taking a helicopter ride ... the philosophy behind comms2point0
there are some days when a communications or press office can resemble the set of Saving Private Ryan. ok, that’s a really silly analogy but anyone working in those environments will know that the mental demands placed upon these teams can be significant. a typical day in the office can and does frequently look something like this…
9am meeting with Regeneration about developing a new marketing plan to make the town centre a more attractive destination for shoppers and investors
you then have a long-standing 10am meeting with the people from Libraries who want to talk to you about social media
11am – you need to pop and see the designers to see how that job you briefed in last week is going
you have a report to write on media protocols – you only found out yesterday and the deadline is 5pm today - so you have cleared some time in your diary to do that through lunch
you’ve also had an email from Finance – it turns out that you need to complete a budget template by the end of the week regarding the end of year forecasts
3pm and 4pm - you have two meetings in the afternoon – one with a service asking for help with an issue which is going to be big news with the local media, the other to look at how to support this year’s fostering targets
busy, but not ridiculous. but you also then need to throw into the mix 40-50 emails a day, visits from Cabinet member and colleagues asking advice. oh, and sales calls (it’s amazing how many of those you still receive) so you have a plan for the day and all is well…
but then just before the 9am meeting you get the call - can you go and see the chief executive? this could be a useful heads-up on something coming down the track. it could also be something big which knocks your plans for the day above into the proverbial cocked-hat. and as the day goes on any other number of issues and distractions come along to try to knock you off the beam.
this isn’t a whinge or a complaint – far from it. but it does build a picture of a typical day. it’s busy, it’s sometimes hard, and often the things we manage are hugely sensitive.
so what does any of this have to do with being in a helicopter?
being in a helicopter is about making sure that you rise up above the day-to-day goings-on and take a wider look at what is important, where your priorities really are, what genuine opportunities exist.
to do that you sometimes need to step away from the detail of your day .. and maybe reach out for some help.
maybe even by being a part of an online community resource just like this one.
we're working to build a network of comms people who want to support and share good stuff with other comms people. we have some way to go but we'd really like you to be a part of it.
why not start by a visit to the join in the chat forum.
we’re all in the same boat, more or less, so don’t be afraid to ask for help, share a problem, suggest an idea or a solution. being in a helicopter can also be more fundamental, strategic and involved. it’s about taking a step back. a step outside of that organised chaos which is present in the office most days.
there goes the phone again…
