6 Tips for Building Strong Relationships in Public-Sector Communications
In public-sector communications, relationships aren’t a “nice to have”—they’re the whole game.
If you’re working in government, education, healthcare or any large institution, you’ve probably noticed that getting buy-in, managing issues and landing your message rarely comes down to just a well-written press release or a flashy campaign. What actually moves the needle? Trust. Credibility. Follow-through.
And as AI begins taking over more of the technical execution—writing, formatting, design—the most future-proof skill you can build as a communicator is the ability to form strong, strategic relationships across your organization and sector.
Here are six ways I’ve learned (often the hard way) to build those relationships—and keep them strong.
1. Align Early: Find Shared Goals and Quick Wins
If you want to build momentum, find out what your colleague is trying to achieve—and help them get a quick win.
This doesn’t need to be complicated. Maybe it’s supporting a quick announcement, helping sharpen a key message or providing visibility for a small team doing important work. Whatever it is, if you can help “put a point on the board” early, the relationship usually takes care of itself. It’s about showing, not telling, that you’re on their team.
2. Don’t Wait for the Ask: Build Before You Need It
One of the biggest mistakes I see (and have made) is only engaging people when we need something.
Yes, we’re all busy. But if the first time you connect with someone is when you’re asking them to review a document or approve messaging under deadline, it’s already a transactional relationship. And that almost always leads to slower approvals, more revisions and less goodwill when you need it most.
Take the time to get to know people before the urgency hits. It pays off tenfold.
3. Lead with Positivity—But Be Real
It’s easy to bond over shared frustrations, especially in big organizations. But gossip and negativity are a shaky foundation.
Instead, find ways to be authentic and positively frank. You can acknowledge challenges without becoming cynical. Vulnerability helps, too—if you’re struggling with something, asking for advice or support can actually strengthen trust. People remember when you’re real with them.
4. Leverage Your Network (and Theirs)
Relationships aren’t just one-to-one—they’re part of a broader system.
I’ve had someone who taught me in university 25 years ago connect me to a current leader I needed to work with. I’ve seen peers casually mention my name in another room and open doors I didn’t know existed. And I’ve tried to do the same for others.
Good people talk about good people. Never forget that every interaction is part of a broader network. Support others, and you’ll be surprised how often that support finds its way back to you.
5. Use Tools to Clear the Deck for Relationship Work
Craftspeople love to craft—and in communications, that means writing, editing, designing, posting. But too often, we get stuck in the weeds.
Tools like Broadsight (which we built for this very reason) can help manage the tactical side—tracking work, summarizing deliverables, reporting progress—so you can spend your time where it actually matters: managing relationships, aligning priorities and supporting leaders through complexity.
If you’re serious about scaling your impact, this is a shift worth making.
6. Build Credibility Through Delivery
The fastest way to earn trust is to say what you’ll do—and actually do it.
I once promised every school principal in a district (150+ of them!) that I’d never turn down a story they brought me—whether it was about a cookie sale in Grade 1 or an Iron Chef showdown in Grade 11. That meant showing up, telling their story and helping them shine.
Every time I followed through, I built trust. Over time, those principals became champions for our team. That network made it easier to handle the tougher stuff when it came.
In the end, relationships are built on reliability—especially in high-pressure communications environments.
Why This Matters Now (More Than Ever)
In a world where AI can write your first draft and automate your metrics, what remains uniquely human is trust.
That’s your value as a communicator. Not just writing nice sentences, but building confidence among stakeholders, aligning across functions and showing up when it matters. Relationships are the operating system that make all of this work.
Need to Buy Back Your Time? Let Broadsight Help
We built Broadsight to help comms teams track their work, align with leadership and make their invisible impact visible, so they can spend less time formatting slides and more time managing relationships.
If that sounds like your world, book a personalized tour and see how Broadsight can help your team.
Final Thought
Relationships are the part of communications that can’t be outsourced or automated. And they’re what keep you in the room when decisions are being made.
Whether you’re navigating issues, launching a campaign or just trying to get a message out the door, remember: It’s not just about what you’re saying—it’s about who’s listening and whether they trust you.
So… who do you need to invest in this week?
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