TAMIO Thoughts

24Jan 2022 by Lauren

Servant Leadership and Communicators

Leadership, TAMIO
When I began brainstorming another TAMIO Thoughts article six months ago, I threw around many ideas. I am a planner. I love making checklists and crossing off items; this makes me feel accomplished somehow. I also like to stay organized and always know what is coming. So, when I signed up to write my TAMIO Thoughts article a few months ago, I decided to write about Department Planning. However, something happened just yesterday that changed my mind. As communicators, not only do we have to be well educated and skilled in our craft, we also have to be servant leaders, especially as public communicators. So, you may be thinking, but I am not a manager; how would the topic of servant leadership apply to me? The answer is simple and…
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11Jan 2022 by Lauren

Looking back on 2021 and ahead to 2022.

TAMIO
So often in our jobs as municipal communicators we are racing from one emergency to the next, which means we never have the time to reflect on what we have accomplished, how we did it, and how we can improve. That last step of reflection and celebration is vital. So, with that in mind and as we enter a new year, I wanted to share with you some 2021 TAMIO milestones and how it sets us up for 2022. Association Management The TAMIO Board has consistently said it wants to provide quality educational and networking opportunities to our members at the most reasonable cost possible. That is why you’ll notice that our annual membership dues and conference fees are lower than most others, and it’s why we have yet to…
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15Dec 2021 by Lauren

Post-conference and member survey reveals great suggestions for 2022.

TAMIO
Did anyone else have a sigh of relief as the general session of the 2021 TAMIO Annual Conference got underway in August? After 18 months of COVID messaging, executive orders, Zoom calls, and more, TAMIO members were finally able to reconnect in person to do what we do best: network, share, and learn. It was great to be together again. And when we were finally together in one place, there were many new faces. Almost half of the attendees at this year's conference were first-timers. Some because they were new to the job of government communicator and some just new to TAMIO. It was refreshing to see all the new ideas and perspectives.< We appreciate everyone who came to Round Rock and enthusiastically embraced what TAMIO had to offer: keynote speakers…
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05Aug 2021 by Lauren

Introducing the Retiree Recognition Program

TAMIO
No matter how many years we have left in our careers, I think most of us have thought about retirement a time or two (maybe a little more!), and the last 12 months of viruses, vaccines, storms and protests probably accelerated some of that thinking. There’s no doubt some people may prefer to quietly ride off into the sunset to never be seen or heard from again, but shouldn’t we first acknowledge their work in some meaningful, public way beyond a quick “congrats, you made it to the finish line” email? TAMIO has a solution. We are pleased to announce a new program that will help us honor the service and contributions of our colleagues upon their retirement. Our first honoree is Pamela Bransford who retired last week from Boerne.…
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19May 2021 by Lauren

Is Accurate Coverage About Your Proposed Budget Even Possible? (It is.)

Budget, Media Relations, Organization
Tell me if this sounds familiar. You’ve developed a thorough plan to educate citizens about your city’s or county’s draft budget. The plan is so good, in fact, that it just might be a TAMI Award contender next year! But wait — your killer efforts were just scuttled by local newsrooms that didn’t get the story right. Stories so mangled that Nextdoor groups and social media comments are beyond repair. City management is under fire, and your elected officials are being criticized before they’ve even discussed or voted on the proposed budget and tax rate. In one reckless news cycle, your TAMI dreams are dashed and you’re now the meme-worthy hat-wearing dog surrounded by fire saying, “This is fine.” I wish this was a far-fetched scenario, but we know it’s not.…
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