Why did you choose to pursue a role in communications? For example, has it always been your passion or was it pure happenstance?
I developed a love of books and writing really early on in childhood and, by the latter years of secondary school, had a real passion for English. By school year 10 I added media studies to my chosen subjects and my interest in the field continued to grow from there. This led to me studying English language, media studies and photography at A level and then a degree in journalism. In between I enhanced this learning with a variety of voluntary jobs and work experience, ranging from writing football columns to working on local weekly and daily newspapers writing news stories.
However, it was really only during a module within my journalism degree on public relations which opened my eyes to another potential avenue and I began to provide wider communications support voluntarily to local organisations. At this point I began to see the value in communicating from another perspective, working on behalf of others with a personal challenge of conveying their messages successfully, providing guidance and advice, building relationships and networks – all while keeping my hand in with the media given its role as the part of communications that had initially grabbed my attention.
What personal skills or attributes do you think are most important in the communications sphere? Why these skills/attributes in particular?
There are a multitude and I think the communications profession is full of diverse individuals who can often all bring something different to the table. My personal view is that one of the best attributes you can offer is to be confident and have self-belief. It can be difficult for communications professionals when advice, guidance or decision-making is challenged or not well received. The key is to be thorough, to plan for all eventualities, to be confident, to accept constructive criticism but to also be resolute in stating a case – otherwise the advisory role of communications professionals is easily undermined.
From a personal skills perspective, although my roles in communications have broadened over the years, I will always retain my love of news gathering, news writing and media strategy. It is hard to put a precise definition on how I have operated as an individual in this field, but I have always had great pride in my ability to find the news angles others might not and am proud to have brought many significant stories into the public domain, built and sustained reputations and delivered in some of the most challenging circumstances. This has delivered many notable results for the individuals and organisations I’ve worked for and with, including improving people’s lives and access to treatment, changing attitudes and behaviours, influencing government policy and forming debates in both the House of Commons and House of Lords to make change.
I also feel very strongly about commitment and dedication to the cause. As a communications professional, both the individual and organisation only get out what you put into it and are prepared to fight for.
My desire to push on was clear from the volume of voluntary work I carried out while studying and I have maintained that focus and love for communications. For me that is what makes the difference between the levels I am able to reach, viewing my career as a life passion rather than a job.
What sort of challenges do you face in your role? Is there a particular challenge that you experienced in the past that stood out?
Every day is a challenge of a different kind, particularly in large and complex organisations such as health trusts - but, in a strange way, that adds to the appeal of the industry. I am acutely aware no job is without its challenges but one of the major ones for communications teams – especially in-house – is the vast amount of conflicting priorities and the demands placed on relatively small departments. The job is never done – it could no doubt be rolling 24/7 – so it is extremely important that departments share their successes, reflect on good practice and look after each other to keep morale and determination up so they are ready to ‘go again’ the next day and every day after that.
It is still not unfamiliar to see communications specialists across the board being involved in projects as an afterthought and not an intrinsic part of the process. Given the pressure placed on communications teams, it makes it even more important the volume of ad-hoc or late request for guidance and expertise is kept to a minimum in order to allow departments to exercise their talents and leadership at an early stage, thus taking the strain off of others and empowering communications professionals by enabling more control over their workloads.
What one thing would make your working life easier?
I never really stop thinking about my work and looking to do more. On the one hand I enjoy completing tasks and making progress, but I’m also keen to try to switch off at times and recharge. It’s still a work in progress but I can certainly feel the benefits when I’ve had some downtime.
How is the role of communications perceived in your organisation?
I think for any in-house communications department as part of a vast organisation, whether that be in healthcare or elsewhere, perception can vary day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month. To some extent communications will always have its battles given its vulnerability as an opinion-based profession. However, when things work out it is an amazing feeling and the pandemic has certainly brought many organisations closer with their communications departments.
I also think communications can sometimes suffer from the conflation of the profession and general communication between people. A communications department doesn’t exist to enable people to take leave of their communications responsibility but is there to aid and enhance the experience both internally and externally.
A communications department will never be a fix all, but given the opportunity to express its vision then a communications department can play a vital role in steering an organisation in the right direction and creating the best possible environment.
In my experience I am fortunate to have worked with and for many individuals and teams who have really understood the value of communications – and media in particular – and it is in those circumstances you can effect real change. Within South Central Ambulance Service, who I have supported over the past year, there is a positive attitude towards communications and a unity between communications professionals and staff of all levels. The organisation, particularly over the course of the pandemic, has seen the value of a professional communications service.
What do you think the secret of success is when working in communications?
I am a firm believer in having the right people – whether it be you yourself or your colleagues – to unlock the secret of success…but it is no simple recipe.
While some people may stumble into communications – as people do in many lines of work – there are many out there who have carefully carved out a career and it is that hard work which develops them into special talents who can really add value to an organisation. When I say the right people I mean a combination of skills – among them intuition, foresight, commitment, dedication, hunger, ability, respect, conviction, confidence – which come together to put you on the right path.
I am fortunate to know and have worked with, or been tutored by, some absolutely fantastic communications and media professionals and they have each added something to my repertoire.
At React & Share, we’re obsessed with helping our clients measure and report their efforts - what measurements do you think comms teams should be presenting to internal stakeholders?
To some extent it depends on the needs and desires of the organisation you represent, especially when it comes to the level of detail. However, I do believe measurement and evaluation to be a critical tool on a basic level organisation-wide. I think many communications departments can still struggle somewhat with the balance between workload and evaluation, often opting or feeling the need (understandably so in many cases) to ‘motor on’ without collating and evidencing the work undertaken.
This is dangerous for a variety of reasons. Failing to adequately measure and evaluate reduces the ability to demonstrate achievements and convey workload, leaves people less informed and less able to make a fair judgement on the services being provided, means limited evidence to celebrate among the department to maintain morale, leaves departments unable to compare and contrast to previous activity and means you may miss important trends or opportunities.
Now more than ever with increasing demands being placed on communications teams everywhere – and particularly within healthcare – it is a responsibility of all communications professionals to regularly review and report on activity and to move away from the conventional methods of reporting back to small numbers of individuals or to management only. As communications platforms grow and increase, so does everyone’s interest. Never has there been a better time to engage staff in communications activity and evaluation should be made as accessible as possible for all.
Looking into your crystal ball, what do you think will be the next big thing in communications?
The growth of social media has brought with it so many advantages in terms of reach and two-way communication, yet it has also highlighted the pitfalls of open platforms and the consequences of misinformation. Social channels have become saturated with opinion and views which can be great for debate but can also lead to a race for attention – ultimately affecting style and approach. Given the infamous utilisation of social media by Donald Trump pre and post-US election, over Britain’s EU referendum and throughout the pandemic, it paves the way for traditional media to be re-energised and reinvigorated and we have and will continue to see the role of the media become vital in managing the balance between public opinion, social media, censorship and expert opinion. So while it will no doubt split opinion, I personally see the regulated media – in particular newspapers/newspaper sites – being revived as result of the free-for-all as people search for the best way to seek the broader picture.
From a reputation point of view, I still don’t think you can beat the endorsement of an outlet being interested in your work and wanting to share that on a local, regional, national or international stage. That endorsement, in light of the continued growth of social media, is more valuable than ever.
