Planning and strategy. development This was the main message conveyed to the students of Master's Degree in Political and Corporate Communication (MCPC) by Cristina López Mañero, Chief of Cabinet of the Regional Minister of Rural, Environmental and Local Administration of the Government of Navarre. Because, according to López Mañero "if I don't explain my management well, that is, if I don't have a communication strategy, my work goes unnoticed".

During the session he gave to the students of the MCPC, López Mañero spoke about the work performed by the Chief of Staff of a regional executive. According to him, his work involves managing various tasks, and one of them is communication. "I am the Councilor's dircom, and I have to know the repercussions of telling certain information". In addition, the Chief of Staff is in charge of managing appearances, press conferences and press releases, as well as coordinating the diary and the day-to-day running of the management of department. Along with the above, she also manages the External Communications. "It's important to be informed about what's going on and what people are saying about you. I am constantly connected to the news, first to be informed, but also in case we have to speak to public opinion," she explained.

López Mañero explained to the students that government communication is not the same as party communication. Working in the Government "entails a great responsibility because citizens need to know what we are doing for them, especially in crisis situations they need to know what their taxes are being spent on". "If I don't explain it well, that is, if I don't have a communication strategy, my work goes unnoticed," he assured. For this it is essential that there is a great deal of planning, both within department and in coordination with the entire government.

Cristina López Mañero explained that communication "cannot replace the lack of management" of the Government, that is, communication "must be the icing on the cake". The guest of the MCPC has also discussed with the students the relationship that a regional executive must have with the media. "If you have nothing to tell, you can't sell smoke. Nor can you spend all day calling the media because it saturates and discredits you as a professional," she said. López Mañero acknowledged that there should never be a confrontational relationship and that there must be great respect for the critical sense and freedom of expression of journalists when it comes to hiring and preparing information. However, he emphasized the importance of knowing the interests of journalists and anticipating "but, above all, of doing things well".