What does the Communications Office do and where do you fit into the work?
If you’ve ever received an email, Teams message or phone call from Communications (aka: Amy Kenney) asking for information, sometimes with a pretty quick turnaround, you may have wondered what happens next.
Or perhaps you’ve wondered why Communications might ask you to speak with a reporter instead of simply answering the questions for you.
The answer to both is simple: good communication is a team effort.
Every day, City employees are doing work that matters to our residents: solving problems, answering questions, managing projects, providing services and making decisions that keep Ellsworth moving. The Communications Office helps connect our community with that work through the City’s website, social media, press releases, media relations, Medium stories, public information, internal communications and more.
But the Communications Office can’t (and shouldn’t) do that work alone.
The people closest to the work are the most credible voices to explain it. Communications can help prepare the message, translate technical information into plain language, develop talking points, coordinate with reporters, and make sure our subject-matter experts feel prepared, but the expertise comes from you.
That’s why we’ve created two new resources for Team Ellsworth:
- A letter from Amy
- Working Together to Tell Ellsworth’s Story: A Guide to How the Communications Office Supports Team Ellsworth.
Read the letter first :-)
The Guide explains what the Communications Office does, what happens when the media calls, why you may occasionally receive a time-sensitive request from Amy, how she’ll help if you’re asked to participate in an interview, and what she needs from you to help us respond accurately and on time. It also introduces a simple green, yellow and red system to help quickly understand the urgency of a request.
Most importantly, these documents aren’t about creating more rules. They’re about helping us work together so our residents receive accurate information from the people who know it best.
Please take a few minutes to read these documents below.
Wonder what the Comms team does _ letter from Amy
A guide to how the Communications Office supports Team Ellsworth
And this quick guide was sent to all managers earlier in August:
When Media Contacts the City: A Quick Guide for City Staff
When Media Contacts the City _ A Quick Guide for City Staff
Remember: if your department has completed a project, reached a milestone, welcomed someone new, received a grant, hosted an event, or simply has something our community should know about, tell Amy! Some of our best stories start with someone saying, “Hey Amy…have you heard about this?”
Communications is a team sport. Thank you for helping tell Ellsworth’s story with accuracy, professionalism and heart.
