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📘 In Moments of Tragedy, Communicators Must Be Anchors of Truth
Read more: 📘 In Moments of Tragedy, Communicators Must Be Anchors of TruthI’ve thought long and hard about whether to publish this reflection. The murder of Charlie Kirk was a horrific tragedy, and my first instinct was simply to reflect quietly. But after several days of reflection, I believe there is value for communicators in considering the role we play during moments like this. My intent is […]
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📘 Servant Leadership as a Public Information Officer: Leading Through Service, Not Command
Read more: 📘 Servant Leadership as a Public Information Officer: Leading Through Service, Not CommandI’ve been seeing a number of articles and conversations lately about servant leadership versus command leadership. That got me thinking: what does servant leadership look like in the world of communications? After doing some reading and some critical thinking, I realized that the principles of servant leadership fit naturally with the role of the public […]
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📘 Prepare for the 5%: How PIOs Can Use National Preparedness Month to Sharpen Crisis Readiness
Read more: 📘 Prepare for the 5%: How PIOs Can Use National Preparedness Month to Sharpen Crisis ReadinessSeptember is National Preparedness Month, a reminder that readiness is not just for the public, first responders, emergency managers, or frontline staff. It’s just as critical for communicators. Public Information Officers (PIOs) play a vital role in every incident response, ensuring the right messages reach the right people at the right time. Yet, too often, […]
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📘 When Words Aren’t Enough: Communicating Through a School Shooting
Read more: 📘 When Words Aren’t Enough: Communicating Through a School ShootingI wasn’t going to write about this week’s school shooting — mostly because, as a dad of a four-year-old in pre-K, I didn’t know what to say. The thought of reflecting on it more deeply makes me sad, sick, angry, and overwhelmed with emotions. But I spoke with my mom after the shooting, and she […]
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📘 Good to Great: What Separates a Communicator from a Strategic Communicator
Read more: 📘 Good to Great: What Separates a Communicator from a Strategic CommunicatorWhether in corrections, emergency management, health care or local government, being a communicator means having the skills to share information. But being a strategic communicator means knowing how to lead with it. That distinction matters — especially in high-stakes environments where public trust, safety and credibility are on the line. As someone who has led […]
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📘 ADA Compliance for PIOs: Why Accessibility Should Be a Core Communication Strategy
Read more: 📘 ADA Compliance for PIOs: Why Accessibility Should Be a Core Communication StrategyAs public information officers (PIOs), we’re in the business of communicating clearly, accurately, and inclusively. But how often do we consider whether our materials are truly accessible to everyone? ADA compliance—referring to the Americans with Disabilities Act—isn’t just a legal box to check. It’s a professional standard and an ethical responsibility. For government agencies, public […]
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📘 Announcing Deaths: Why Respecting Families Should Come Before Public Timelines
Read more: 📘 Announcing Deaths: Why Respecting Families Should Come Before Public TimelinesIn the world of public information and crisis communications, timing matters. But sometimes, decency matters more. Whether it’s a homicide, fatal crash, overdose, or other tragic circumstance, the death of a community member triggers a familiar process: agencies prepare a news release, social media post, or media statement. And often, just hours (in some cases […]
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📘 When the Fake Feels Real: What the Coldplay Kisscam Statement Hoax Teaches Us About Crisis Communication
Read more: 📘 When the Fake Feels Real: What the Coldplay Kisscam Statement Hoax Teaches Us About Crisis CommunicationSometimes the most revealing crisis isn’t the one that actually happens—it’s the one people believe happened. That’s exactly what unfolded online after a video went viral from a recent Coldplay concert, showing a man romantically embracing a woman who was reportedly not his wife. Social media quickly identified the man as a wealthy CEO and […]
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📘 Answer the Call: Why Being Responsive to the Media Still Matters
Read more: 📘 Answer the Call: Why Being Responsive to the Media Still MattersIn public information, credibility is currency—and few things erode it faster than silence. Whether you work for a state agency, a municipality, a corrections facility, or a healthcare system, you’ve likely been on the receiving end of a media request that came at the wrong time: mid-crisis, short-staffed, or as you were walking into another […]
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📘 Is “Zero Tolerance” Messaging Still Effective? Rethinking the Tone of Public Safety Communications
Read more: 📘 Is “Zero Tolerance” Messaging Still Effective? Rethinking the Tone of Public Safety CommunicationsAuthor’s Note:Over the Fourth of July weekend, I kept hearing the phrase “zero tolerance” over and over again—on the radio, in news stories, on social media: “State Police will have zero tolerance for impaired driving.”“Marine Patrol has zero tolerance for boating under the influence.” It got me thinking—not about whether impaired driving is dangerous (it […]
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📘 When Tragedy Strikes: Why Preparedness Messaging After a Crisis Isn’t Opportunistic—It’s Necessary
Read more: 📘 When Tragedy Strikes: Why Preparedness Messaging After a Crisis Isn’t Opportunistic—It’s NecessaryLike so many of you, my heart is with the people of Texas this week.In the wake of this most recent tragedy—one that has shaken families, first responders, entire communities, and the public safety professionals who must carry its weight—there’s a national pause. A breath held. A sense of sorrow, solidarity, and reflection. As public […]
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📘 Message Mapping 101: How FEMA’s Messaging Framework Simplifies Crisis Communication
Read more: 📘 Message Mapping 101: How FEMA’s Messaging Framework Simplifies Crisis CommunicationIn the chaos of a crisis, your message needs to be sharp, clear, and calm—especially when the pressure is rising and time is short. Whether you’re preparing a press conference, a news release, social media updates, or a speech, having a structured message framework can mean the difference between clarity and confusion. That’s where the […]
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📘 Leading with Empathy: The Most Powerful Statement You Can Make in a Controversial Crisis
Read more: 📘 Leading with Empathy: The Most Powerful Statement You Can Make in a Controversial CrisisWhen controversy strikes—whether it’s a high-profile misconduct case, a tragic incident, or a hot-button issue that divides public opinion—how your organization responds defines more than your reputation. It defines your humanity. In moments like these, empathy isn’t weakness—it’s strength. It is the foundation on which trust, credibility, and meaningful resolution are built. Why Empathy Matters […]
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📘 Why Leaders Can’t—and Shouldn’t—Do It All: The Value of a Trained PIO
Read more: 📘 Why Leaders Can’t—and Shouldn’t—Do It All: The Value of a Trained PIOLeadership comes with enormous responsibility—and in today’s always-on, media-saturated environment, how you communicate is just as important as what you do. Yet many organizations, particularly small agencies or departments, still assume that the leader alone can carry the entire communications burden. Spoiler alert: they can’t. More importantly: they shouldn’t. No matter the size of the […]
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📘 Press Release or News Release? Why the Words We Use Matter
Read more: 📘 Press Release or News Release? Why the Words We Use MatterIn public information work, precision matters. The facts we share, the way we say them, and even the labels we use on official materials help shape how our message is received. And one of the most common—and overlooked—examples of this is the difference between a press release and a news release. While the terms are […]
