Training a Communication Manager
Ron Bolin: March 24, 2012
First let me apologize for letting things go for a couple of weeks. We all have a funk now and again, and I had mine. I trust it may not come again til the weather turns crappy again.
While trying to find out about the training required to be a Communications Manager, I ran across the following program from the Centre for Strategy and Communication in London. Take a look at the curriculum and see if this is what we want to pay $140,000+/year in perpetuity:
Training for a Communications Manager
© 2012 The Centre for Strategy and Communication, 140 Old Street, London EC1V 9BJ
Most popular Communication courses
- Assertiveness skills: a practical approach
- Event management: advanced event management
- Event management: an introduction
- Handling difficult people and situations: essential tools
- Handling the press and media: how to get your story covered
- Influencing skills
- Parliamentary lobbying
- PR strategies that work
- Presentation skills: one day course – making confident and effective presentations
- Radio and Television Interviews
I also found a program at Royal Roads in Victoria, but I couldn’t get a grip on what they were trying to communicate.
http://www.royalroads.ca/topic/communications
Give it some thought. There is still time to ask Council to communicate with us directly rather than through a mouthpiece.
Posts and Comments on Nanaimo Governance 
$140K per year is not much for someone that will have to be under your watchful eye. Besides, ever thought you’d be good at this? That figure is generally considered to be fair for a professionals rate in a place like this. It would be much higher in Calgary or Edmonton or some other northern place like Fort Mac…
Just saying.
It is my opinion that, if a revamping of the city’s internal communication
system is what is being discussed it would best be done by a consultant: an
expert who could examine the existing network, recommend system improvements
and move on. Often a full time position is hired to fill a “re-imagining”
assessment. After a few months the task of the expert is done but the
organization can find itself left with a full time position that now needs
to justify its continued existence, often with projects of very little
return. There are line jobs that go on forever and there are systems jobs
which are usually better handled by experts from the outside who then go on
to other challenges. Talents for reorganization and those for routine
operations are not typically found in a single individual.
I couldn’t find a position of “Communication Manager” at either Edmonton or Calgary where communication on a subject appeared to be delegated to those who know what they are talking about rather than those who might know how to say it a more palatable way.
Edmonton and Calgary would appear to have it right. We have or should have, as they are paid enough, experts on various subjects amongst staff already. If they feel incapable of communicating then they should be replaced with those that feel capable.
Easy to understand the funks Ron when one deals with the antics of council on a regular basis.
We really need a core review; should have been done prior to this position coming forward as it would likely tell us what a useless proposition a communication person is. Here are some links to stories about Prince Georges process for a Core Review; shows how not to go about it.
http://www.opinion250.com/blog/view/23752/1/why+does+a+core+review+in+prince+george+cost+so+much+more+compared+to+other+cities
http://www.opinion250.com/blog/view/23799/1/what+should+be+done+about+the+pg+core+review%3f
http://www.opinion250.com/blog/view/23798/1/january+12th+council+meeting+-+not+a+good+start+to+pg+core+review
Agreed. I’m surprised that you would think a consultant would be a good fit here though Ron. Any time that subject is touched on, the hairs on the back of your neck must go up. As a consultant I too think that there is much we do better than a staff member and in this case you are correct. A core review, a complete disection of what is “wrong” and “right” with the place needs to occur, no holds barred.
Anyway, I love rading this stuff. Hopefully you don’t mind putting up with me? Cheers,
Ron, funk or no funk, you help to keep us informed – otherwise we’d all be in the dark and not just for earth hour. :)