You have gained experience as a communicator in an organization. Now, you want to establish a consulting practice. You have questions. Do you focus on a niche or will you be a generalist? Will you remain independent or hire staff? How do you build your business? What should you charge? Four IABC Fellows with decades of experience as communication consultants will answer your questions in episode 85 of “Circle of Fellows,” IABC’s monthly broadcast/panel discussion.
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News from the FIR Blog
The Conversation About What Communication Is and Isn’t Continues on August 18
In July, four IABC Fellows gathered to discuss what communication is…and isn’t. That conversation will continue at noon EDT on Thursday, August 18.
Too often, communicators are called upon to engage in activities some might consider communication. It may even qualify as communication under some definitions. But in the business world, simply distributing a routine notice is far from communication. It may be messaging, but even that is questionable if nobody reads it. Conversely, modifying a company process that is sending the wrong message to employees may not strike an executive as a means of communication — but it is.
Join us for this intriguing conversation and share your own thoughts, observations, experiences, and questions in real-time. If you are unable to participate during the live stream, you will be able to watch the video replay or listen to the audio podcast.
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Circle of Fellows #83: What Communication Is…and Isn’t
Ask leaders what “communication” is and you are likely to hear a wide range of answers, especially when it comes to the role of a company communication function. Some of those answers may be accurate, others not so much. Too often, leaders see communication as a one-way messaging function, for example. In the first of this two-part discussion, four IABC Fellows will explore exactly what communication is…and isn’t.
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Meet the 2022 Class of IABC Fellows on June 17
In this special episode of “Circle of Fellows,” you will meet the three IABC leaders who have been named Fellows for 2022 (and who will be formally inducted during the IABC World Conference in New York ater this month). You will have the opportunity to ask questions and share observations as Zora Artis, Sue Heuman, and Robin McCasland share their professional journeys and discuss their core philosophies and beliefs about organizational communication. The conversation, moderated by Shel Holtz, will be available as a video replay and an audio podcast.
The discussion is set for 7 p.m. EDT on Thursday, June 16, 2022.
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Comms Research and Measurement is Focus of Next Circle of Fellows Panel
With today’s online discussions, forums, and social media platforms, communication professionals easily delve into what key stakeholders know-feel-do about something now. This enables comms pros to develop more efficient and effective plans to transform what stakeholders’ know-feel-do to achieve organizational goal(s) and objectives. Four IABC Fellows will dive into research and measurement in the next… Continue Reading →
IABC Fellows to Discuss Executive Communication in April 21 Broadcast
As part of the IABC Career Roadmap, the business leader path is essential to our profession and its role within society. The business leader plays a critical role in shaping an organization’s future by adopting the Global Standard for the profession while building and maintaining a well-structured, competent, and trusted organizational communication function.
In this Circle of Fellows, our panel of top international communication advisors explores executive communication and leadership, its importance in organizations, and how we as communication professionals build the relationships and competence of executives. They will discuss how to add business value while expanding communication competencies and coaching the people who drive today’s organizations.
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Next Circle of Fellows: Engaging Stakeholders Through Strategic Communication
“Strategic” communication is differentiated from other communication by one simple concept: It is “the communication principles, strategies, and initiatives used to further an organization’s goals,” according to one communication-focused website. (It’s not a bad definition, though it fails to mention “measurable,” which is a critical element of strategic communication.) The target of an organization’s strategic… Continue Reading →
IABC Fellows to Focus on Communicating ESG
The pandemic has made us look more closely at human and corporate values and the capacity that good values, morality, and ethics can provide to overcome any crisis. ESG has firmly entered the vocabulary of investors, managers, and other stakeholders as it helps assess the risks and resilience of enterprises. The corporate world faces multi-dimensional challenges and all stakeholders are focusing intently on their Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance.
Businesses can be rewarded in many ways when they act in a responsible manner. Through committed ESG performance, businesses can gain legitimacy; a stellar reputation; government support; strong brand equity; increased investment from socially responsible investors; attract socially conscious consumers; entice talent and gain employee trust and loyalty. In this evolving business context, we look at what role communication needs to play.
Join four IABC Fellows for a conversation about communications and ESG. The panelists will also answer questions and share observations from the YouTube chat. The session is scheduled for 11 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, February 17. Mark your calendars!
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Pivoting the FIR Podcast
When Shel and I started the For Immediate Release podcast, usually abbreviated to ‘FIR,’ in January 2005, we had a big vision for it.
We wanted to have a conversation about topics that interested us at that intersection of business, communication, and technology. As we noted in a post on December 21, 2004, introducing the forthcoming podcast, “We’ll bring a balanced view on what’s going on in the US and Europe in communication, technology and other relevant topics.”
We thought others might be interested not only in listening to us chatting but also contributing their opinions if they cared to share them with us. That way, we extend the conversation.
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Adding Value Through Communication on the Next Circle of Fellows
How leaders view the communication function depends entirely on whether communication produces results that matter to them. Delivering that value doesn’t just happen. In the first Circle of Fellows broadcast of 2022, four IABC Fellows will explore the various dimensions of communicating for results that matter, from knowing what’s keeping leaders awake at night, the elements of the business and strategic plans, establishing the means of assessing the results of the communication, and how to share those results with leaders.
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