Three lessons from a career in comms
After more than a decade working across journalism, politics, and industry, I’ve learned that effective communication has little to do with clever slogans or perfectly crafted media releases.
The foundation of effective communications is consistent, authentic relationships, which build trust long before you need it.
Looking back on my career as I start this new chapter, three lessons stand out. They’re simple, but they’ve shaped how I advise organisations on reputation, engagement, and strategic communication.
Lesson one: Get back to people
When I was a journalist, one of the biggest frustrations was when a reliable contact unexpectedly went silent. Every day I needed to produce fresh stories, which meant building and maintaining a broad network of contacts that would feed me leads.
While my experience was in newspapers, my colleagues in radio and television tell me it was the same for them. New stories every day means running through a huge contact list, and it’s shocking how few people understand the power of simply picking up the phone. Responsiveness signals confidence, transparency, and respect for the news cycle. It also builds a reputation for reliability, which pays off when you need a fair hearing on a difficult story.
You don’t need to have every answer immediately. But you do need to show up. In a world where information moves fast and trust moves slowly, responsiveness is a competitive advantage.
And those people who always picked up the phone? They’re the ones I’d always have time for.
Lesson two: Credibility compounds
Credibility isn’t built in a single moment but hundreds of small ones. Every accurate fact, every honest response, every time you front up in a tough moment, you’re making a deposit into your credibility account. Over time, those deposits compound.
The opposite is also true. Over-spin, evading the question, or being selective on transparency might be convenient in the moment but it’s like a huge rock tumbling down a mountain. Once credibility is damaged, every future message is doubted.
The best communicators aren’t the loudest, they’re the ones that are credible. They tell the truth early, they correct the record when needed, and they give it to you straight. Most importantly, they don’t hide behind buzzwords or corporate fog, and that really matters. I’d always give them the benefit of the doubt when it mattered most.
Lesson three: Relationships matter most
If you’re building relationships during a crisis, you’re already behind.
Whether it’s media, government, industry partners, or your own employees, relationships are the foundation of effective communications.
Relationships create the goodwill, create the context, and create the trust you draw on when the pressure is high.
In politics, I learned very quickly that the best crisis responses weren’t reactive, because on my very first crisis I was forced to react. But I was saved by a boss who had the relationships built on years of proactive engagement. I will never ever forget that lesson.
In industry, the same principle applies. When stakeholders know who you are, what you stand for, and how you operate, they’re far more likely to listen in the difficult moments.
Strong relationships don’t eliminate crises, but they dramatically change the trajectory of them.
These lessons have not only shaped who I am, but how I approach people and my practice as a communications consultant. Organisations don’t just need messages, they need strategy, credibility, and relationships that endure. When those foundations are in place, communication becomes a strategic asset, not just a business function.
If you’d like to strengthen your organisation’s communication capability, please get in touch.