GovComms: The Future of Government Communication

Through conversation with industry greats, experts and innovators from around the world, GovComms delivers the latest insights and best practice in government communication. We provide the resources to help you, the government and public sector, communicate policies, services and regulations with impact. A podcast by contentgroup, leaders in government communication. Watch our episodes in video on contentgroup's YouTube channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GovComms: The Future of Government Communication is a government podcast hosted by contentgroup, with 365 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

contentgroup hosts GovComms: The Future of Government Communication, a government show with 365 episodes published.

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  Episode #196

  EP196: Slow Down to Improve Performance — with Mark Hocknell

  Oct 1, 202642 minS1

  In a world of constant urgency, better work can start with doing less – more deliberately. Host David Pembroke is joined by Mark Hocknell , consultant, author and speaker, to explore why ‘shallow’ work is creeping into organisations and what it is costing performance. They discuss the pressure leaders place on teams to produce more activity faster, how that drives task-focused planning instead of outcomes, and why genuine improvement needs deep thinking, evidence and step-change interventions. Mark also shares practical ideas for carving out time, choosing the right measures and creating a culture where teams can focus on what matters most for communities and customers. KEY POINTS - Shallow work misses what matters : Quick answers and time pressure can crowd out deep thinking, leading to plans that lack insight and fail to shift outcomes. - Leaders set the tempo : When leaders pass down urgency and firefighting, teams lose the space to focus on outcomes and meaningful improvement. - Prioritise outcomes over activity : Clear outcomes help teams stop chasing task lists and instead measure what is changing for communities and customers. - Continuous improvement is step change : Improvement rarely happens by doing the same thing ‘a bit better’ every day; it needs deliberate interventions and learning from evidence. - Focus on one outcome at a time : Limited capacity means teams are more likely to improve performance when they concentrate on a single priority outcome, not dozens of competing goals. Links mentioned in the podcast: Profit by Design: How to Build a Customer Portfolio Full of Profitable Promoters (Mark Hocknell) : Book mentioned by Mark Hocknell https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=Profit+by+Design+How+to+Build+a+Customer+Portfolio+Full+of+Profitable+Promoters+Mark+Hocknell PuMP (Performance Measurement Process) : Performance measurement methodology mentioned in the episode (developed by Stacey Barr) https://www.staceybarr.com/pump/ Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World (Stanley McChrystal) : Leadership book referenced in the discussion https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/231444/team-of-teams-by-general-stanley-mcchrystal/ Mentoring for Growth (Queensland Government) : Small business mentoring program Mark referenced https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/growing-business/business-growth/mentoring-for-growth Queensland University of Technology (QUT) – Master of Business Administration (MBA) : MBA program mentioned (Mark developed elective subjects for QUT’s MBA) https://www.qut.edu.au/courses/master-of-business-administration Mark Hocknell – website : Mark’s website (blog posts and videos mentioned) https://markhocknell.com/ Mark Hocknell – LinkedIn : Mark’s LinkedIn (contact point mentioned in the episode) https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=Mark%20Hocknell If you enjoyed this podcast then please: Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts Follow and rate on Spotify Watch our videos on the GovComms YouTube page Connect with us on Facebook , LinkedIn and Instagram ! The GovComms Institute podcast is produced by contentgroup . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #195

  EP#195: Why Neuroaffirming Workplaces Win - with Claire Thomas

  Sep 1, 202642 minS1

  Modern leadership is being redefined in real time. Host Iris Lisle speaks with Claire Thomas , CEO and founder of Empact Group , about what it takes to build workplaces that deliver results without burning people out. They unpack psychological safety, neuroaffirming leadership and why “being deeply human” is not a 'nice-to-have' – it is a practical way to lift performance, trust and inclusion. Claire shares simple shifts leaders can make, from asking better questions to designing teams where people do not have to mask to belong, and why these changes matter now as workload pressures and AI reshape the public service. KEY POINTS - High performance needs psychological safety : Teams do better work when leaders create environments where people can be honest, ask questions and take reasonable risks. - Neuroaffirming design helps everyone : Adjustments that support one person often improve clarity, focus and accessibility for the whole team. - Curiosity beats certainty : Switching from “here’s what you need to do” to questions first builds trust and leads to better decisions. - Watch for overwork, not just disengagement : Strong output can hide unsustainable workloads, especially in flexible and hybrid settings with less visibility. - Masking has real costs : When people feel they must perform a version of themselves to fit in, it drains energy, increases burnout risk and reduces effectiveness LINKS MENTIONED Empact Group https://empactgroup.com.au/ Australian Financial Review – BOSS Best Places to Work https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/boss/best-places-to-work APS Academy https://www.apsacademy.gov.au/ Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) https://www.dta.gov.au/help-and-advice/digital-service-standard/digital-service-standard-guide/discovery Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/ AI Co-Lab https://www.aicolab.org/ If you enjoyed this podcast then please: ●    Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts ●    Follow and rate on Spotify ●    Watch our videos on the GovComms YouTube page ●    Connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram! The GovComms Institute podcast is produced by contentgroup . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #194

  EP#194: Science Communication: Building Trust & Access to STEM with the National Youth Science Forum — with Dr Melanie Bagg

  Aug 2, 202655 min

  Creating a strong future STEM workforce starts with helping young people see what is possible. Host David Pembroke is joined by Dr Melanie Bagg , CEO of the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) , to talk about how NYSF connects students with real STEM people, workplaces and pathways they cannot always access at school. They discuss what changed through Covid, how a small team works with a large volunteer network, and how NYSF tailors communications across channels while keeping the “human” experience at the centre. Melanie also shares what their long-term evaluation reveals about confidence, belonging and career direction, plus practical lessons for government communicators on testing, listening and staying audience-led. KEY POINTS - Make STEM real, not abstract : Young people respond when they meet real people in real workplaces and can see multiple pathways into careers. - Design for inclusion, not ‘elite’ performance : A friendly, youth-led approach can reduce imposter syndrome and widen participation, particularly for young women and regional and remote students. - Use data to prove impact and shape programs : NYSF surveys students on day one, day nine, one year and five years to track shifts in confidence and options, and to inform new offerings. - Match channels to audiences : NYSF adjusts tone and content by platform (eg Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn) and uses feedback loops to keep learning. - Adopt AI carefully and ethically : AI can speed up external-facing work, but sensitive information needs clear boundaries, checks and governance. Links mentioned in the podcast: ●     National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) : Youth-led STEM programs including the Year 12 Program https://www.nysf.edu.au/ ●     National Youth STEM Summit : NYSF’s program for early-tertiary/VET and early-career STEM participants https://www.nysf.edu.au/programs/national-youth-stem-summit/ ●     Rotary International : NYSF’s founding partner mentioned in the episode https://www.rotary.org/ ●     Science & Technology Australia : Professional membership organisation mentioned as part of the STEM ecosystem https://www.scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/ ●     Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) : Learned academy mentioned https://www.atse.org.au/ ●     Australian Academy of Science : Learned academy mentioned (and Melanie’s previous organisation) https://www.science.org.au/ If you enjoyed this podcast then please: ●    Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts ●    Follow and rate on Spotify ●    Watch our videos on the GovComms YouTube page ●    Connect with us on Facebook , LinkedIn and Instagram ! The GovComms Institute podcast is produced by contentgroup . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #193

  EP#193: Building KPIs leaders can trust with Stacey Barr

  Jul 2, 202659 min

  Measurement should make our work clearer, not harder. Host David Pembroke is joined by Stacey Barr , a specialist in organisational performance, measurement and evidence-based leadership, to unpack why evaluation still feels elusive in government, even when toolkits and frameworks are readily available. They discuss the hidden “missing pieces” that undermine many measurement approaches, how to strip out vague “weasel words” from strategy, and how Stacey’s PuMP methodology helps teams define results, identify credible evidence, and report performance in a way that supports better decisions. The conversation also explores the role of leadership, the reality of public accountability pressures, and where AI can (and cannot) help. KEY POINTS - Start with results, not activity : Be clear about the outcome you want to improve before you decide what to measure, otherwise you end up tracking busywork instead of impact. - De-weasel your strategy language : Replace vague terms such as “quality”, “transparency” or “diversity” with plain, specific wording that everyone can interpret the same way. - Define evidence before choosing measures : Ask what you would see, hear or observe that proves progress, then work out how to quantify that evidence. - Report performance to reveal real signals : Move beyond traffic-light reporting and focus on patterns that show meaningful change, so you don’t overreact to noise or miss early warnings. - Tie initiatives directly to the KPI they shift : Keep actions and results connected, so you can prove whether an initiative actually closed a performance gap. SHOW NOTES: ●      PuMP® (Performance Measurement Process) : Stacey Barr’s practical methodology for performance measurement mentioned in the episode https://www.pump.academy/ ●      Practical Performance Measurement (book) : Book by Stacey Barr mentioned in the episode https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Practical+Performance+Measurement+Stacey+Barr ●      Prove It! (book) : Book by Stacey Barr mentioned in the episode https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Prove+It%21+Stacey+Barr ●      Australia Centre for Evaluation (ACE) : Australian Government evaluation initiative mentioned (including toolkit/library resources) https://www.pmc.gov.au/resources/australia-centre-evaluation ●      Harvard Business Review (website) : Stacey notes her content has appeared on HBR’s website https://hbr.org/ ●      ManageMentor (platform) : Program Stacey describes as featuring her content https://www.managementmentor.com/ ●      OKR Institute : Organisation mentioned in relation to the OKR Institute World Summit https://okrinstitute.org/ ●      Objectives and Key Results (OKR) framework : Framework explicitly referenced (“OKRs, objectives and key results”) https://www.whatmatters.com/faqs/okr-meaning-definition-example/ ●      State Library of South Australia : Organisation cited in Stacey’s case example https://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/ ●      Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) : Organisation cited in Stacey’s case example https://www.faa.gov/ ●     info@PuMP.academy : Email Stacey provides for arranging a “discovery discussion” mailto:info@pump.academy If you enjoyed this podcast then please:     ●     Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts ●     Follow and rate on Spotify ●     Watch our videos on the GovComms YouTube page ●     Connect with us on Facebook , LinkedIn and Instagram ! The GovComms Institute podcast is produced by contentgroup . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #192

  EP#192: When AI moves faster than truth — with Sree Srinivasan

  May 28, 202647 minS1

  <p>When technology speeds up, trust and truth are put under pressure. Host David Pembroke is joined by Sree Srinivasan, who reflects on what he learnt broadcasting daily from New York during the early days of Covid, and how those lessons apply to today’s AI-driven information environment. They discuss what consistent, two-way communication can achieve in a crisis, why misinformation spreads so easily, and the risks of leaving AI decisions to a handful of powerful companies. Sree also shares practical guidance on building AI strategy and policy inside organisations, with an emphasis on transparency, staff input and regular review.  </p><p...

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