You're starting a new job in strategic communications. What are the best ways to stay organized?

I love this part and it comes naturally to me. Strategic communications helps any business establish and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, it builds trust in the workplace, and promotes transparency and accountability. Not just that it also helps internal communication advantageously. I would first create a detailed strategic vision & communicate it internally in an all hands meet. Align the different departments of what our ultimate purpose is. It will give me an the opportunity to answer questions and get initial feedback from the collective group and get their buy in. I will explain WHY we are going a particular exercise, the urgency behind it, how it will benefit each department.

Getting a firm grip on the overall business strategy and objective will set you on the right course. For your purposes, you will need to know also when these are set to change or likely will be reviewed. The more you know about the specific targets, and how communications can help achieve them, the better. There will be KPI‘s that the business will use to track and monitor success and forging your own strategic communications KPI‘s will ideally produce corresponding KPIs with regards to quantifiable indicators that fold into these topics. Strategic decisions for markets, brands, customer groups, etc. will not be explicit in the strategic outlines of the company. You will, however, need to add these to your set of communications objectives.

Before diving into the daily tasks, take a step back. Understand the overall communication goals and objectives of your organization or department. Once you grasp the big picture, identify your individual priorities. What projects or tasks are most critical to achieving those goals? Choose the Right Systems and Tools: Project Management Tools: Utilize project management platforms like Asana, Trello, or Monday.com. These tools help you visualize projects, assign tasks, track deadlines, and collaborate with team members. Communication Channels: Streamline communication by identifying the best channels for different purposes. Use email for formal communication, Slack for quick updates, or project management tools for ongoing discussions.

My colleagues have already said lots; I'll add what works for me particularly. - Set clear goals and priorities: these stem from the role, client and your organization's priorities. - Maintain a detailed calendar - mine is always digital, synced across devices, one for work, one for personal life; my husband sees both - and I see his. This helps us with the daily juggle. - Regularly review and adjust your goals, priorities, and progress - and praise yourself and team for wins, big or small! - Delegate tasks!!! It's a skill to learn, but it will helo you manage your workload and empower team members.

The role of strategic communicator is key in communicating Organization's policy and its vision and channelizing desired feedback. In my experience, first step is awareness of the environment around you both inward and outward. This will then lead to identification of key concepts, audience analysis, goal setting, and message strategy.

Sometimes, the most common tools are often overlooked. Think notepads (digital or old-school planners), calendars and Microsoft Office or Google Workspace. Simple and basic apps and tools are the best for quick navigation. It shortens planning time, expedites processes and improves coordination as well as collaborations.

It's not only important to choose your system and tools but also learn what tools your company may already have access to that will help you- magazine subscriptions, newswire services, research databases and media monitoring may prove crucial for reviewing your efforts. Ask what's available and advocate or purchase the most critical tools that will help you succeed. Maintain a comprehensive list and require training for anyone who will have tasks delegated to them and for future team members onboarded at a later date.

As soon as the goals and priorities are set, tools become critical. The simple one is your calendar; track it constantly and prepare as much as 3-6 months in advance (this will keep things in important, but not urgent on a daily basis). Use collaborative tools that allow you spend time only when needed and involve & track others with a simple click.

- Manage task efficiently, use project management tools which helps track progress and prioritize tasks. - Maintain a well organized calendar to meet deadlines and timely execution of communication strategies to other team members. - Utilizing folders and labels for documents. - Review management tools regularly. - Foster open communication and collaboration with team members to ensure alignment and synergy in the strategic efforts.

It sounds obvious, but you should evaluate the tools and systems you have in place regularly to ensure they’re still meeting your needs and are continuing to drive efficiencies. Be sure to test new tools often as well and ask your team for recommendations.

If I am organised, I will have my project plan and track progress on a weekly / monthly / quarterly basis. I will follow up and follow through to keep the momentum going. Communicating my strategic plan isn’t a one-time big announcement. It’s about how I reinforce my message by making our agreed strategy an integral part of my communication in meetings, company newsletter, employee reviews, and one-on-one conversations.

To conquer communication chaos, start your day with a focused routine. Prioritize tasks using the Eisenhower Matrix and set achievable goals. Block dedicated time for content creation and manage your inbox efficiently with scheduled check-ins. Throughout the day, take mental breaks to stay sharp and review your progress before wrapping up. Implement a "digital detox" before bed to ensure restful sleep. With these routines in place, you'll excel in strategic communication while maintaining your well-being.

Yes I completely agree with this. I'm not always that into 'routine', but I do block out my day/week month with routine tasks, colour coded for easy reporting (I set these to show on other people's calendars as tentative, so I can still receive invites to urgent meetings). At the end of the allotted time, I go back and actually write the specifics of what I did. So I might have a tentative calendar block for 2 hours for 'social media' and after the 2 hours I'll edit to read something like 'created image for X post, created text for X post, responded to comments/messages about X topic, analysed report, planned next week's topics, requested info from X about X' etc. The real beauty is looking back and seeing how productive you've been!

Another key factor of staying organized as a strategic communicator is establishing your routines and habits that help you stay on track and productive. For example, you may start your day by checking your email and calendar, prioritizing your to-do list, and setting your daily goals. You may also end your day by reviewing your progress, updating your status, and planning for the next day. You may also create some habits that help you maintain your work-life balance, such as taking breaks, exercising, meditating, or socializing. By creating and sticking to your routines and habits, you'll be able to structure your time and energy more effectively and efficiently.

"The Daily Grind" Establish Your Routines and Habits Getting Started: Start your day by reviewing your to-do list and prioritizing tasks. I found that tackling the most challenging task first thing in the morning boosted my productivity throughout the day.

Schedule regular check-in meetings with team members or stakeholders to provide updates, gather feedback, and ensure alignment on project objectives and priorities.

As a strategic communicator, communication is not only your core skill but also your main responsibility. You need to communicate clearly and frequently with your colleagues, clients, partners, and audiences to ensure that everyone is on the same page, that expectations are met, and that feedback is exchanged. You also need to communicate your own needs, challenges, and achievements to your managers and mentors, so that they can support you and recognize you. By communicating clearly and frequently, you'll be able to build trust, rapport, and collaboration with others, as well as showcase your value and expertise.

It is important to note objective changes during the monitoring and continuous evaluation of your communication activities. Especially with clients and stakeholders, once you sense a shift of objective, you should communicate this clearly to your stakeholders. Either to review some of the activities that has differ than initial objectives, or, to follow along with the changes with a formal note of change order (signed by the stakeholder requesting the change).

In the realm of strategic communications, clarity is king. Foster open channels of communication within your team and across departments. Embrace transparency, listen intently, and articulate your message with precision. Remember, effective communication isn't just about conveying information—it's about fostering understanding and building relationships.

This is by far the most important trait you can have. The earlier you start to understand the importance of good communication, the easier your job will be. I learned that from working in a restaurant where constant communication is key for efficiency, quality and safety. That translates well to any industry. A good communicator is a good leader. And vice versa.

Getting the support of an agency that is both capable of helping to review strategic priorities and of supporting when capacities run short is key. Agency support should involve very senior advisors that are able to challenge you and will have the right perspective on the task at hand. Agency support, however, should also comprise very young talent, as typically new perspectives will best be introduced by asking new questions and challenging the approach and the strategic objectives from time to time.

Sometimes, staying organized as a strategic communicator means knowing when to delegate and outsource some of your tasks and projects to others who can do them better, faster, or cheaper. For example, you may delegate some administrative or research tasks to an assistant or an intern, or outsource some design or writing tasks to a freelancer or an agency. By delegating and outsourcing, you'll be able to free up some of your time and energy, focus on your core competencies and priorities, and leverage the skills and resources of others.

Even the most skilled sailor cannot man the ship alone. Recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and delegate tasks accordingly. Whether it's outsourcing specialized projects or empowering team members to take the helm, leverage the collective expertise at your disposal. Delegation isn't just about lightening your workload—it's about maximizing efficiency and fostering growth.

Delegating and outsourcing tasks strategically maximizes efficiency. Identify strengths and weaknesses, assign tasks accordingly. Utilize specialized expertise for complex projects. Set clear expectations, provide necessary resources, and maintain open communication to ensure quality results and timely delivery.

To stay organized in a new strategic communications role: 1. **Set Goals**: Define clear objectives. 2. **Prioritize Tasks**: Focus on what matters most. 3. **Use a Calendar**: Schedule your work. 4. **Maintain Lists**: Keep concise to-do lists. 5. **Batch Emails**: Check emails at set times. 6. **Organize Files**: Keep a tidy filing system. 7. **Leverage Software**: Use project management tools. 8. **Weekly Review**: Assess and plan weekly. 9. **Delegate**: Assign tasks to others when possible. 10. **Declutter**: Keep your workspace clean. Keep it simple and focused for maximum efficiency.

Celebrating achievements and milestones on reviews with departmental heads is a must. When i review the strategic plan with the leadership team, i reinforce shared goals and create a strong team connection.

Staying organized as a strategic communicator means constantly reviewing and improving your systems, tools, routines, habits, communication, and delegation. You need to monitor and evaluate your performance and results, identify what's working and what's not, and make adjustments and changes as needed. You also need to seek and implement feedback from others, learn from your mistakes and successes, and adopt new best practices and trends. By reviewing and improving, you'll be able to grow as a strategic communicator and optimize your organization and productivity.

Strategic communications incorporates dynamic changes in the communications field. Constant reviews ensure things are up to date and provides the relevant feedback for improvement.

In the ever-evolving seas of strategic communications, stagnation is akin to shipwreck. Regularly evaluate your strategies, processes, and outcomes. Celebrate successes, learn from setbacks, and iterate relentlessly. By embracing a culture of continuous improvement, you'll not only stay afloat but sail towards new horizons of excellence.

I said it once, I'll say it again: work to your strengths, not anyone else's. Some people swear by project management tools like Asana and Trello. They look great but require such a high level of planning to work well. For me personally, I just use a simple checklist (task planner app on MS) to stay on top of things. As obvious as it sounds, an intuitive folder system is critical. Create folders based on each bullet point in your role spec (ie: Social Media Management; Internal Comms; Event Management) and make sure everything is stored logically in subfolders within the main ones (ie: Reports; Template etc.). Make sure you follow naming conventions (even if just keywords) for Every. Single. File. that you save. Include month and year.

Establecer una estructura de trabajo organizada, priorizar lo urgente, mantener por plazos de entrega, seleccionándolo por carpetas, mantener comunicación clara, precisa y directa, flexibilidad a los cambios que puedan surgir.

To start off, understand the strategy of the organisation, not just the coms strategy. Then check that corporate strategy against the coms one. Are there gaps? If so, work out why and develop a plan to address that. Do a coms inventory. What tools does the organisation have and what does it need to execute its coms strategy. Again, where are the gaps? What tools would be appropriate? Ask yourself, and your colleagues and stakeholders, what does the organisation want to say and does it have the intellectual capital to do so? If it doesn't, develop that. All of this will help you prioritise and manage implementation. Finally, is the coms strategy right for the organisation? Does the leadership think it needs to do something it doesn't?

Make sure you understand the fundamentals of your projects, including your objectives, audience, and goals. Ask yourself what questions people might ask and be prepared to answer them clearly. The clearer you are in your answers and understanding of your topic, the faster others will understand.

To sum up: 1. Describe your comms goals as 'outcomes' - e.g 90% of staff understand the basics of Office 365. 2. Understand who you're communicating with - one project may have a dozen stakeholders, so you may need to change the language, tools and response channels to suit. 3. Discover the barriers to good comms and overcome them. 4. Design a solid message framework. 5. Deliver comms directly - using the best tools and channels. You may have to invent new ones! 6. Review regularly and adopt key measures to check whether or not you're being successful.