Effective and harmonious team working. That has to be a goal for any team. But how do you get there, what are the key steps? Well knowing your colleagues’ triggers and traits is a good place to start and a big advantage.
by Lindsay Narey
Read morewhat I have learned from being a head of communications for two years
Leading a team can be tough, lonely and thankless. It can also remind you why you got into the profession in the first place. This very honest review of two years spent as a head of communicates will resonate with many.
By GUEST EDITOR Emma Rodgers
Read morethe route to a perfect storm
Every so often a story surprises with how it takes off, goes viral or creates a spike in web traffic. Sometimes there is a good reason – it’s a great tale, a good human interest story or carries an amazing image. But a perfect storm is something else altogether.
by Mark Allen
Read moreworking nine to five? that’s no way to make a living
With over 4 million workers in the UK now working from home, and a huge spike in the demand for innovative new work space away from the conventional office environments causing a ‘space race', the pattern and location of the working day has changed for many. But still there are seemingly many organisations only paying lip service to flexible working and child care.
By Kelly Harrison
Read morewhat are the lessons from communicating during floods?
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, jack frost nipping at your toes... or in the case of many comms people it was communicating some of the worst flooding for a generation. What were the lessons learned?
by Andrew Daniels
Read moresurviving and thriving: how managing stress can make you a better, happier communicator
From time to time it really is necessary to take some time out to concentrate on you. It's easier not to, and most of us don't, but it will catch up with you in the long run and trip you up if you're not careful. An all new workshop aims to help you manage stress, change and work pressures effectively to ensure that you can deliver your creative best and not go home from work unhappy after troubles, tears and toil.
By Carole Appleby
Read morehandling complaints on social media
Complaints are nothing new - they have come in many forms over the years, thick and fast. Some serious, some laughable and some that fall somewhere in between but could cause serious long term harm. This post offers some valuable advice on handling complaints on social media.
by Christine Townsend
Read morelet's. get. smarter.
Effective, slick and joined-up working across the public sector. Of course it makes sense, but the reality of pulling it off well can be harder than it looks. Here’s a rallying cry for getting better and smarter at it.
by Nicola Bonas
Read morelessons from leeds – the six traits of an unawards winner
The city of Leeds is a cradle of learning with an established reputation as one of the leading university cities in the UK. So it was a perfect location to kick off the first of our UnAwards Winners Masterclasses.
By Darren Caveney
Read morehow a simple short video won hearts, minds and votes
Encouraging voter registrations can be a tough gig. But with creativity and planning nailed, one local council managed to pull it off…
By DanielCattanach
Read moreremember print deadlines?
Remember print deadlines? They were those immovable feasts that dictated the best time to send out a press release. They were subject to a number of variables; did you want your press release to make the front page, was it more of an ‘inside’ piece, or were you trying to meet the personal deadline of a ‘favourite’ contact who wanted to be out at the pub by noon every day?
By Gill Gwatkin
Read moreless for murder
There’s much to learn from creative agencies for in-house comms people. Working through the tough times, the tiffs and the pressures of business and still delivering outstanding work takes some doing. Here’s some insight from one of the best agencies around as they celebrate 25-years together.
by comms2point0 panel writer Rich Elwell.
Read morefrom enragement to engagement - dealing with a spoof site on your patch
When your organisation is on the receiving end of a bit of satire there’s a temptation to take the whole thing very seriously. This post emphasises the importance, and benefits, of having a sense of humour.
By Adam Keating and Michael Sargood
Read morestop it
Sometimes it’s actually quite useful to have a good old fashioned rant. Get it out, move on - it might just make you feel better about your lot. This new post is a rant at some of the less than perfect social media behaviours we’re seeing right now.
By Dave Musson
Read moresurvival skills workshop: supporting you in the year ahead
Cuts, restructures, organisational change. Our working worlds have never been more full of challenge and change. You’re resilient, you get by. But are you properly supported through these tough times? Possibly not. An all-new workshop aims to change all that.
Read morecommunicating elections: key lessons from lgiu coverage
Local elections season is just around the corner so if you work in local government your mind will be turning to them any time now. This new post identifies some top tips to create greater understanding of, and engagement in, local elections.
Read moreyou gotta fight….for the right – to write content
Everyone wants their website to look great, right? But we often see organisations forget about the content. Not so at one local authority which has invested in improving the content it shares with its customers.
Read morehousing magazines – do they have a future?
how to deal with negative or inappropriate comments on social media
Someone online has said something critical. How do you respond? Here are some ideas.
by Emily Taylor
Read morewhat the wedding present has taught me
We can all easily get distracted. Emails. The phone. Twitter. But how can we stop flitting and focus?
Read more