Values-based communication for the public sector

Most employees want to work for leaders that inspire them and reflect the values they hold as individuals. And increasingly, people want to support organisations that align with their values over those that don’t. This requires effectively communicating vision and purpose, to make it clear to employees, customers and clients what they stand for. Easy, right?

“Though relatively few in number, the organisations and leaders with the natural ability to inspire us come in all shapes and sizes. They can be found in both the public and private sectors” – Simon Sinek, Start With Why

What may be a natural skill for some can be learned by the rest of us. But how does this play out for public sector leaders, who may feel less comfortable sharing the personal with their employees and the public? And how do public sector communicators incorporate values-based messages into their communication plans?

Messages become more meaningful and easier to relate to when they have values at their core. They can also lead to behavioural change, happier employees and better customer service.

The COVID-19 pandemic has provided some great examples of effective values-based communication, including how the Victorian Chief Health Officer has used Twitter to share critical public health messages, dispel COVID myths and also share stories of his own health and family.

Professor Brett Sutton has used the official?Chief Health Officer, Victoria Twitter account?with professionalism, humour, transparency and regularity in a way that has built trust and respect. This is impressive in an online environment that can at times be pretty toxic. He has successfully balanced sharing health key messages alongside posts that are personal, relatable and show who he is as a person.

In a good example of how values-based communication can be used effectively, Professor Sutton used Twitter earlier this month to share that he had COVID but was grateful to be recovering well. He then successfully linked this to important messages about the health risks of influenza and other viruses that will be a challenge during winter. He also shone a light on the work and pressures of healthcare workers.

In the?full Twitter thread, Professor Sutton encourages certain behaviours, such as getting flu vaccinations and wearing masks, and importantly, he also explains why they’re necessary. His message is clear, relevant and natural – not a forced broadcast message filled with statistics. You can see from the likes, retweets and comment numbers that the more personal and relatable the tweet, the more engagement it received.?

The lesson here for public sector leaders is that communicating your personal values alongside those of the organisation and government you represent can be done effectively and will likely provide wonderful opportunities for engaging with the community.

The lesson for government communication professionals is to support leaders to deliver values-based communication by incorporating this style of messaging into strategies and briefing materials. Help them find the balance between sharing organisational values and their own personal values in media and social media messaging – it’s not something that comes naturally to everyone. Organise media and social media training if needed to build confidence.

At the same time, give leaders the space to make values-based communication their own. Provide key messages with prompts for them to add their own relevant anecdotes and share experiences. Their communication will be more effective and sincere if the stories they share are their own.

Finally, build a trusted advisor relationship with leaders by being open to robust feedback and adapting your approach over time as needed. Listen to leaders, understand their personal style, and help them develop content that helps it to shine through.

“Those who are able to inspire will create a following of people – supporters, voters, customers, workers – who act for the good of the whole not because they have to, but because they want to” – Simon Sinek, Start With Why

The benefits and behaviour-change opportunities that values-based communication could deliver for the public sector are seemingly endless. For those in local government, it could begin with more people using their rubbish bins and recycling bins in the right way, reducing waste and saving money for the council. For those in state government, it could start to influence more people to follow traffic laws or only calling 000 in times of genuine emergency, literally saving lives. And for those in federal government, it could inspire people to do their taxes on time and pay their fair share (yes, really!). And for employers across all levels of the public sector, it could create a workforce that is highly productive, delivers great customer service, and loves going to work each day.?

It’s hard to argue with value like that.

Amanda Dennett, SCMP is a government communication and digital strategy expert.?She is the creator of Public Sector Communicator and a Co-Founder of the?Government Digital Leaders Network?and Past President at?IABC Canberra. Follow her on?LinkedIn?and?Twitter.

?* This article also appeared on the?Public Sector Communicator blog.