State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

The Importance of Telling Your City's Story

Data-Smart City Solutions: No pain no gain applies to more than exercise. The more meaningful the change emanating out of city hall, the more likely there will be accompanying pain. The very approach of using evidence to disclose what works in itself can trigger very intense opposition from those adversely affected.

In this sense, the mayor’s framing of his or her goals and the communication strategy around them must be a core part of the projects themselves. When built into project goals and execution, effective storytelling is key to successfully making progress in a city. During my time as mayor of Indianapolis and deputy mayor of New York, it became clear that projects often fail not due to problems with technical or financial execution, but when the city is unable to craft a compelling narrative that energizes supporters who would otherwise be indifferent if not opposed.

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