Circle Of Fellows

By any standard, 2020 was a challenging year for everyone around the globe. Communicators were among those who had to cope with the personal impact of the year’s events while simultaneously coordinating communication to their organizations’ or clients’ diverse audiences — both regular, ongoing communication and crisis-related communication. On Thursday, January 21, a truly global panel of four IABC Fellows convened to review the year in communication. (Panelists are from Australia, The Philippines, and Canada.)Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #65: A Look Back at Communication in 2020 appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

The corporate environment comprises the various aspects of work that affect employees' productivity, including when, where, and how they work. According to Indeed.com, "A work environment is the setting, social features, and physical conditions in which you perform your job. These elements can impact feelings of wellbeing, workplace relationships, collaboration, efficiency, and employee health." Elements of a corporate culture include the physical environment, the company culture, and working conditions. Business analysts have made attempts to categorize different types of corporate environments, like "artistic" (promoting innovation and experimentation, as well as personal expression), "enterprising" (emphasizing guidance of employees toward goals), and "conventional" (built on specificity, predictability, and organization).Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #64: Communications and the Corporate Environment appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

For a while, the wave of new technologies offered communicators obvious opportunities to incorporate these new tools into their communication strategies. The introduction of Twitter and Instagram, the rise of mobile use, chatbots, and other technologies that were grounded in communication were introduced at a dizzying pace. Many of today’s new crop of technologies have less obvious communication applicability. That doesn’t mean communicators should ignore them. From Artificial Intelligence to Blockchain, from live streaming to machine co-creativity, there are technologies gaining steam that can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of both internal and external communication.Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #63: The Hottest New Communication Technologies appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Four IABC Fellows discuss how to effectively communicate workplace safety.Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #62: Communicating Workplace Safety appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

In his book, “The Great Game of Business,” Jack Stack introduced the business world to open-book management. The Great Game of Business website points out, “Open-book management at its most effective far outperforms a definition as simple as “sharing financial information with employees”. Open-book isn’t just about opening your financials to your company, it’s about responsibility, ownership, results, and growth, all of these things can come together to drive the needle forward in your organization. With proper training and knowledge, all levels of your business start to act and engage just like the owner, or leadership.” Clearly, communication is a vital dimension of open-book management. Episode 61 of "Circle of Fellows" featured four IABC Fellows looking at the communicator’s role, including introducing the concept to leadership. Panelists included moderator/Fellow Brad Whitworth and IABC Fellows Jim Shaffer, Tosh Hattori, and Amanda Hamilton-Attwell. Of special note, Jim has worked closely with Jack Stack

Episode 43 of Circle of Fellows — back in March 2019 — addressed the communicator’s role in supporting their companies’ diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts. The topic has undergone a dramatic transformation since then and, notably, since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Suddenly, companies that had merely checked the D&I box are revisiting their commitments and introducing more meaningful policies and practices, in addition to taking direct action. IABC revisited the topic in the August episode of Circle of Fellows. Five IABC Fellows — Priya Bates, Neil Griffiths, Todd Hattori, Rajeev Kumar, and Brenda Siler — joined moderator Shel Holtz for an updated conversation about the communicator’s role in evaluating and promoting D&I; including best practices in language and visual representation.Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #60: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

What does it take to launch a communications consulting practice? What should communicators who have never been entrepreneurs know about going solo? Should they bring aboard partners? Staff? Most importantly, how do they become trusted advisers, delivering value, and helping clients drive business results? Four Fellows from the International Association of Business Communicators gathered on July 16 for a live streaming conversation about entrepreneurship and how to be a successful consultant.Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #59: How to Be a Successful Consultant appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Internal communication engages your employees and helps ensure they focus their efforts on activities that produce business results. External communication engages your stakeholders and customers, builds your reputation, and sets expectations. When both are clicking, employees are connected to the marketplace and customers interact with employees. Four IABC Fellows discussed the blurring of the lines between internal and external communications on Thursday, June 18, 2020.Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #58: The Integration of Internal and External Communication appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

You cannot discuss internal communications these days without someone asking about the blurring of the line between internal and external. When done well, there has never been a clear boundary between internal and external, since they are designed to achieve common objectives. When strategized to work together, along with all facets of external communication, this is known as “integrated communication,” a system that coordinates and harmonizes messages from various senders and to various audiences. It is composed of rules (including policies, procedures, and formats) and tools (including distribution channels, styles, and timelines). How to make this work was the subject of an hour-long conversation on May 21, 2020,with four IABC Fellows: Priya Bates, Diane Gayeski, Angela Sinickas, and Stacy Wilson.Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #57: Managing the Integrated Communication System appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Organizations with high-performance leadership are better equipped to develop, maintain, and retain individuals, teams, business units, and the whole organization’s culture. These organizations are also in a better position to manage change. The characteristics of high-performing leadership range from leaders’ behaviors and beliefs to what they say and when they choose to act. The role of communication in leading change and creating a high-performance leadership environment will be the focus of the next Circle of Fellows conversation. Participating in episode 56 were be Priya Bates, Amanda Hamilton-Attwell, Ned Lundquist, and Stacy Wilson.Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #56: Change and High-Performance Leadership appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Bosses: True Stories of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a candid and provocative new book in which communication and leadership expert Roger D’Aprix (also an IABC Fellow) asserts that many leaders are ignoring the proper selection, training, development, and ongoing support of the mid-level bosses they entrust to manage company talent. Roger joined four IABC Fellows and moderator Shel Holtz on March 19 for a conversation about bosses, their communication role, and how organizational communicators can help improve the culture of management in their organizations. In addition to Roger and Shel, Fellows participating in this conversation included Bish Mukherjee, Jim Shaffer, Angela Sinickas, and Stacy Wilson.Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #55: Bosses — True Stories of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Communications — internal and external — are cost centers. Other cost centers, like Human Resources, have transformed themselves from bureaucratic necessary expenses to vital business partners whose work directly affects business performance. Communications can (and does) have a direct effect on business when managed and measured strategically, but far too many communication functions still focus on message outputs than on improving productivity or other business elements that matter to the company’s leadership. In episode 54 of Circle of Fellows, four IABC Fellows discussed how communicators can make this transition from a cost center to vital business partner. Shel Holtz moderated the panel that included Priya Bates, Neil Griffiths, Ned Lundquist, and Jim Shaffer.Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #54: The Business Impact of Communication appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

A lot of organizations talk a good game about transparency but when push comes to shove, they can still seem secretive and opaque. Clearly, transparency doesn’t mean making every scrap of information available. Share your employees’ health records and you’ll be subject to penalties under HIPAA (in the U.S.). Reveal plans for product launches and... Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #53: Communication and Transparency appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

For many communicators, work is all about the craft of producing articles, posts, videos, and other content. Moving into the leadership ranks, however, requires more than great tactical skills and, in fact, more than great strategic planning capabilities. Senior-level communicators regularly advise and coach the company’s executives (and others) on how to communicate effectively, both in general and about specific issues. In episode 52 of the “Circle of Fellows” broadcast, four IABC Fellows discussed how to acquire coaching skills and apply them with company leaders. IABC Fellows participating in the discussion included Amanda Hamilton-Attwell, Jim Lukaszewski, Jim Shaffer, and Angela Sinickas.Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #52: On Being a Great Adviser and Coach appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

The news is full of cyber-attacks on organizations large and small, exposing sensitive customer and other information, forcing companies to pay ransoms to retrieve locked data, and creating public relations nightmares. In episode 51 of IABC’s Circle of Fellows broadcast, five IABC Fellows discussed the PR and internal communication aspects of cyber-attacks, including… The steps to prepare for a data breach Understanding your IT leaders and keeping the lines of communication open and clear Educating your employees about cybersecurity: What they need to know and do Recovering trust following a cyberattack: the road to reputational recovery. IABC Fellows participating in the discussion, moderated by Shel Holtz, included Priya Bates, John Deveney, Martha Muzychka, and Sheri Rosen.Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #51: The Looming Risk of Cyber-Attack — Are You Prepared? appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Communicators who lack specific expertise and/or resources inside the organization often turn to external consultants to help with everything from strategic planning to project execution. That relationship can be amazing, delivering exceptional results. It can also be a minefield, causing sleepless nights, unsatisfying results, and even diminished trust in the communicator from company leadership. In episode 50 of Circle of Fellows, four IABC Fellows discussed the consultant/client relationship, including… How to hire and manage an array of consultants in a gig economy How to build and maintain a corporate client base as an independent consultant Top five ways for consultants to build loyalty with their clients, and keep them coming back Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #50: Shaping the Client/Consultant Relationship appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

With dramatic, unpredictable change as a constant in business and technology, how can communication professionals help build resilient organizations and increase the resilience of employees in enterprise transformations? On episode 49 of Circle of Fellows, four IABC Fellows discussed the role of communication in facilitating changeContinue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #49: Ensuring Your Organization is Change Ready appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

The media landscape in which communicators operate is in constant flux. The various kinds of changes the environment goes through can be tumultuous, making it challenging for communicators to maintain alignment between their strategies and the channels and platforms available. Three IABC Fellows -- John Deveney, Brad Whitworth, and Stacy Wilson -- discussed these challenges as they relate to both internal and external communication on episode 48 of Circle of Fellows, the monthly panel discussion from IABC.Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #48: Communicating in an Ever-changing Media Environment appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

With so much data available, it can be difficult to determine what information is actually useful to track to measure the success of your communication activities.  What and how to measure in order to best inform your work and demonstrate communication impact is the next topic for discussion on Circle of Fellows. Episode #47 of the broadcast will explore measurement for both internal and external communication activities. IABC Fellows Neil Griffiths, Jim Shaffer, Angela Sinickas, and Stacy Wilson participated in a panel discussion moderated by Shel Holtz that explored various dimensions of metrics in communication, from measuring communication effectiveness to sharing information derived from data.Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #47: Cracking the Metrics Code appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

According to a study conducted by MIT Sloan Management Review and The Boston Consulting Group, three-quarters of executives believe that artificial intelligence (AI) will enable their companies to move into new businesses, and roughly 85% believe AI will allow their companies to obtain or sustain a competitive advantage. At noon ET on Thursday, June 20, a panel of Fellows from the International Association of Business Communicators will look at how AI is maturing and what it means to your company and communication practice. Four IABC Fellows -- Roger D’Aprix, Amanda Hamilton-Attwell, Mary Hills, and Ned Lundquist -- gathered for a conversation about the issues facing communicators as AI continues to evolve.Continue Reading → The post Circle of Fellows #46: Communicating With and About AI appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.