As pundits, policymakers, and political parties adjust to this week’s seismic political shift, communicators at public colleges and universities, government agencies, and advocacy groups — and the leaders who rely on them — face challenges of their own.
Here in Austin, many of these communicators are neither partisans nor political appointees. They’re storytellers whose job is to convey their organizations’ value, build support, share accurate information, and strengthen institutional reputations.
With new officials taking office, here are three places to focus.
1. Understand How Much of the Story Is Actually Changing
It’s rare that organizations need to rip up their messaging playbooks and start from scratch. It happens occasionally — we were in the trenches rewriting communications when COVID-19 hit — but more often, the underlying mission remains the same, even after an election.
Consider higher ed. Despite the gripping headlines about culture wars and campus controversies, most of the daily work remains focused on teaching students, conducting research, and preparing an educated workforce.
“The work is the work,” a senior administrator told us this week. “We are here to serve the students of Texas.”
That’s a useful starting point. Once the election-night shock settles, take stock of what’s changing and what isn’t. Identify where core values and mission remain intact. Then make sure key stakeholders understand that distinction.
2. Offer Institutional Knowledge to New Decision-Makers — Now
Come January, there will be new people making decisions about policies, priorities, and spending — or maybe familiar faces taking on unfamiliar roles. Many will need to get up to speed quickly. Some will bring worldviews and expectations different from their predecessors’.
Over the next few weeks, communicators can help shorten that learning curve by providing the basics: the institution’s mission, accomplishments, and resources needed to deliver results — and listening to the new leadership’s priorities.
That means reaching beyond the officials themselves. Chiefs of staff and policy advisors are often the first to review the materials. A short primer or a site visit can help ensure important decisions are informed by an accurate understanding of the organization.
3. Remember That Every Word Matters
Presidents, CEOs, and their communicators need to understand not just what they’re saying — but what their audiences are hearing.
After a major political shift, language that once seemed routine can take on new significance. Consider words like “accountability” and “transparency.” Nearly everyone embraces these concepts, but they carry different meanings for an incoming leader promising change and a longtime administrator describing established practices.
Words can also take on a life of their own. We’ve worked with groups so cautious about the political connotations of the word “diversity” that they sometimes avoided routine phrases like “diversity of funding sources.” They are already rethinking that caution.
None of this means abandoning values or reshaping vocabulary for every audience. It does mean thinking carefully about how language will be understood, and whether it advances the message.
The Work Continues
Elections change political leadership and approaches. But organizations still need to tell their stories clearly, accurately, and persuasively. Leaders who give their communicators the room to do so will be best positioned for what comes next.
The work is still the work.
At BandOne, we look forward to helping you navigate the changes ahead while staying focused on the missions that matter most.