration to the next, from one appointee to the next.

Transition happens at all levels of government – local, state and federal – and the process affects all government communicators in some fashion.

The focus of this post is not how to prepare for the onslaught of work associated with preparing for transition, or, how to prep for an assignment to the “transition team.” No, the point I want to share with you today is the opportunity presented to you, the career government communicator, by transition time.

Transition is the time to establish your role as the trusted advisor, to lay a foundation that supports your role as the counselor for all things relating to government communications. Transition is the time where you advocate for transparency in government through disciplined, ethical and effective communication.

Transition is the time to inculcate incoming personnel on your agency’s communication doctrine, policy and tactics. It is the time to demonstrate how good government needs good communication.

Communicators fresh off the campaign trail need help transitioning their mindset, their focus, and their practices from those used to win the campaign, to those that communicate about the activities of government. Career government communicators have the experience, training and skills to help incoming personnel understand that information is not released to achieve political objectives, it is released because the public has a right to know how its government is working – including those times (and perhaps most importantly) when their government isn’t performing well.

Career communicators are, at work, politically agnostic, meaning we are dedicated to fulfilling the free exchange of ideas that is the basis of our democracy, rather than fulfilling the political objectives of the recently elected or appointed.

Being politically agnostic does not mean communicators are not politically savvy – quite contrary. Good communicators know the full condition of the information environment, including the political landscape. This situational awareness allows them to provide the best possible advice to their principals on how to communicate about their agency’s activities. Ensuring your counsel reflects political reality doesn’t make you political, it makes you politically savvy.

Conversely, black balling reporters whom your principals deem “uncooperative” or “who don’t cover us favorably” is being political, not politically savvy. Withholding otherwise publicly releasable information, because the information is deemed “politically charged” or “politically risky”, or failing to advocate for the course of action that promotes transparency and accountability in government, is at best unethical and contrary to effective communication and effective governance. As government communicators we have to lead the effort to persuade and educate incoming leadership about our solid communication practices and their foundation on the art and science of government communication.

Transition time is a time of opportunity. It is a time to either reset doctrine, policy and procedures that may have strayed from the purposes of promoting transparency and accountability, or, it is a time to reinforce those good practices and to continue to practice good communication in support of good government. It’s our responsibility, as the career government communicators, to ensure we get the incoming team moving down the correct path.

Remember, just like, "If you didn’t vote, you don’t get to complain," if you don’t take the time to advocate for transparency, for ethics based communication about your agency, then you don’t get to complain if the new team doesn’t get it. It isn’t always easy, it isn’t always fun, but it’s our job to ensure the best practices of good government communication are instilled with incoming personnel during transition time.

Transition is the time where your role as an advisor is key to the future success of your communication efforts – use the time wisely.

We Cannot Overlook Ethics

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 16:34:00 +0000

A guest post from Vincenzo Le Voci, Secretary General of Europe’s Club of Venice, and Administrator for Press & Communication, Directorate of Communication & Transparency, Council of the European Union.

As government communicators, we know it is difficult enough to build winning communication strategies with content and tools that get through to broadly varied audiences and perceptions. But if we lack or overlook ethics, we should consider a career change NOW!

Governmental and institutional communication has traditionally been tough work. In Europe, we may sometimes call public sector communication "mission impossible." Multi-culturally diverse audiences in each country and locality, cross-border communication considerations, economic stagnation, security concerns and perceptions of threats to sovereignty all contribute to the challenges in the European Union.

How to take into account the variety of audiences in each country? How to build cross-border communication synergies in times of economic stagnation, high unemployment rates, and threats to security? How to better inform citizens about policies having an impact on their habits without running the risk of misperceptions (solidarity v s. loss of sovereignty)?

But in all societies, the communicators’ abilities and willingness to root their advice and statements in honesty – and firmly grounded in the complexities of the real world – can make the difference.

If ethics are driving our steps, all the rest comes naturally. Ethics drive our ability to develop mutual respect and trusted relationships, allow for the willing exchange of best practices and winning models among peers, and having courage and determination in the pursuit of common ground,

This is the only way to break through barriers (differing languages, cultures, socioeconomic factors, and historical prejudices and mistrust).

Without communication ethics, we can expect the smallest incidents to compound into major crises, increasingly affecting all sectors of society. Without communication ethics, anything and everything could take a turn for the worst.

So what happens when we’re asked to defend the positions of political masters who may ignore ethical values or are guided by other interests?
Attend my keynote session on Thursday, June 4 at the NAGC Communication School in Memphis and learn about how we’re trying to establish clear ethical rules or a code of conduct to address the unique challenges and responsibilities of government communications in Europe.

Hope to see you there!

Vincenzo Le Voci is Secretary-General of the Club of Venice (network of communications directors from the European Union Member States, institutions and countries candidate to the EU membership) and has been a EU Council official since 1992. He has worked on Transparency and Information Policy issues since 2001. He works for the "Public Relations" Unit and is coordinating the communication agenda of the Council Working Party on Information. He consolidated his experience within the Council by working in the Linguistic Division, Research and Technological Development, Education and Culture and Staff Training Departments. Before reaching the EU framework in 1992 he worked in the NATO as Housing Manager for the US Air Force (1985-1991) in a Tactical Air Training Installation in Sardinia, which he joined after serving the Italian Army. He is a native of Calabria (South Italy) and speaks Italian, English, French, Spanish and some German. He holds a Master Degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures (University of Cagliari) and has followed Modern History, European Integration and management courses in Belgium and with US Universities. He has written articles for communications books and magazines and lectured at universities in Lille (France) and Milan (Italy). He has a rich home library with over two-thousands books (literature and theatre) and writes poetry in Italian, English and French.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from NAGC President John Verrico

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 05:54:00 +0000

St. Patrick’s Day has special significance for communicators, as it celebrates one of the most amazing motivators in history.

Imagine communication skills so extraordinary as to be able to lead all the snakes out of Ireland!
;-)

Reflections from March's Featured Member of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 01:30:00 +0000

By Erin Vader
Communication and Public Engagement Manager, City of Olathe, KS
NAGC Featured Member of the Month

Why NAGC? NAGC Communication School was my first foray into the world of government communications. The session content and the networking were invaluable to a then rookie. Most importantly, as a one-person shop, I loved the camaraderie between members. Those connections have proven invaluable over the years and I’ve received guidance and support on a number of endeavors ranging from website vendor selection to social media management.

About Olathe: Olathe “the city beautiful” is the fourth largest city in the state of Kansas and is one of the fastest growing cities in the Midwest. Olathe is located just 20 miles southwest of downtown Kansas City, offering a lifestyle of exceptional quality. A drive through Olathe's attractive neighborhoods shows a well-planned, pleasing community. Olathe's Fire and Police Departments are among the finest in the state. The award winning Olathe Public Schools is one of the best in the nation. Olathe has been named a “best place to live” from Money magazine and was recognized as a Fast City by Fast Company magazine.

NAGC Member Spotlight

About Erin: Erin Vader is the Communication and Public Engagement Manager for the City of Olathe, KS. Erin oversees public and media relations, digital/social media, video production, web content, and internal communications. Erin has been in her current role for five years and with the City of Olathe since 2004. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University and a master’s degree from the University of Nebraska. Erin is also a Certified Public Manager.

Maximize Your NAGC Experience, Serve on the Board of Directors

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 01:08:00 +0000

By Kathryn Stokes

President-Elect

Let me say, up front, that I love being a part of the National Association of Government Communicators! I have loved it since attending my first Communications School in 2008. I enjoy being around people who are creative and interesting and who love sharing their lessons learned.

So when the opportunity came up for me to serve on the Board of Directors, I accepted the challenge. That’s when I really began to appreciate the wonderful opportunities available to our members.

Serving on the NAGC Board of Directors is not for the faint of heart. Anyone who works in government knows that a call to serve the public is challenging and rewarding at the same time. The same can be said for serving on the NAGC board. It is challenging and hard work that can take up a lot of time depending on the position held. But the rewards more than make up for any hardships along the way.

First and foremost, I have met some incredible people through NAGC and some of my favorites are on the board or have been on the board. I have had the opportunity to learn from the best…my peers. Most of them have been in government communications a lot longer than I have, which has been a boon to my learning curve!

Another great benefit to being a member of the NAGC board is the opportunity to network with so many leaders in the communications field. As a member of the board I am expected to serve on various committees or head up committees, through which I get to meet even more talented individuals. These committees provide the framework through which NAGC operates. They share ideas about better government communications and look for ways to enhance the value of NAGC membership. They determine the program for the annual Communications School, plan the Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Awards competition and ceremony, tackle tasks such as redesigning the NAGC website (which is currently in progress) and they identify potential leaders for the organization. That brings me to the purpose of this missive.

I want to challenge you, the members of NAGC, to consider running for one of the open positions on the board. The following positions are available: Treasurer, Education Director, Communications Director, Professional Development Director and Marketing Director.

Share your experience with your fellow government communicators and make a difference in our organization. Yes, it can be demanding, but it is also extremely rewarding. For me it is an honor to serve my fellow government communicators. Being a member of this board provides the opportunity to enhance to benefits for all NAGC members. This is your opportunity to do the same.

Featured Member of the Month Challenges Members to Get Involved

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 03:56:00 +0000

By Donna Harris

Featured Member of the Month

When I first sat down to write this blog, my mind was as blank as an artist’s new canvas. But one month into the New Year, and two weeks from Martin Luther King’s birthday and day of service, a spark was ignited.

As communicators we are often challenged with building, growing or saving a brand. That’s what we do. Our jobs are busy, stressful and fulfilling at the same time. It’s done so often it becomes second nature and all encompassing. So with all the hustle and bustle of everyday life, I wondered how many of us take the time to get involved and build our own brand. Or, what I call BRAND YOU!

Every time you volunteer-- whether it is with your Agency or an outside group--you learn something new. And that new experience can be the start of building on your successes, or things you didn’t know about the person sitting next to you.

Take NAGC, when I went to my very first Communications School last year, on the table were cards asking if we wanted to “get involved.” My immediate reactions or questions were—I don’t want any more work and why would they need me. But I took a chance and to my surprise, they called and now I am a participant on the membership committee! And really it doesn’t take much time, and I feel good every time I lend a hand in growing not only their brand, but my next communications masterpiece.

So I challenge each of year to “get involved” and lend a hand. It doesn’t take much time and you will be all the better and wiser for it!

Donna Harris is currently the Public Information Representative for the US Postal Inspection Service in New York. Donna has been in her current position for more than three years, and has worked at the United States Postal Service and its law enforcement agencies for almost 29 years.

Did You Know…The United States Postal Inspection Service is the law enforcement arm of the Postal Service. Their agency has been around since the early 1700s, its mission is to ensure the integrity of the mail and the Postal Service by providing investigative, security, and preventive services, and by enforcing federal statutes that protect the mail, postal employees, customers, and assets.

A look back as we look ahead to 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 03:28:00 +0000

A retrospective from NAGC President John Verrico

Six months ago, when I took the oath of office as president of the National Association of Government Communicators, I promised to work toward the betterment of the government communication professions. When I first learned of the existence of NAGC nearly 10 years ago, I immediately saw the benefit of being part of such an organization where I could network with and learn from my fellow professionals, and also to share some of the things I experienced in my own career.

Perhaps I found this so valuable because of my prior experience as a military public affairs specialist. For my entire 9+ years on active duty and my first Navy Reserve assignment, I was the only public affairs professional for my organization. I did not work with another person in my career field, had no one to ask for advice when faced with a challenging issue, and had nothing to measure my performance against. I had no idea if I was doing things correctly, if I could improve what I was doing or if I was making major mistakes. It was nearly 12 years before I worked in a Navy organization that had more than a one-person public affairs shop. My first civilian public affairs position was with state government in Maryland, and even though there was a small communications team, I had an independent duty assignment in a field office for the first couple of years.

Always seeking some form of continued professional development, metrics and networking opportunities, I would put in for training offered by other organizations and attend communication-related conferences, but found that most of the material was not applicable to what I could do in my government job. The majority of the courses were focused on types of organizations with much larger “marketing” budgets, larger staffs, and dedicated to generating leads for sales. Simply not applicable to a government organization.

I finally stumbled upon a NAGC Communications School event and was instantly enamored. Everyone there was a government communicator of some type. They all understood the issues I faced on a daily basis, had the same budgetary and staffing limitations, the same ethics regulations to comply with, the same goals. The quality of the training was excellent, and, because it was so much more applicable to me and my job, I found it incredibly valuable and was able to put what I learned to use right away.

I signed up to become a member on the spot and have continued to get more and more involved with the organization ever since.

I am proud to now be the president of this fantastic organization and am supremely fortunate to be working with the best, most dedicated Board of Directors I have ever met. As you may know, NAGC board members are volunteers, serving in various government agencies in a variety of communication disciplines by day, and dedicating off-duty time to helping our overall community.

In the past couple of months, your board has been working on many new ways to improve the overall NAGC experience and benefits of membership.

Our website has been somewhat redesigned and has been updated much more frequently, and with a broader array of useful information and announcements, including a member-of-the-month feature. Software limitations have limited what NAGC could do with our current website, so our board members, working with our management company ASMII, have found a cost-effective way to upgrade to a new state-of-the-art website that we’re hoping to launch soon. By the way, we’re looking for volunteers to help with the transition (hint, hint, wink, wink). Interested in helping out? Please contact our committee chairs: Kathryn Stokes or Chris O’Neil.

If you haven’t already done so, you really should check out NAGC’s social media presence on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Chris and other Board members have been managing lots of great conversations there, and we’ve been cross-posting with other peer organizations. Agencies are also sharing job announcements on our Facebook and LinkedIn discussion groups. We’ll be working to enhance this benefit for members in the future, so if your agency has a vacancy in any communicator discipline, or if you know of one, please send us the info and post the link.

Our blog, Adventures in Government Communication, has also seen more frequent postings, including occasional guest posts by some of our international counterparts.

Speaking of international partnerships, NAGC has been continuing to draw interest around the globe. Our counterparts want to learn from us and also want to share their own unique experiences. It’s amazing how many similarities there are between us and how much there is to learn from the unique challenges faced in other environments. Thanks to a special arrangement with the European Union’s Club of Venice – the informal organization of Europe’s top communication directors – NAGC members now have access to the EU’s professional government communication magazine, Convergences. All issues of the magazine are now posted under Resources in the Members Only section of the NAGC website. We've also continued our partnership with our counterparts in South East Europe.

Those of you who renewed your membership this year received a new member package, complete with wallet ID card that also provides the password to access the Members Only resources. You also should have received a special member appreciation thank you gift from our Membership Director Marisa Ellison.

Our Professional Development Director Maria Vanderkolk has coordinated several webinars in recent months that were free to NAGC members. Be sure to check out our next one on January 13, “Dealing with Difficult Audiences” with the inimitable Larry Tracy. It is our intent to offer more frequent webinars and training opportunities on a variety of topics throughout the year.

Our annual Communication School is finally going back on the road. After several years of homesteading in the Washington, DC area, the 2015 School will be held in Memphis, June 2-4. We’re planning some surprises for the School this year. Keep your ears tuned as more info becomes available about some of the interesting workshops, plenary and break-out sessions. There’s a call for speakers still out there so we can fill up the rest of the program, so if you know of any good topics or presenters, or if you would like to be part of the program committee, please contact Education Director Sheryl Walsh.

We’ve also been partnering with other organizations for NAGC members to attend training events at a discount. The next one is the Strategic Internal Communications for Government, Associations, Universities and Non-Profits, put on by the Advanced Learning Institute, Feb. 2-4, in Washington, DC. Because I will be speaking at this conference, ALI has offered a special discount – 50% off registration if you use the code SPK and enter my name!

The Blue Pencil and Gold Screen Awards program has also undergone some changes, with new categories to be sure to reflect current communication tools and tactics. Final deadline for entries is January 12. We are currently recruiting judges, so if you would like to be part of this extremely rewarding program, please contact Competitions Director Cheryl Chambers.

By the way, our Marketing Director, Wendy Wagner-Smith, has been responsible for the design of the fantastic graphics on the membership materials, the note cards, the website, the program for last year’s communications school, and the new promotional materials.

NAGC is doing more work in helping to define our profession. In the past year, we’ve conducted surveys and issued reports on a variety of topics, such as the Trends and Salary Report published earlier this year, and the survey on electronic communications in the United States and Canada. Some additional research is currently underway to get perspective on polices impacting government communicators’ access to online and social media tools.

We’re doing a bit more advocacy too. You may be aware that NAGC has been called upon in the past couple of years to defend the reputation of the government spokesperson role. This was the result of surveys led by the Society for Professional Journalists and NAGC. Among other forums, I participated in an August 2013 National Press Club debate (archived on C-SPAN) that pitted government spokespersons against reporters about access to government people and information. There have been additional queries to NAGC along these lines, and about the government communication profession in general, so we are becoming known as a go-to resource for media about these issues.

NAGC has also been hosting networking happy hour events in recent months, mostly in Washington, DC, but starting to have some in different communities across the country. The next one on the schedule is January 29, 5-7 p.m. at Mio’s Restaurant, 1110 Vermont Ave NW, Washington DC. If you’re in the DC area, you don’t want to miss this one because we actually have a rare opportunity for all of the NAGC board members to be in attendance!

The Board will hold its annual retreat on January 30 to discuss current and future direction of the Association. We’ll report out to the membership shortly afterward.

Treasurer Derrick Silas and I have been working with Executive Director Beth Armstrong and her ASMII team to keep the Association’s finances stable despite the tight budgetary constraints we are under, while simultaneously trying to increase member benefits. Our former Treasurer (and currently President-Elect) Kathryn Stokes recently published a blog post about the unique challenges of being a non-profit with limited sources of income, and relying on volunteers to do the work of putting together the various offerings and services.

If you have not yet renewed your membership, please do so soon to take advantage of all of the benefits NAGC has to offer, the free webinars, the training resources and reports, and discounts on the Communications School and the Blue Pencil Gold Screen Awards program and other activities.

If you are not yet a member, take advantage of our special first-time member discount. Enter discount code FIRST on your membership application, and your first year is only $100. As a special incentive for our compatriots in uniform, membership for all active duty and active reserve military communicators is only $60 – less than HALF of the regular membership rate.

NAGC is dedicated to providing the best professional development and resources to our members to continuously improve the quality, reputation, and growth opportunities for communication professionals across government. The most rewarding part of my 33-year career is the opportunity to help lead these efforts.

Keep your eyes open throughout 2015 for more changes, more enhancements, and more opportunities. And feel free to contact me or any of the board members if you have any ideas.

My first six months has been very exciting! I can’t wait to see what happens next!

2015: The Year of No Excuses

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 03:16:00 +0000

By Dave Hebert
NAGC Featured Member of the Month

As we stare 2015 in the face, fellow government communicators, there’s one thing I challenge all of us to do (sure, call it a resolution): stop making excuses about how hard our jobs are.

In fact, they are quite difficult, but it’s not because of the obstacles and the I’m-not-allowed-to’s that are easy to roll out when you labor to relate the government mission to the masses. It’s because there are just so many ways to understand and reach people now. Our hard work should be focused on identifying which tools and methods are best for our organizations and honing our ability to use them to a razor’s edge.

First of all, let’s get our measurement game right. Yes, privacy laws and other regulations can be challenging when you’re trying to determine if your efforts are making a difference. But folks here in the U.S. and our colleagues in the Canadian and British government are doing amazing things in measurement. And if you need a refresher on what metrics magic can be made under Federal regs and budgets, DigitalGov will steer you right.

Let’s embrace our loss of control. The only thing you really control are the words that come out of your agency's collective mouth, and with employees' personal social media accounts, even that control is fleeting. Don’t tighten your grip; instead turn your people (or your robots) into great ambassadors for your organization. And let the rest of the world get involved. Help your agency apply citizens’ time, energy, and intelligence to helping solve problems. That’s government of, by, and for the people.

Finally, let’s tell better stories. The problem with our press releases, web content, and tweets is that we often use them to talk about our organizations. Let’s talk about the people we serve, the employees who do the heavy lifting, and the amazing things happening through our mission. Watch this video and tell me it doesn’t say more about the mission than a heavily branded press release touting new procedural or equipment upgrades would.

This is a golden age of communications — step into the light, fair communicator, and make your agency shine.

Managing Resources in a Non-Profit World

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 01:32:00 +0000

By Kathryn Stokes

President-Elect

Managing financial resources is challenging in the private sector, ensuring cash-flow is sufficient to pay bills, fund research and development, market your products or services, reward your employees with a paycheck and maybe a bonus, and have a profit at the end. Non-profits have limited sources for funding, which include grants, donations or, as in the case of the National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC), through membership, award, and communications school registration fees.

Before I joined the board as treasurer a few years ago, the inner workings of a non-profit were very much like the Wizard of Oz to me. Everything was performed behind a magic curtain and stuff just appeared to get done. Nothing could be farther from the truth!

NAGC has committees to deal with many of its operational activities; we have a committee that plans the communications school program, another that plans the BP&GS awards banquet, volunteers who judge the BP&GS entries, we have a marketing committee among others and in a few days we’ll be looking for volunteers for a website redesign committee. A lot gets done by, already over-extended professionals, committed to ensuring the success of NAGC.

We cannot do this alone. To help, we have AMSII, our management team headed by Beth Armstrong. Beth’s team helps us perform those day-to-day duties that keep NAGC moving forward.

Beth has managed associations her whole career and her organization has been managing NAGC since I joined. And, she has committed to not raise her management fee rates at any time since I’ve been on the board, which is about five years. That commitment is something this former treasurer knows is not easy to do because Beth’s company is not a non-profit.

Our management firm supplies us with the resources for the operational activities and the financial functions including contract negotiation for the school venue and vendors. They also collect all the membership dues; collect the BP&GS entries, re-package them and send them to various judges, collect judging forms, order the awards and notify winners where applicable (Communicator of the Year). Throughout the year they help committee chairs manage meetings, take notes and perform a myriad of follow-ups for the various groups. They do all this while keeping an eye on the bottom line.

Our monthly board meeting always includes a financial health-check. I’ll admit it, there were times I questioned whether or not we would meet our annual projections. Beth’s experience and counsel has always gone a long way to calm my bottom-line concerns. We still struggle, but continue to squeak by.

We need your help!

Your NAGC board wants to hear any ideas and suggestions that bring value to our members. Do you have ideas about how we can save money or generate income? We want your suggestions about presenters and topics for the annual school so that you find value in attending each year. BTW, next year in Memphis looks to be another great school. (SHAMELESS PLUG!)

When you attend the annual Communications School, be sure to listen for the financial report during the business meeting. It is our account to you about the monies we collect throughout the year, how those monies are spent, and what our current financial health looks like going into the next year.

Managing money is never easy. But the challenges of managing money in a non-profit world, while stressful, are also rewarding every time someone says they loved the school, the award banquet or gives great feedback on their NAGC experience!

Response to Query - Forwarded For Your Use

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Dec 2014 05:57:00 +0000

[Some holiday levity, posted by NAGC President John Verrico]

Fellow communicators. It has come to our attention that there have been queries from investigative reporters concerning the implementation of holiday plans across government agencies.

We are proposing this response to any query you may receive, including an official statement and additional details which may be provided "on background - not for attribution."

I hope you will find this information helpful in explaining how government agencies are responding to recent criticisms from the political and private sectors.

On behalf of the National Association of Government Communicators, I hope you get some time off to relax and spend with family and friends this holiday season. To our fellows in uniform serving in deployed status away from loved ones, we send our best wishes for as happy a holiday as possible, a happy and healthy New Year, and a safe return.

Making the List - Government blogs recognized as 'must-read'

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 06:35:00 +0000

Posted by NAGC President John Verrico

Government agencies at all levels provide essential services to their communities and constituents. We communicators are charged, of course, with telling people about the important work of our agencies, and we produce a great deal of communication products to spread the word. We use websites, newsletters, promotional campaigns, and social media outlets, among other tools, but of course, none of these are of any value if people aren’t paying attention to them.

Of all the products that government agencies develop, blogs are perhaps the most challenging. Keeping them fresh and interesting can be quite a task. Once we’ve got the thing going and get followers, we’ve got to continuously feed the beast with new content or we quickly lose our audience.

That’s why I was so thrilled recently when I saw so many government agencies listed as having “must-read” blogs in the technology realm.

Last week, FedTech magazine posted their picks for the 50 Must-Read Federal I.T. Blogs for 2014, and earlier this month its counterpart StateTech magazine posted the 50 Must-Read State and Local I.T. Blogs for 2014. While there are many non-government organizations, think tanks, and media outlets producing blogs in the government technology space, it was wonderful to see government agencies making the list.

Congratulations to the cities of Baltimore, Chicago, New York, and Seattle, and state agencies in California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nebraska, and North Carolina. On the federal side, congratulations go to the White House for both their Office of Science and Technology Policy and their Open Government blog, Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (which also had two blogs on the list, including FirstResponder.gov), the Department of Health and Human Resources (also with two blogs), General Services Administration (also with two blogs), Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the federal CIO Council.

Also, a shout-out goes to our friends in the National Association of Counties, and the National Association of State Chief Information Officers for also making the list.

Meet NAGC's Featured Member of the Month for December: Judy Pedersen

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 20:45:00 +0000

By JudyPedersen

“Find something you love to do and you'll never have to work a day in your life.” Those are the words of motivational speaker Harvey MacKay, and they ring true for me.

In my role as Public Information Officer for the Fairfax County Park Authority I work closely with the media, promote popular programs and environmental initiatives, ensure public access and participation in our planning efforts, and engage in event management on a regular basis. I have lots of fun and constant deadlines, but you won’t hear any complaints from me. Which is not to say that over the past 25 years of communications work in government there have not been moments that felt overwhelming and frustrating, or that there were not times when I wisely moved on to another position that was a better fit. In this field, you have to own it. Less than total commitment just doesn’t work.

I wake up and feel lucky that every day is different; new challenges, intriguing situations and multiple communications options. They key to success is to surround yourself with talented, dedicated people and stay open-minded as new technology, new issues and ever changing communications tools. Staying current can be challenging for those of us over 50, but ask yourself if you really need that additional platform and remember that the “old” ways are still effective.

My job is to distribute accurate information, tell a compelling story, and get the message to the right folks. Even after nearly three decades, it still feels right to me.

Five Reasons to Serve as a Blue Pencil and Gold Screen Competition Judge

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 16:09:00 +0000

By Chris O'Neil

Communications Director

We’ve all heard the phrase, “It’s good to be the king.” (Thank you Mel Brooks) But I’m here to tell you that it’s good to be the judge – well at least a judge.

That’s right, it’s good to be a judge, specifically, a judge for the National Association of Government Communicators’ Blue Pencil and Gold Screen Awards.

Ok, so there’s no crown jewels, court jesters, powdered wigs, black robes or cool gavels, but there still some good perks to serving as a judge for the annual competition that recognizes excellence in government communications in more than 40 categories (including the newest for Infographics).

What’s in it for me you may ask? Here are five solid perks:

1. Resume building creds. We all work. We all work hard. We all work hard at communicating about our agencies. Not every one gets the chance to work hard at evaluating competition submissions, providing insightful feedback and determining, sometimes by the narrowest of margins, who goes home with the plaque or trophy. Truth. Serving as a judge sets you apart from your contemporaries – it establishes you as a regarded subject matter expert with valuable experience from which others seek to learn.

2. Insight. Remember when you were learning to write news copy? What did your instructor or professor tell you? They told you to read, and then read some more. When you serve as a judge you read a lot of submissions, which gives you insight. You get to see what other teams are producing, how they are evaluating effort and success. You get to see how they addressed an issue, developed a strategy, set goals and implemented tactics. You get to see some good ideas. Chances are some of that is bound to rub off and maybe help you with an issue or project you’ve been struggling with.

3. Professional Development. Judges don’t get away with simply giving a numeric value. Our judges provide insightful remarks – they mentor folks who entered submissions. Serving as a judge is a great way to sharpen your saw as a mentor, and to reinvigorate your commitment to the professional development of the communicators you supervise.

4. Bling. If you attend the 2015 school, your name badge gets emblazoned with one of those wicked-cool ribbons that say you were a judge. Hang that with your other event credentials. Sweet.

5. Sense of Pride. Yeah, it’s pretty satisfying to know you had a hand in making someone else’s day, maybe even their career. You’re the one. Go you (cue Joy Zipper tune "One").

So there you have it, five solid reasons for becoming an NAGC Blue Pencil and Gold Screen Awards Competition judge. So what are you waiting for? Go to our website at http://www.nagconline.com/, download the judge’s application form, fill it out, and take your first step to greater professional fulfillment. It’s good to be a judge.

Being thankful for government communicators

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 20:26:00 +0000

Fellow communicators,

On Thanksgiving Day, I had a chance to reflect on my 33 years in government communications. It never fails to astound me just how broadly impactful our profession is to society.

All across the nation, and around the world, there are government communicators tirelessly working throughout the year to provide important information to the public. Webmasters ensuring that government websites are functioning to accept service applications from citizens. Speechwriters crafting the all-important words a public official needs to address a crisis. Graphic artists creating signage and promotional campaigns for safety initiatives. Media relations officers helping news reporters understand technical or complex issues and facilitating access to subject matter experts. Social media managers monitoring Twitter during a disaster and helping to direct emergency services to the areas that need them most. And I'm just scratching the surface.

There really is not an aspect of society that does not bear the mark of a government communicator. At all levels – federal, state, provincial, municipal, local, tribal – communication professionals are the shining light of government service.

Although too often unnoticed or unrecognized, what you do is vital and tremendously appreciated. So, on behalf of a grateful population, my fellow board members and I at the National Association of Government Communicators express our gratitude for your service and commitment

Revel in this day of thanks, and may you find much to be grateful for in your life.

John Verrico

President

National Association of Government Communicators

Good Communication … Good Government

Get in those Blue Pencil and Gold Screen Entries Soon

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 23:31:00 +0000

By Cheryl V. Chambers, Competitions Director

It really is “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!” That song is stuck in my head, and I could not agree more. What you may be thinking is, “Are you kidding? We haven’t yet celebrated Thanksgiving.”

Sorry to mislead you…it’s the time of year for entering the National Association of Government Communicators’ Blue Pencil and Gold Screen (BP&GS) competition. (That song really is stuck in my head, though.)

The awards competition is a terrific way to validate your work and compare it to what your peers are doing. Every entry receives written feedback from the judges who are fellow government communicators or subject matter experts in the award category.

Grant Kaiser, communication manager for Rocky View County in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and winner of last year’s Best in Show award, said, “[The awards program] helps bring credibility to the profession, and strengthens the case for the clear, open communication that I believe we all strive to provide citizens. For my own organization, winning a NAGC award has been terrific for staff morale. But most importantly, it has already helped me strengthen the idea that communicators belong at the table when decisions are made, and not just called in to ‘sell’ those decisions afterwards.”

In case you missed it, the National Association of Government Communicators hosted the Webinar, “How to Win a Blue Pencil and Gold Screen Award,” featuring former and current judges, and the multiple award-winning Fairfax (Va.) County Park Authority. The Webinar is archived on NAGC’s website (www.nagconline.org) and highlights the DOs and Don’ts of entering NAGC’s highly-acclaimed competition.

The deadline for early submissions (Dec. 12) is fast approaching. And don’t forget, it pays to enter early—who doesn’t love a discount for getting ahead of the game? That holds true for becoming a member as well! (more discounts if you join NAGC).

With more than 40 categories and the chance to compete for “Best in Show,” the BP&GS Awards Competition, is truly a winner. Check out the NAGC website or look for us on Facebook and LinkedIn for all the details and a chance to connect with other NAGC colleagues.

Grab a “Call for Entries,” make your list and check it twice! And with any luck, we’ll see you in next June in Memphis for “Blues, BBQs, and Government News.”

Congratulations to latest DINFOS PAQC graduates

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 03:16:00 +0000

Posted by John Verrico, NAGC President

I had the distinct pleasure to attend the graduation ceremony yesterday at the Defense Information School for the latest iteration of the Public Affairs Qualification Course, class 050-14. Those of you who have experienced DINFOS training know that it is the best of the best for public affairs, journalism, broadcasting, and related fields. Yesterday, 58 students from all branches of the military service and federal government agencies -- including three international students... from Nepal, Estonia, and Pakistan -- were recognized for their completion of the intensive program. In just 10 short weeks, they covered public affairs theory and doctrine, community relations, internal information, media relations, multimedia, communication skills, and public affairs operations, all culminating in a capstone operational exercise. It is described as a public affairs associates degree in 10-weeks.

By the way, DINFOS is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and this month's American Legion magazine features an article on its history and students. http://www.legion.org/magazine/224625/strength-through-truth

For this retired Navy Master Chief Journalist, it was great being back on the DIINFOS campus again, especially running into some old friends that I knew from my Navy days. But the real highlight for me was witnessing the graduation of my friend, mentee and fellow NAGC member Tamara Blount -- one of the first three Department of Homeland Security civilians to be admitted to DINFOS.
Congratulations to Tamara and all of her classmates

Newest European NAGC member describes challenge of Public vs. Political Communication

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 02:48:00 +0000

Posted by John Verrico, NAGC President

Meet one of NAGC’s newest members -- Eleonora Gavrielides, Director of the Press and Information Office for the Republic of Cyprus. I have had the pleasure of meeting this brilliant and extremely talented communication professional on several occasions. Below is an excerpt of an insightful article she wrote for the European Union’s professional government communication magazine, Convergences, about the unique and challenging relationships between civil servant public affairs professionals and the political staffs. You should note that her reference to “politicians” includes political appointees.

The entire article appears in Convergences 3. NAGC members may now access copies of all of the issues of Convergences under Resources in the Members-Only section of the NAGC website www.nagconline.org.

Public communication vs. political communication: The relationship between public communicators and politicians

by Eleonora Gavrielides

It is a fact that communicators in the public sphere have political bosses. In order to be useful to them and to that extent not become irrelevant, they need to cater to the politicians’ legitimate needs. If on the other hand, they cater only to the political needs and desires of their political masters, they run the risk of becoming irrelevant and possibly dangerous to the public, who are their real bosses and whom they are duty bound to serve.

Another obvious reality is that politicians are more interested in political rather than public communication. This centers around using the media to gain the public vote and to influence political decisions. This means there is a role for political communication in government operations. Some kind of civil service outfit is usually responsible for releasing information of various kinds to the media.

A good gauge for the success or failure of political communication in an environment with a great expansion of media and technology outlets is whether they deliver what they promise. Critics argue that if voters choose not to engage with the political process, this means that political communication has failed.

Public communication, on the other hand, is a duty of an administration towards the citizens of the country and, if it can be perceived to be politically neutral, can have credibility among the public.

…
How do public and political communication interlink?

We cannot discount that politicians have an interest in serving the public. Let us see how bona fide public communication as carried out by public communicators can serve the world of politics and politicians.

If the public communication has a beneficial effect on the lives of citizens the current government naturally and legitimately benefits from this
Public servants are more credible- some would say with good reason -than politicians. Therefore the messages disseminated by civil service departments tend to be more trusted by the public and these messages are generally messages that the government wishes to disseminate and are part and parcel of the policies it wants to implement.
Politicians are generally not public communication experts, however charismatic or talented they may be. Therefore it is worth it for them to rely on professionals whose job is to get the best possible results
Sometimes it is better tactics for politicians to allow the communication on difficult or controversial issues, or just difficult or technical issues, or parts of issues to the civil servants. This makes a useful buffer zone available in the sense that it provides a little distance for the politician or prepares the ground for greater involvement when things are clearer or more urgent or when the sh*t hits the fan, as the case may be
A good relationship between politicians and public communicators has the best chance of working for the benefit of the public and that in its turn serves both the politicians and the public administration both of which need the consent and the good will of the people to continue to function without serious problems

[This relationship] is not easy and it needs apart from mutual respect, trust and goodwill, constant adjustment and clear boundaries. Also it needs a clear understanding of each other’s function and how the one can complement the other. Thus, when all these ingredients exist, there can be a very beneficial relationship for both parties in it and most of all for the country itself.

Generally, politicians do not know much anything about the ins and outs of the civil service. Their personalities, their background, (educational and social) and their demographic characteristics naturally vary widely, but in the end it is not so much the type of person that makes a difference to the level of cooperation. It is more about both parties being genuinely wishing and striving to achieve the synthesis between the political goals and the public communication goals, understanding that the two are complementary.

What it boils down is that if politicians help public communicators to do their own work well, this will have a very positive impact on the success of their own work. And it helps if they can inspire civil servants with their vision.

This is not something that can be taken for granted, given that -fortunately- at least in most countries, civil servants do not change every time there is a change of government. The fact that they remain enhances the professionalism, independence and credibility of the civil service. It is this experience and professionalism that does not make it necessary that public communicators agree one hundred percent with their political bosses about the essence of their policies. They can still help the politicians with their communications, and in so doing, serve the country and the public.

I do not mean to paint too rosy a picture or to be unrealistic. There are difficulties. Not least because the world of politics is very often a brutal place with parameters that can change drastically without a moment’s notice, and politicians themselves suffer from that as do their associates.

In conclusion, politicians and public communicators may make “strange bedfellows” but they can help each other do their job and they have every reason to try to cooperate to that end. It is a fact that public communicators can provide their professional knowhow and the credibility they enjoy among the public due to their political neutrality and that, equally, politicians are in a position to influence the world of professional communicators through promoting legislation and through putting in place those conditions on the part of government that facilitate the work of the civil servants in general and public communicators in particular.

###

Eleonora Gavrielides, PhD, has been serving as the Director of the Cyprus Government communication service for the past five years, heading an organization of around 140 people responsible for the internal and international communications strategies of all levels of government in the Republic of Cyprus. She has been part of this organization since 1983.Educated in England at Exeter University and King's College University of London, she holds multiple degrees including a PhD in Philosophy, and a Masters in Public Sector Management from the prestigious business school, Cyprus International Institute of Management. She served as the Communications Director for the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2012. She is a member of the steering committee for the Club of Venice, the informal organization Communication Directors across the EU, and of the steering committee of Media and information Society for the Council of Europe. She speaks Greek, English, French, German, Turkish, and some Italian, writes poetry in English and Greek, and paints. Eleonora was born and lived until the age of 17 at the Cypriot town of Famagusta, which has been occupied by military troops and inaccessible to civilians since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. Like the majority of Cypriots of Greek or Turkish ethnic origin, she hopes for a solution of the long-standing political conflicts in Cyprus.

Commitment and professionalism will drive you everywhere

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 18:04:00 +0000

a special guest post by Vincenzo Le Voci, Secretary-General of the European Union's Club of Venice

On the special occasion of the kickstart of its 2014 Communication School, I wish the best of luck to all friends and colleagues of the National Association of US Government Communicators! This is not only an important step in your professional development, but a crucial opportunity to share and experience how you will be increasingly required to cope with the growing challenges in today’s information and communication world.

As Secretary-General of the Club of Venice, the informal network of the communications directors of EU Member States, EU institutions, and EU candidate countries and bodies, I want first to reflect on the immensity of the task facing civil servants in this role.

Let us first consider the profession, with its twin-track duty of loyalty towards the institutions and towards citizens. Across the ocean, the European Union is experiencing a very delicate phase in its history with decreasing support from its population; disappearance of the former generation of visionary politicians; a struggle to foster recovery from a devastating financial and economic crisis, and a rise of in nationalist resentment and demands for protectionism. In this atmosphere, investing in public communication is unlikely to be painless. The golden age of expectations fuelled by great hopes and flourishing economic trends has faded away. Communicators must now have the capability of explaining to citizens that times have changed and recovery can only be achieved through the efforts of everyone together.

Communication is at a crossroads. In the midst of this challenging environment, it is essential to dispel any vestige of the taint of propaganda. The European elections a couple of weeks ago again identified a deficit in the engagement of citizens, even though there were a few genuinely interactive public events. And yet again, many analysts have pointed out that communication was embeddedin the political debate too late.

In Europe, public service communication more than ever needs standards, both regulatory (public communication legislation, ethical framework) and professional (professional status, training, recruitment policy, profiles structure). Only a sustainable, comprehensive framework can guarantee the public communicator'srole of critical interface between the authorities and citizens. Communication professionals cannot be expected to deliver without structured involvement, the opportunity for effective analysis and evaluation, and the space to build concrete development plans.

Therefore, when focusing on government communication, we need to adopt a multi-faceted approach. We should look forward in several directions:

increasing the effectiveness of services for citizens;
optimising resources in public communication;
accepting the challenges of modern technology while not forgetting the needs of audiences unable to cope with the new media landscape;
seeking the improvement of a two-way communication;
and ensuring public authorities' engagement in the social media.

Nor must we forget the education dimension in communication; several Member States are ready to re-invest in the integration of educational services about the EU and cross-border cooperation.

The Club of Venice stays closely engaged in this exercise. We werefounded in November 1986 when communication directors from twelve EU Member States decided to reinforce their ties with greater exchanges of best practice, to build trans-national synergies for more effective communication strategies.

Venice, where it all started, is a metaphor for this work, a crossroads ofhistory, culture, and arts, always inclined to broaden horizons, share experiences, instill and export new cultural models; and all with a view to improving the living standards of its citizens and investing in growth.

Throughout the years, as effective communication has become a crucial activity for many governments, the Club family has expanded in tandem with successive waves of European integration. Today, it includes heads of government communication from 28 Member States, fivecandidate countries, the European Council, the Council of the EU, the European Parliament and EuropeanCommission, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Central Bank.

The draft agenda of the two plenary sessions organised every year by the Club has twostanding components: government and public communication projects and plans ontopics of trans-national interest; and communication on EU issues.

As the Club President Professor Stefano Rolando indicated, the Club does not meet to focus on constraints, uncertainties and diverging practices. These are clearly understood, and we explore them within the network between plenary meetings. We come but together to try to find a common approach to communicator’s profession,for the benefit of our governments and our citizens. This informal approach makes the difference,and facilitates constructive and inspiring dialogue.

The last plenary meeting of the Club took place in Riga, Latvia, on 5/6 June, immediately after the European Parliament elections which were marked by the clash of pro and anti European integration philosophies. We have good reason to talk about issues with singular technical and political influence, the latter particularly influenced by current democratic trends. This is why it is crucial for the Club of Venice to seek and consolidate synergies with other international organisations.

In this context, during the last decade the Club has established relations with a number of international bodies andheld joint meetings withthe Information network of EU Member States from the Baltic Area, as well as international conferences such as EuroPCom (organised by the Committee of the Regions), university meetings (Milano IULM, Lille Science Po) and SEECOM, the Association of Southern-Eastern Government Communicators which has operated since its inception in 2012 in Montenegro.

The SEECOM Declaration, signed in Budva in September 2012, and strongly endorsed by John Verrico on behalf of NAGC, contains key orientations with regard to inclusiveness, transparency and participation. These are also fully reflected in the Club's constitutional principles:

accountability, work for citizens, promotion of networking, dialogue and peer support for professional development of government communicators and advancement of government communication profession in general;
development of the top contemporary professional standards which are clearly possible through comprehensive training programmes to consolidate our profession (see for instance the respective, enormous investments planned by the UK and The Netherlands);
the search for new ways to strengthen communication between governments, including cross-border training opportunities;
and encouragement of citizen participation in government policy making, and public interest in government work.

The Club of Venice's twinning with SEECOM, which is continually strengthened, clearly indicates the right approach: sharing good values in outreach to citizens, and tabling new ideas to improve communication. The Club was invited to attend the 1st and 2nd SEECOM conferences held in Montenegro and we were proud to engage pro-actively within the respective programmes, by delivering speeches, making presentations and moderating panels. Collaboration has grown up with our great satisfaction and we are proud to have our Club Coordinator Mike Granatt as anHonorary Member of SEECOM. By the way, NAGC’s John Verrico is also an Honorary Member.

We look forward to continuing pooling forces in view of our two future important events: the 3rd SEECOM conference foreseen in Croatia in late September and the autumn meeting of the Club of Venice in Rome in mid-November.

Communication, dear Colleagues, remains a crucial component of every government’s duty. Thinking about the economic crisis that has hit in particular South-East Europe, communication has become ever more important. It is imperative for governments to be connected constantlywith their citizens in order to explain what is being done to overcome the present difficulties and foster recovery.

We need to be as informative and transparent as possible towards the public - and only a two-way partnership can help build trust between government and citizens. Hence, the most important role of communication professionals is to foster interaction with citizens, inform them objectively and encourage their engagement in policy-making. (This is, after all, the only way to ensure that policies fully reflect their needs and interests).

Let’s continue to work hard, reinforce know-how and competencies, increase focus on core issues, stay connected, improve internal communication and coordination and seek together excellence.

Quoting from Christian Spahr, Konrad Adenauer Foundation representative and one of the Steering Group members of SEECOM. He pointed out that forpolitical communication, "good resources and structures are required. But even more important is the professional attitude of PR managers in politics". And this applies to all of us.

-- Vincenzo Le Voci, 12 June 2014

Vincenzo Le Voci has worked on information policy, communication strategies and transparency issues since 2001 and is currently coordinating the agenda of the EU Council’s Working Party on Information (Members States’ press and information officers). In 2011 he was appointed Secretary-General of the Club of Venice, the network of the communication directors from EU member states, candidate countries and institutions. Before joining the EU in 1992, he worked for NATO as Housing Manager for the United States Air Forces in Europe (1985-1991).

This guest blog post is part of NAGC's continuing partnership with our international counterparts. NAGC is dedicated to bringing together and learning from the best minds in government communications around the globe.

Kerri Richardson named NAGC Communicator of the Year

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 01:46:00 +0000

The National Association of Government Communicators selected Kerri Richardson, Director of Communications at the Kentucky Governor’s Office, as the NAGC 2014 Communicator of the Year.

Richardson was selected for the award by a panel of NAGC judges for her ability to communicate Kentucky’s decision to expand Medicaid and launch their own, state-based Affordable Care Act Health Benefits Exchange – both highly complex and often contentious programs. The panel was impressed by Richardson’s ability to communicate the Kentucky experience across a broad spectrum of audiences – from local to national, including major media.

“NAGC is proud to honor the Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear’s Office Director of Communications Kerri Richardson,” said NAGC President Glen Thomas. “She is a communicator who combined subject matter expertise with the right communication tools to gain statewide support for Kentucky’s Affordable Care Act implementation, and elevate Kentucky’s approach as a national model for states to use in implementing the Affordable Care Act.”

The NAGC Communicator of the Year Award is given annually to a government communicator who has helped instill public trust by effectively presenting accurate, timely and meaningful information, sometimes under exceptional circumstances.

Richardson will receive her award during the NAGC’s 2014 Awards Banquet, scheduled for June 12, at the National Press Club, Washington DC. The Banquet coincides with the 2014 NAGC Communications School, scheduled for June 12-13, at the FHI 360 Conference Center, Washington DC.

Last chance to participate in the NAGC Trends and Salary Survey!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 23:06:00 +0000

How do your job responsibilities, pay and benefits compare with colleagues across the country?

NAGC’s Trends and Salary Survey will help you answer these questions and seeks to provide an overview of government communications professions in 2014.

Your participation in this online survey will provide critical data that will allow you to gauge and benchmark your professional and career status with your colleagues across the nation.

We estimate it will take about 15 minutes to complete the survey. Please set aside 15 minutes at your earliest convenience and weigh in on the challenging issues facing federal, state and local government communicators today.

The survey deadline has been extended to March 7, 2014. Know a government communicator? Pass the survey link on to them!

Click here to take the survey or go to

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NAGC2014SalaryAndTrends.

2014 Communications School Call for Speakers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 22:09:00 +0000

NAGC announces its “Call for Speakers” for the 2014 Communications School, Government Communicators: Harnessing the Power to Inform and Engage Citizens, in Washington, DC June 12-13, 2014 (pre-conference session on June 11). We are looking for half-day pre-conference training workshops, plenary speakers and 60-minute breakout session presentations.

Topic areas of interest:

Internal Communications within Agencies

The Move toward E-Government

Measuring ROI in Social Media Communications

Engaging the Public for Volunteer Service

Establishing a Social Media Toolkit

Managing Up to Engage Leadership

Plain Language

Strategic Communications

Communicating on Sensitive Topics

Contingency Plans & Preparing for Disaster

Emerging Technologies

508 Compliance

In-House Photography & Video Production

Advances in Social Media

And more...

If you have any questions feel free to contact us at info@nagconline.org.

Know a great speaker? If you have heard a great speaker on one or more of these topic areas of interest let us know at info@nagconline.org. Please try and provide as much contact information as possible with your speaker recommendation.

Communicating Europe through the inter-agency approach:

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 23:26:00 +0000

How to navigate the swamps and paradoxes

a special guest post by Vincenzo Le Voci, Secretary-General of the European Union's Club of Venice

Europe’s great project was founded in the aftermath of two global conflicts to achieve one great ambition: a better Europe, enshrined with democratic rights and values to be enjoyed by every one of its citizens. To the surprise of nobody, it has proven to be a long process. It has required clear views, much good will and common sense, clever and experienced diplomacy, and the collective effort of very able and forward-looking statesmen.

Nor has it been easy. It has taken nearly three generations to grow from a group of six countries, struggling to shrug off the aftermath of horrible war, to a family of 28 Member States committed to consolidate friendship and cooperation. Each has its own peculiarities, culture, history and national pride. And each of them has a strong, individual role in delivering this extraordinary partnership which transcends old resentments, jealousies, and misunderstandings.

Europe’s great achievement is rightly described as “unity in diversity.”

Nevertheless, on the eve of a crucial moment - the European Parliamentary elections in May 2014 - Europe is enmeshed in a framework of paradoxes:

Europe hesitates to instil democratic values when consolidating solidarity and cohesion within its borders; it promotes them loudly outside EU borders; whilst looking on as people protest and die for those same European values in countries like Ukraine
Europe fosters sustainable recovery whilst national governments fail to sustain internal coalitions (even those with strong majorities)

In the field of communication,

Despite the imperative to communicate using local methods and values, Europe struggles to promote this approach and hesitates to decentralise communication management and planning
Europe wants to invest in innovative interactive tools, but often penalises the most effective traditional media methods - and overlooks important sectors of the audience
EU institutions fight to enhance and reinforce work in partnership, whilst behind the scenes they dismantle the most effective partnership models without any explanation and despite positive evaluations
Worst of all, Europe wants its public communicators to find common targets and speak to citizens about common growth and social welfare. However, nothing stems the “blame game” – in every country, the great enemy to national progress is Eurocrats and bureaucracy, but any credit for a welcome new law goes to national negotiators. There is never acknowledgement of the EU’s capacity to facilitate dialogue and negotiation.

There are other examples of this schizophrenic approach. Europe's founding fathers - generations of men of cultural talent like Albert Camus who fought for Europe's ideals - would turn in their grave. (Camus said: “The European civilization is first and foremost a pluralistic civilization. I want to say that it is the diversity of ideals, of opposites, contrasting values and dialectic without synthesis. The dialectic of living in Europe is the one that does not lead to a kind of ideology at the same time totalitarian and orthodox.")

How can public communicators survive in this maëlström? It is difficult to describe how difficult it can be to seek synergies, to speak coherently to citizens in an atmosphere of global crisis, or how difficult it can be to convey clear messages from the political establishment to citizens.

Is it realistic to speak about an “inter-agency” formula for public communication in Europe? Is it conceivable to describe elaborate strategies for passing messages from national to regional to local level and the other way around? Is it possible to believe that while politicians in the grand European coalition don't talk to each other, public communicators can find a way to talk, to trust each other and share best practice, and maybe try to build trans-national projects?

Actually, everything can happen, provided that we can capitalize from successful examples, safeguard know-how and grant and treasure continuity. There is always a way to design communication localised to meet citizens’ expectations (“what’s in it for me?”) and to respect our wide variety of languages, and cultures. We must fight the prejudicial stereotype that everything bad flows from the centre of Europe, and all good comes from local governments.

Finding synergies in our "old continent" to "go local" with one voice remains the biggest challenge, not least because global crisis tends to drive us apart. Nevertheless, while this remains a situation that will not be improved easily or soon, it is of great note that several governments and EU institutions have developed a culture of inter-agency cooperation. They include the “Be relevant” approach in the Dutch government, the “MindLab” inter-ministerial platform set up in Denmark, the coordination put in place within the UK Government Communication services, the newly established German Ministry of Digital Infrastructure. These are just a few concrete examples of a determination to connect key elements of ministries and agencies. The ultimate goal remains to reach out to citizens, optimize public services and gain citizens’ trust. We need to use every platform available for broad and pro-active consultation, and strive to give everyone pride in playing an important part in the process.

It is obvious that connections among national, regional and local authorities; and between them and civil society (all non governmental organisations); and between them and EU institutions and bodies and international organizations are crucial. But making these connections must be guided by a vision. A clear understanding of the mission, its values and objectives, allows well-motivated communicators to act with professionalism. This is why today’s efforts to invest in and promote communication training ethics and transparency will pay off in Europe and elsewhere.

In his Politics and the English Language, George Orwell highlighted that political communication can be “designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” This danger remains; and so we should remain vigilant, while building a safer and better future. We must continue to learn from history, drawing on solid social-cultural roots and good principles.

It is was no accident that Altiero Spinelli, one of the founding fathers of Europe, believed that European integration needed to draw inspiration from the founding principles of the Constitution of the United States of America.

The case for conferences -- your professional development

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 13:11:00 +0000

If you are a Government employee, chances are you’re a bit frustrated by recent restrictions on travel and attendance at conferences, workshops and other professional development opportunities. No one argues the fact that spending needs to be constrained, but the easy-button, low-hanging fruit model of reductions is short sighted and damaging to a staff’s proficiency.

Across the board funding cuts and constraints on the types of events you can attend (much less have your organization pay for) have a chilling effect on professional development. In the field of communications, it is a particularly hard as most communication shops are small and the ability to conduct quality, in-house training generally pales in comparison to what is offered externally. Requests for outside training tend to fall upon the deaf ears of the folks who often don’t understand our career field or who can’t understand the need to appropriately fund and resource our staffs when there are so many ‘essential’ elements competing for scarce dollars.

Thanks to several scandalous adventures, conferences conjure images of frivolous and wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars. This is a shame, because the vast majority of events attended by government employees demonstrate the commitment to excellence and continuous improvement that are the hallmarks of the majority of those in government service.

As communicators, we know that deeds must align with words. So, if we’re not allowed to attend professional development events, how can we demonstrate their intrinsic value?

Recently, ASAE submitted testimony to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee as part of the hearing titled “Examining Conference and Travel Spending Across the Federal Government.” ASAE’s testimonyhighlights the importance of training at conferences and other educational events for government employees. ASAE thanks the association community for the great response they received from their call for comments.

If you are still interested in submitting comments on the value of meetings, the deadline is January 29. Comments can be submitted to laura_kilbride@hsgac.senate.gov. Stories from associations around the country regarding the impediments to government attendance at conferences can be found on the Power of A Face-to-Face Meetings section of the website.

Survey: The state of digital communications in government

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 02:16:00 +0000

Dear Communicators,

Do you use digital media as a communications tool for internal or external audiences?

If so, your participation in a survey on how government departments and agencies, throughout North America, are using digital communications.

The National Association of Government Communicators, FedInsider, and Adobe have partnered to conduct this survey, which will explore use, measurement, and perceptions of various types of digital communication in use by North American public sector professionals to reach citizens, stakeholders, and staff.

Your perspective is important, and we hope you’ll spend a few moments sharing your opinion on the state of digital communications in government. The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete.

To participate in the survey click here or visit https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=o5PBpg3DFdAAfRRtvkfgUA#.

The results of this survey will provide insight on how government communicators across North America are currently using digital communications and how those practices are projected to change in the future.

These results will be delivered at a complimentary webinar in February 2014 as well as published at www.nagconline.org and www.fedinsider.com.

Thank you very much for your insight,

- NAGC, FedInsider, and Adobe