Creating a strategic communication plan that gathers no dust

Posted January 2006

By Patricia A. Tennyson and Kristina Ray

Appearing in the January 2005 edition of the AWWA Journal, this article argues that many organizations struggle to maintain a cohesive communication program, despite the existence of a communication plan. The problem often lies in the plan itself. Planning exercises are exciting, ambitious undertakings involving the highest levels of an organization. Board members, general managers, other agency leaders, and consultants often contribute to the creation of a water utility's communication plan. With this kind of intellectual wattage, why aren't plans more useful? This article identifies seven planning pitfalls and shows utilities how to avoid the mistake of thinking they're serving the “general public.”

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