So we're now into the second month of 2010. We're officially out of recession and my CiB colleagues (or the Xchange team anyway), say that the only way the organisational communications market can move is up. I hope that's the case, though I've yet to see the fragile optimism translate into money in the bank.
But looking back on January - with the perspective of a whole day - I can already see that the month was quite a different proposition from its partner in 2009. I have been a lot busier than at this time last year, and while this isn't reflected in a poor billing month, there's definitely more reason to feel positive.
If I look at my January calendar I can see that barring a couple of snowed-out days, I was engaged in the dark arts of communication on every work day. I'd love to say it was all day every day: it wasn't. I'd love to say it was all fee-earning stuff: it wasn't.
In January 2009, I waited for the anticipated surge that has happened every year since I started Leapfrog in 2000. It never came. This year I didn't expect it. I had a few small pieces of work carrying over from December, and have completed or brought these close to completion over the last few weeks. Bits of billing have gone in, some more will happen over the next week, and more small tactical pieces of work have come my way. Not the much-needed 'big project', but all good stuff, and all a real step forward from this time last year.
What's been different from 2009 is the number of conversations I've had about upcoming work of all varieties, and the number of pieces of work - of all hues - that I've been asked to quote for. Not everything has been rosy, but the overall feel is that the market's finally beginning to move.
On the downside for me, I had some facilitation work that I hoped would lead to a larger piece of change comms work. My piece of the jigsaw went well - but the team made a crucial decision that day to run the project from Switzerland rather than the UK. It's the right decision and means they can resource the comms internally. It was tough to miss out on the work, but I hope the client saw enough in me to consider using me in the future. Certainly they were very positive about the planning/facilitation I did for them.
The upside is a number of conversations about work opportunities - some for ad-hoc support, others for the more encompassing 'big project'. These conversations just weren't happening 12 months ago. I've spent a significant amount of time putting pitch material together and the vibe feels a lot better than last year. While much of the quality work remains in-house, there's a bit more budget around, and certainly more appetite for communication as a means to prepare organisations for the upswing.
I now feel I'm on the runway, wheels rolling. It's a much better feeling than last year when I, and too many of my peers, were stuck in a snowdrift.
Showing posts with label CiB. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CiB. Show all posts
Monday, February 01, 2010
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Going Freelance course: November 17th, MK
I'll be running my session on going freelance again on November 17th in Milton Keynes. It's aimed at anyone with the urge for semi-detachment from the corporate world and is being offered through CiB. Here's their blurb for the event.
Introduction to freelancing: pitfalls and possibilities for communicators thinking of taking an independent route
Thinking of going it alone as a freelance communication professional? Whether you've always dreamed of being your own boss...or your current bosses are helping you grasp the opportunity, there's much to consider before you take the plunge. Experienced freelance communicator Mark Shanahan, who set up his business in a downturn almost a decade ago, will take you through all the necessary steps you'll need to take to get up and running.
This interactive session will enable you to consider whether you're the right kind of person to thrive outside the in-house environment; walk you through the options on how to trade; look at the practicalities from office accommodation through tax to finance and family and give you the insight you'll need to avoid the common pitfalls that afflict too many first-time freelancers.
Outline for the day:
10am-10.30: Introduction: why it makes sense to consider freelancing including who's who and aspirations for the day
10.30-12.00: what you need to do before you take the plunge: researching your market,your unique selling point, building your networks, finance, kit, office accommodation, family support, freelance temperament, structuring your business
12.00–13.00: networking lunch - share your plans and build your network13.00–14.00: implications of being freelance, pricing structures, billing, tax, pension/insurance/expenses, winning business, terms & conditions, personal development
14.00-15.00: Common pitfalls – cashflow, changing relationships - in-house to supplier, isolation
15.00-15.30: Making it happen - your action plan Round-up and close
All sessions will be interactive and the aim is to make this as much of a working conversation as possible: it won't be chalk and talk!
Location: Milton Keynes
Cost: £315 plus VAT
About the tutor: Mark Shanahan began his career with a three year stint on Which? magazine, before joining the PR department at Nationwide Building Society in 1989. He subsequently held communication management roles at Barclays Bank and the Forte Hotel Group and has been a director of Leapfrog Corporate Communications for the past nine years. During that time he has worked on major change programmes within Diageo and Orange and has also worked with a wide range of private and public service communication clients, including Aviva, the BBC, Northamptonshire County Council, UBM and United Utilities.
To sign up or find out more details, click here
Introduction to freelancing: pitfalls and possibilities for communicators thinking of taking an independent route
Thinking of going it alone as a freelance communication professional? Whether you've always dreamed of being your own boss...or your current bosses are helping you grasp the opportunity, there's much to consider before you take the plunge. Experienced freelance communicator Mark Shanahan, who set up his business in a downturn almost a decade ago, will take you through all the necessary steps you'll need to take to get up and running.
This interactive session will enable you to consider whether you're the right kind of person to thrive outside the in-house environment; walk you through the options on how to trade; look at the practicalities from office accommodation through tax to finance and family and give you the insight you'll need to avoid the common pitfalls that afflict too many first-time freelancers.
Outline for the day:
10am-10.30: Introduction: why it makes sense to consider freelancing including who's who and aspirations for the day
10.30-12.00: what you need to do before you take the plunge: researching your market,your unique selling point, building your networks, finance, kit, office accommodation, family support, freelance temperament, structuring your business
12.00–13.00: networking lunch - share your plans and build your network13.00–14.00: implications of being freelance, pricing structures, billing, tax, pension/insurance/expenses, winning business, terms & conditions, personal development
14.00-15.00: Common pitfalls – cashflow, changing relationships - in-house to supplier, isolation
15.00-15.30: Making it happen - your action plan Round-up and close
All sessions will be interactive and the aim is to make this as much of a working conversation as possible: it won't be chalk and talk!
Location: Milton Keynes
Cost: £315 plus VAT
About the tutor: Mark Shanahan began his career with a three year stint on Which? magazine, before joining the PR department at Nationwide Building Society in 1989. He subsequently held communication management roles at Barclays Bank and the Forte Hotel Group and has been a director of Leapfrog Corporate Communications for the past nine years. During that time he has worked on major change programmes within Diageo and Orange and has also worked with a wide range of private and public service communication clients, including Aviva, the BBC, Northamptonshire County Council, UBM and United Utilities.
To sign up or find out more details, click here
Friday, April 17, 2009
Training course: Introduction to Freelancing
I'm running a new training course for CiB on May 14th covering the pitfalls and possibilities for communicators thinking of taking an independent route.
Here's some of the blurb:
Whether you've always dreamed of being your own boss...or your current bosses are helping you grasp the opportunity, there's much to consider before you take the plunge. Experienced freelance communicator Mark Shanahan, who set up his business in a downturn almost a decade ago, will take you through all the necessary steps you'll need to take to get up and running.
This interactive session will enable you to consider whether you're the right kind of person to thrive outside the in-house environment; walk you through the options on how to trade; look at the practicalities from office accommodation through tax to finance and family and give you the insight you'll need to avoid the common pitfalls that afflict too many first-time freelancers.
Outline for the day:
10am-10.30: Introduction: why it makes sense to consider freelancing including who's who and aspirations for the day
10.30-12.00: what you need to do before you take the plunge: researching your market,your unique selling point, building your networks, finance, kit, office accommodation, family support, freelance temperament, structuring your business
12.00–13.00: networking lunch - share your plans and build your network
13.00–14.00: implications of being freelance, pricing structures, billing, tax, pension/insurance/expenses, winning business, terms & conditions, personal development
14.00-15.00: Common pitfalls – cashflow, changing relationships - in-house to supplier, isolation
15.00-15.30: Making it happen - your action plan
Round-up and close
All sessions will be interactive and the aim is to make this as much of a working conversation as possible: it won't be chalk and talk!
Location: Milton Keynes
Here's some of the blurb:
Whether you've always dreamed of being your own boss...or your current bosses are helping you grasp the opportunity, there's much to consider before you take the plunge. Experienced freelance communicator Mark Shanahan, who set up his business in a downturn almost a decade ago, will take you through all the necessary steps you'll need to take to get up and running.
This interactive session will enable you to consider whether you're the right kind of person to thrive outside the in-house environment; walk you through the options on how to trade; look at the practicalities from office accommodation through tax to finance and family and give you the insight you'll need to avoid the common pitfalls that afflict too many first-time freelancers.
Outline for the day:
10am-10.30: Introduction: why it makes sense to consider freelancing including who's who and aspirations for the day
10.30-12.00: what you need to do before you take the plunge: researching your market,your unique selling point, building your networks, finance, kit, office accommodation, family support, freelance temperament, structuring your business
12.00–13.00: networking lunch - share your plans and build your network
13.00–14.00: implications of being freelance, pricing structures, billing, tax, pension/insurance/expenses, winning business, terms & conditions, personal development
14.00-15.00: Common pitfalls – cashflow, changing relationships - in-house to supplier, isolation
15.00-15.30: Making it happen - your action plan
Round-up and close
All sessions will be interactive and the aim is to make this as much of a working conversation as possible: it won't be chalk and talk!
Location: Milton Keynes
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Making comms integral to business strategy
I've got a '10 top tips' piece in this month's Communicators magazine from CiB that bears repeating here:
10 top tips on making internal communication integral to business strategy
Internal communicators have a tough job in tough times – helping to engage people across the organisation in getting the job done, often against a backdrop of shrinking budgets, job cuts and everyone being asked to do more with less.
Many communicators haven’t experienced a recession before, and aren’t clear on how to bring the best value to the businesses they serve. But by focusing on business outcomes rather than communication outputs, they can demonstrate real value to their organisation – both in keeping engagement high, and in preparing for the upturn.
Here are my ten top tips on making communication integral to business strategy:
1. Understand key business drivers Make sure you understand where your organisation is heading; why it has chosen a particular direction and how it plans to get there. That way you can tailor communication to provide direct support for the strategy.
2. Understand the people drivers Know what makes people get up for work and keep coming back and make sure you know how communication can keep them engaged.
3. Recognise that there’s only one business strategy Your communication plan must be a recognised part of that strategy. If you’re operating in parallel, there’s far more room for a disconnect.
4. Internal Communication is part of the business planning process Long gone are the days when a decision is made and then we communicate it. Make sure you and your team have a voice at the business planning table.
5. Create a compelling narrative Work with your senior team to create – and regularly update – an honest, open storyline that explains where the business is; its key challenges and how everyone can play a part in delivering successful outcomes. This should underpin all communication activity.
6. Plan, prioritise and be decisive They key to effective internal communication in a downturn is doing a few things well. Focus on what’s essential and be ruthless in ditching the ‘nice to haves’.
7. Set objectives, success criteria roles and responsibilities The object is to move the business forward – work out how communication will do that; and how you’ll know you’ve achieved your aims.
8. Think impact, not output Internal communication is about helping people achieve business goals. So find the way to achieve that goal most effectively rather than automatically opting for the ‘prestige’ communication tools.
9. Empower others Effective internal communication is the responsibility of everyone in an organisation – it’s not just down to the comms team. But give people the skills and tools to play an active and positive part and make it easy for them to comply with the process.
10. Be an objective expert Be seen as the fount of communication expertise that will improve your organisation’s fortunes. Keep in close and direct contact with key leaders and influencers at all levels. Don’t be submissive or subversive and work on influencing the influencers.
Mark Shanahan is a director of Leapfrog Corporate Communication which bridges the gap between strategic consultancies and tactical communication agencies. He will be leading the CiB ‘From Output to Outcome’ training course in London on April 28th. Full details are available at www.cib.uk.com.
Internal communicators have a tough job in tough times – helping to engage people across the organisation in getting the job done, often against a backdrop of shrinking budgets, job cuts and everyone being asked to do more with less.
Many communicators haven’t experienced a recession before, and aren’t clear on how to bring the best value to the businesses they serve. But by focusing on business outcomes rather than communication outputs, they can demonstrate real value to their organisation – both in keeping engagement high, and in preparing for the upturn.
Here are my ten top tips on making communication integral to business strategy:
1. Understand key business drivers Make sure you understand where your organisation is heading; why it has chosen a particular direction and how it plans to get there. That way you can tailor communication to provide direct support for the strategy.
2. Understand the people drivers Know what makes people get up for work and keep coming back and make sure you know how communication can keep them engaged.
3. Recognise that there’s only one business strategy Your communication plan must be a recognised part of that strategy. If you’re operating in parallel, there’s far more room for a disconnect.
4. Internal Communication is part of the business planning process Long gone are the days when a decision is made and then we communicate it. Make sure you and your team have a voice at the business planning table.
5. Create a compelling narrative Work with your senior team to create – and regularly update – an honest, open storyline that explains where the business is; its key challenges and how everyone can play a part in delivering successful outcomes. This should underpin all communication activity.
6. Plan, prioritise and be decisive They key to effective internal communication in a downturn is doing a few things well. Focus on what’s essential and be ruthless in ditching the ‘nice to haves’.
7. Set objectives, success criteria roles and responsibilities The object is to move the business forward – work out how communication will do that; and how you’ll know you’ve achieved your aims.
8. Think impact, not output Internal communication is about helping people achieve business goals. So find the way to achieve that goal most effectively rather than automatically opting for the ‘prestige’ communication tools.
9. Empower others Effective internal communication is the responsibility of everyone in an organisation – it’s not just down to the comms team. But give people the skills and tools to play an active and positive part and make it easy for them to comply with the process.
10. Be an objective expert Be seen as the fount of communication expertise that will improve your organisation’s fortunes. Keep in close and direct contact with key leaders and influencers at all levels. Don’t be submissive or subversive and work on influencing the influencers.
Mark Shanahan is a director of Leapfrog Corporate Communication which bridges the gap between strategic consultancies and tactical communication agencies. He will be leading the CiB ‘From Output to Outcome’ training course in London on April 28th. Full details are available at www.cib.uk.com.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
New course date for 'output to outcome'
I'll be running a revamped and updated version of my From Output to Outcome course through CiB on April 28th in London.
Here's the blurb:
The global economic downturn has placed ever greater responsibility on internal communicators to add tangible value to their organisation. That means being seen to deliver more for the business than simply managing corporate media. This courses links internal communication directly to business strategy so that communicators are delivering communication outcomes that directly contribute to driving the business forward.
You will learn how to:
- make communication an integral part of the business planning process
- use challenge and build with business leaders
- shine when the going gets tough
- think impact first, media second
- make communication a process - not a series of set-piece events
- use the line more effectively to manage messages and response
- manage the communication needs of different audiences
- embrace 'horses for courses'
- create learning loops.
There will also be hints and tips on how communicators can be the conscience, challenge, diplomat, creative genius and commercial guru every organisation needs when times are tough.
About the tutor
Mark Shanahan began his career with a three year stint on Which? magazine, before joining the PR department at Nationwide Building Society in 1989. He subsequently held communication management roles at Barclays Bank and the Forte Hotel Group and has been a director of Leapfrog Corporate Communications for the past nine years. During that time he has worked on major change programmes within Diageo and Orange and has also worked with a wide range of private and public service communication clients, including Aviva, the BBC, CMS Cameron McKenna, Northamptonshire County Council, UBM and United Utilities.
Full booking details are here
Monday, December 01, 2008
Is it always the communicator's fault?
This seems to be becoming my Monday morning habit now - warm up for the working week with a blog entry. Actually, it's a habit I'll aim to break swiftly. However, the pace of work did pick up last week meaning I hadn't got too much time to stop and take stock of what was going on around me.
One thing I got caught up in towards the end of the week was the debate around CiB's proposed change of name - part of the package for the organisation to focus ever more on internal communication and, eventually, reach the status of chartered Institute.
Some freelancers are getting irate on two fronts. One, that the CiB awards are now focused only on IC categories, and two, that they haven't been made aware of the name change proposal.
On the first point, I'm fully in favour of CiB tightening its criteria, sharpening its focus and making a concrete move to grab the internal comms high ground. It's a brave move and one that probably should have taken place years ago. But all credit to the Board who are making it happen now. More power to them.
I found myself - from a position of ordinary member without office - defending them on the second point as six or eight freelancers chipped in that they hadn't heard about the name change.
From what I can tell, it's a proposed change that will be voted on in May. It has been actively discussed for almost two years, and has featured in Communicators, the chairman's blog, Council papers and on the CiB website. Yet this was clearly seen as not enough.
One member said: "For an organisation that aspires to be the Institute of Internal Communications this is really a very poor example of communication. Members should not have to read a chairman's blog or delve through the website to know what is being planned. When internal comms fail it is the fault of the communicators not the audience."
And thereby lies the rub with volunteer-run member organisations. They can't be a one way street. For one thing here we're talking about the early stages of a significant shift that's designed to put CiB at the heart of the internal communication debate. But the key communication campaign was never set to start until the new year, so we're all getting our shots off early on this one anyway.
Second, in a volunteer-run member organisation members should have to do a little work to ensure they're connected with what's going on - especially if they are communicators themselves. Surely we should be interested enough in the organisation to take the time to read what's sent out? Surely we should be helping to set the agenda not meekly following it - or rumbling on discontentedly when it doesn't fit our personal circumstances?
Sometimes I despair.
Communication is a two-way relationship. However good the communication, there will always be some who choose not to listen.
It seems we can take the horses to water, but we can't make them walk on it.
One thing I got caught up in towards the end of the week was the debate around CiB's proposed change of name - part of the package for the organisation to focus ever more on internal communication and, eventually, reach the status of chartered Institute.
Some freelancers are getting irate on two fronts. One, that the CiB awards are now focused only on IC categories, and two, that they haven't been made aware of the name change proposal.
On the first point, I'm fully in favour of CiB tightening its criteria, sharpening its focus and making a concrete move to grab the internal comms high ground. It's a brave move and one that probably should have taken place years ago. But all credit to the Board who are making it happen now. More power to them.
I found myself - from a position of ordinary member without office - defending them on the second point as six or eight freelancers chipped in that they hadn't heard about the name change.
From what I can tell, it's a proposed change that will be voted on in May. It has been actively discussed for almost two years, and has featured in Communicators, the chairman's blog, Council papers and on the CiB website. Yet this was clearly seen as not enough.
One member said: "For an organisation that aspires to be the Institute of Internal Communications this is really a very poor example of communication. Members should not have to read a chairman's blog or delve through the website to know what is being planned. When internal comms fail it is the fault of the communicators not the audience."
And thereby lies the rub with volunteer-run member organisations. They can't be a one way street. For one thing here we're talking about the early stages of a significant shift that's designed to put CiB at the heart of the internal communication debate. But the key communication campaign was never set to start until the new year, so we're all getting our shots off early on this one anyway.
Second, in a volunteer-run member organisation members should have to do a little work to ensure they're connected with what's going on - especially if they are communicators themselves. Surely we should be interested enough in the organisation to take the time to read what's sent out? Surely we should be helping to set the agenda not meekly following it - or rumbling on discontentedly when it doesn't fit our personal circumstances?
Sometimes I despair.
Communication is a two-way relationship. However good the communication, there will always be some who choose not to listen.
It seems we can take the horses to water, but we can't make them walk on it.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Hail Fellow, well met
Busy old week, this week, and not a lot of time to pause for breath. However, I was most chuffed to get one email yesterday afternoon from CiB's National Chairman, Paul Brasington. It read, in part:
Dear Mark
Hope all is well with you. One of my more pleasant duties as CiB chairman concerns the association’s recognition of the highest standards of professional practice. Its fellowships are awarded only to a limited number of members working at the top of the profession and so I am delighted to be able to congratulate you on your election as a CiB fellow.....
Now I have a pop at CiB every now and again - normally for not being as fleet of foot as I would like it to be, but it's the one professional organisation I've been a member of continuously for the past two decades (well, 19 years anyway). It's a very nice feeling to be recognised by my peers.
So, I've had a grin on my face for most of the last 24 hours, and I'm looking forward to collecting my certificate (or whatever marks a fellowship) in London next month.
Now, I must dig out the invoice and pay my subs.....!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Do qualifications matter?
I'm in the midst of an interesting day's interviewing. So far, I've been fixing up interviews with the female finance director of a truck company and one of CNBC's anchors here in the UK. I've also interviewed an HRD with 40 years' experience in the NHS and will soon be interviewing a current Health Service HRD. I'll finish my round of interviews by speaking to Walt Cunningham, the last surviving member of the first Apollo mission - Apollo 7, which launched, coincidentally, almost 40 years ago.
Meanwhile I've interviewed the CEO of a District council and will soon be interviewing the Deputy CEO of a Moscow-based investment bank about how their ACA qualifications (to become Chartered Accountants) have influenced their careers.
Both have eschewed traditional finance roles and have built strong commercial careers but have built from the basis of a strong professional qualification.
This is something that internal communication has never had - and something I've been driving for throughout my career.
For IC to be taken seriously within business and to have status alongside marketing, HR, and other complementary business skills, we need accredited professional development underpinned by rigorous examination - we need a CIPD/CIM specifically for Internal Communications. Until then, we will always be seen as a sub-function of some other discipline.
There's a poll running on the CIB website asking 'How important is a professional qualification in internal communications to you?' At the time of writing, it's depressing to note that only 7.9% see it as vital, while almost a quarter rate it as not important.
If we are to raise standards and orientate IC so that it is a valuable and valued business function, CEOs should be demanding professional qualifications from their communicators; HRDs should be recruiting on the basis of these qualifications and communicators should be differentiating themselves from the pack by excelling in an accredited environment.
The big problem at the moment is that the qualifications don't yet exist. I've got a BAIE Certificate in Industrial Editing and a BACB Diploma in business communications from the early 90s - but the qualifications don't exist any more and were far too focused on business journalism anyway.
Today's communicator needs to have a commercial understanding of business; an understanding of a balance sheet and how to interpret business strategy; an eye of the market around them and a knowledge of what motivates employees to achieve for their organisation. The core skills around making words and images work are a give; they're the start point not the end point for a n internal communications career today.
CiB is changing and evolving, but if it wants to be the organisation for IC professionals, it has to grab the accredited development mantle, and grab it fast - and it has to build an understanding among its members of why professional qualifications need to become a 'must have' not a 'nice to have' for the industry.
Meanwhile I've interviewed the CEO of a District council and will soon be interviewing the Deputy CEO of a Moscow-based investment bank about how their ACA qualifications (to become Chartered Accountants) have influenced their careers.
Both have eschewed traditional finance roles and have built strong commercial careers but have built from the basis of a strong professional qualification.
This is something that internal communication has never had - and something I've been driving for throughout my career.
For IC to be taken seriously within business and to have status alongside marketing, HR, and other complementary business skills, we need accredited professional development underpinned by rigorous examination - we need a CIPD/CIM specifically for Internal Communications. Until then, we will always be seen as a sub-function of some other discipline.
There's a poll running on the CIB website asking 'How important is a professional qualification in internal communications to you?' At the time of writing, it's depressing to note that only 7.9% see it as vital, while almost a quarter rate it as not important.
If we are to raise standards and orientate IC so that it is a valuable and valued business function, CEOs should be demanding professional qualifications from their communicators; HRDs should be recruiting on the basis of these qualifications and communicators should be differentiating themselves from the pack by excelling in an accredited environment.
The big problem at the moment is that the qualifications don't yet exist. I've got a BAIE Certificate in Industrial Editing and a BACB Diploma in business communications from the early 90s - but the qualifications don't exist any more and were far too focused on business journalism anyway.
Today's communicator needs to have a commercial understanding of business; an understanding of a balance sheet and how to interpret business strategy; an eye of the market around them and a knowledge of what motivates employees to achieve for their organisation. The core skills around making words and images work are a give; they're the start point not the end point for a n internal communications career today.
CiB is changing and evolving, but if it wants to be the organisation for IC professionals, it has to grab the accredited development mantle, and grab it fast - and it has to build an understanding among its members of why professional qualifications need to become a 'must have' not a 'nice to have' for the industry.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Hmmm moments number 2
Over lunch today I flicked over to the CiB site to see what's new in the world of professional internal communicators.
One thing I found is that CiB is trumpeting its new agreement with Xchangeteam to carry the agency's job and freelance opportunity ads. On the surface it's looks a pretty good move. But digging deeper, I have my doubts. Now I'm wondering if such advertising is actually doing a disservice to CiB members.
My experience of Xchangeteam is that the rates they offer/broker for freelancers and micro-businesses in particular are at the low end, often very low - and certainly the job highlighted below, (taken from the CiB website) and the responsibilities that come with it - seem to bear that out.
Area: LondonRate: £120 – 160 a day
My experience of Xchangeteam is that the rates they offer/broker for freelancers and micro-businesses in particular are at the low end, often very low - and certainly the job highlighted below, (taken from the CiB website) and the responsibilities that come with it - seem to bear that out.
Area: LondonRate: £120 – 160 a day
Our client is a global corporate organisation that places high value on the role of Internal Communications. Working within the London office, they are looking for a talented Writer to write for their internal staff magazine produced every six weeks.
Person specification:
You will have experience of working on a client/staff magazine
Be confident interviewing varying levels of staff – including senior management
Be able to write confidently and with creative flair
Liaise internally with the client and the IC Manager on angle and content of articles produced
Have solid writing and editing skills
Be able to work to deadlines and schedule
Person specification:
You will have experience of working on a client/staff magazine
Be confident interviewing varying levels of staff – including senior management
Be able to write confidently and with creative flair
Liaise internally with the client and the IC Manager on angle and content of articles produced
Have solid writing and editing skills
Be able to work to deadlines and schedule
Of course the market will dictate was the going rate for any job is, but if CiB is accepting and promoting job ads at such low daily rates, is it not tacitly acknowledging these as acceptable? If that's the case, isn't there a danger that it could drag rates down for all professional communicators?
I'd question any organisation that says it places high value on the role of internal communications, and then expects to pay £120 a day for an experienced, confident professional.
In return for a quick buck from Xchangeteam, isn't CiB shooting itself in the foot and devaluing the worth of its members?
I'm normally very supportive of CiB, but this doesn't appear to be its smartest bit of business.
Another hmmmm moment indeed.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Out with the old and all that
So it's January 2nd and I'm back at my desk though I can't say I'm really working. My three kids are much in evidence around the place today and most of my clients are still off so it's a chance over the next couple of hours to clear the mountain of 'pending' that piled up during a very busy December before the pressure to entertain my offspring means work has to take a second place to Christmas holiday activities.
Christmas and New Year passed off pretty well here and this this very short lull before the grindstone gets turning again has given me a bit of time to reflect on the good and bad parts of 2007.
The pluses
Leapfrog has been busier than in the two previous years with a good variety of work mixing b2b publication work with change projects and tactical internal comms projects. I spent a lot of time with one particular client, but for once managed to keep my other work going in parallel without any client work suffering.
I've had some of my history writing published in BBC History Magazine and am working on a commission for a publication detailing the secret role of one of the UK's stately homes during WW2.
I've embarked on an MA in International Relations at Brunel University , and while it's tougher than anything I do in work, and has taken just about every spare hour I have in the week just to keep up with the reading, it really has given me a new spark. After probably five years of feeling in a bit of a rut about work, I'm finally seeing real possibilities to expand into new areas - and perhaps take a slightly different direction once the course is complete.
On the margins
My TV wannabe-ness got me onto the BBC's Mastermind. It was a fabulous experience and I felt great just to get through the selection process and into the famous black leather chair. But once there, nerves and a slightly daft selection of specialist subject combined. While I was never going to win the heat, I didn't do as well as I could or should, so left the studios in Manchester a little disappointed with my own performance.
Minuses
One downside of being a microbusiness has been having to turn down work. For the first time in three years I've been approached for projects I simply didn't have the capacity to fulfil. some I was able to pass on to associates, but I simply had to knock back a few other opportunities. 2007 was certainly the year when a couple of clones would have been very useful.
Another downside of being stretched workwise and by the MA was having to give up my CiB involvement for the time being. The final straw for this was the huge apathy within the organisation for making the changes necessary for it to remain relevant to the communications industry. There are a few people who do a great job to keep CiB going - but it's all too few. For a year, I was part of a membership group that delivered very little. Partly this was the perennial problem of a volunteer organisation: too little time and little money to back plans. But more so it was down to a much wider apathy. Initiatives got little support and most members simply wanted to get everything spoon-fed without making any effort to put anything back in. Around 70 people out of over 1100 could be bothered to vote in council elections, and when just 62 participated in a CiB-sponsored communications survey in the Autumn I really felt I was wasting my time. I had little enough of that time available anyway, so putting CiB on the back burner wasn't hard.
Finally, 2007 saw the usual tale of projects that started but got pulled; late payments and mounting costs. I'll need to review my rates early this year, since they haven't really changed for rather too long now, while all of my costs have spiralled. The present government has made it harder and more expensive to run a business, and too much of my time is spent on bureaucracy when I should be earning money. We may well face a consumer recession this year, and I'm genuinely apprehensive about how the credit crunch will affect this distant link on the business food chain.
However, I'm going into 2008 with a good pipeline, strong contacts and enough nous to get me through any potential tough times.
Anyway, I hear the call of squabbling kids....
Christmas and New Year passed off pretty well here and this this very short lull before the grindstone gets turning again has given me a bit of time to reflect on the good and bad parts of 2007.
The pluses
Leapfrog has been busier than in the two previous years with a good variety of work mixing b2b publication work with change projects and tactical internal comms projects. I spent a lot of time with one particular client, but for once managed to keep my other work going in parallel without any client work suffering.
I've had some of my history writing published in BBC History Magazine and am working on a commission for a publication detailing the secret role of one of the UK's stately homes during WW2.
I've embarked on an MA in International Relations at Brunel University , and while it's tougher than anything I do in work, and has taken just about every spare hour I have in the week just to keep up with the reading, it really has given me a new spark. After probably five years of feeling in a bit of a rut about work, I'm finally seeing real possibilities to expand into new areas - and perhaps take a slightly different direction once the course is complete.
On the margins
My TV wannabe-ness got me onto the BBC's Mastermind. It was a fabulous experience and I felt great just to get through the selection process and into the famous black leather chair. But once there, nerves and a slightly daft selection of specialist subject combined. While I was never going to win the heat, I didn't do as well as I could or should, so left the studios in Manchester a little disappointed with my own performance.
Minuses
One downside of being a microbusiness has been having to turn down work. For the first time in three years I've been approached for projects I simply didn't have the capacity to fulfil. some I was able to pass on to associates, but I simply had to knock back a few other opportunities. 2007 was certainly the year when a couple of clones would have been very useful.
Another downside of being stretched workwise and by the MA was having to give up my CiB involvement for the time being. The final straw for this was the huge apathy within the organisation for making the changes necessary for it to remain relevant to the communications industry. There are a few people who do a great job to keep CiB going - but it's all too few. For a year, I was part of a membership group that delivered very little. Partly this was the perennial problem of a volunteer organisation: too little time and little money to back plans. But more so it was down to a much wider apathy. Initiatives got little support and most members simply wanted to get everything spoon-fed without making any effort to put anything back in. Around 70 people out of over 1100 could be bothered to vote in council elections, and when just 62 participated in a CiB-sponsored communications survey in the Autumn I really felt I was wasting my time. I had little enough of that time available anyway, so putting CiB on the back burner wasn't hard.
Finally, 2007 saw the usual tale of projects that started but got pulled; late payments and mounting costs. I'll need to review my rates early this year, since they haven't really changed for rather too long now, while all of my costs have spiralled. The present government has made it harder and more expensive to run a business, and too much of my time is spent on bureaucracy when I should be earning money. We may well face a consumer recession this year, and I'm genuinely apprehensive about how the credit crunch will affect this distant link on the business food chain.
However, I'm going into 2008 with a good pipeline, strong contacts and enough nous to get me through any potential tough times.
Anyway, I hear the call of squabbling kids....
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Cybervetting and all that
I'm having an interesting dig in the digital dirt to put together a piece on NetReps, cyber-vetting and all that, and it has got me to thinking about my own cyber presence. I obviously blog, but my footprint's also all over my Facebook profile, My LinkedIn profile and, as of today, my ViaDeo profile (though I can't find it at the moment!).
I'm also listed on the CiB freelance directory, the CIoJ's directory and in one or two others that are only on paper. Somewhere in cyberspace, old versions of my cv are sitting on Monster, at the IABC and one one or two other sites - and all probably say slightly different things.
Now for me that's not a problem. I run my own business and I'm not looking for another job. but what if I was? Is my footprint consistent? Are there flaws in my NetRep that might exclude me from that perfect job or do the inconsistencies in my online presence raise any questions in recruiters' minds? On the other hand, is cyber-me so exciting that search specialists might just check me out to see if I'm interested in prospective roles?
Before today, I hadn't really given it much thought....perhaps now I should devote a few minutes to eliminating any prospective web-negativity.....or maybe not.
I'm also listed on the CiB freelance directory, the CIoJ's directory and in one or two others that are only on paper. Somewhere in cyberspace, old versions of my cv are sitting on Monster, at the IABC and one one or two other sites - and all probably say slightly different things.
Now for me that's not a problem. I run my own business and I'm not looking for another job. but what if I was? Is my footprint consistent? Are there flaws in my NetRep that might exclude me from that perfect job or do the inconsistencies in my online presence raise any questions in recruiters' minds? On the other hand, is cyber-me so exciting that search specialists might just check me out to see if I'm interested in prospective roles?
Before today, I hadn't really given it much thought....perhaps now I should devote a few minutes to eliminating any prospective web-negativity.....or maybe not.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Recognising business value - not the best use of a comma in a built-up area
Once again it's awards season and I'm frustrated as ever by the internal communications industry's abiding fascination with recognising publications - in whatever form they're produced - rather than their business impact.
Whether it's CiB, IABC or any of the other industry award bodies, we're too often judged in a beauty parade on the look and feel of our publications rather than on how they achieve business success and what value they bring to the organisation they represent. That's horribly skewed thinking.
External publications exist to generate sales and turn a nice profit. Therefore, they need to look good and read well to stand out from the competition. They need to understand their audience implicitly and appeal to whatever the instinct is that generates a purchasing decision.
Internal communication is different - for one thing, readers don't pay for that magazine or intranet - and many choose to ignore the content foisted on them. We can't judge these publications in the same terms.
Shouldn't we be looking instead at their objectives within a corporate business strategy and how well they've delivered on those objectives? Wouldn't it be great to be the communicator who could stand up and say 'My communication won an award because we could show how it contributed to my organisation's success.' It's absolutely about understanding the readership and connecting with them - but to a business end, and that's not all about looking sleek and glossy.
An award based on a measure of true, tangible and measurable business value would be far for powerful to me than simply to have picked up a fairly meaningless certificate in a beauty parade.
Whether it's CiB, IABC or any of the other industry award bodies, we're too often judged in a beauty parade on the look and feel of our publications rather than on how they achieve business success and what value they bring to the organisation they represent. That's horribly skewed thinking.
External publications exist to generate sales and turn a nice profit. Therefore, they need to look good and read well to stand out from the competition. They need to understand their audience implicitly and appeal to whatever the instinct is that generates a purchasing decision.
Internal communication is different - for one thing, readers don't pay for that magazine or intranet - and many choose to ignore the content foisted on them. We can't judge these publications in the same terms.
Shouldn't we be looking instead at their objectives within a corporate business strategy and how well they've delivered on those objectives? Wouldn't it be great to be the communicator who could stand up and say 'My communication won an award because we could show how it contributed to my organisation's success.' It's absolutely about understanding the readership and connecting with them - but to a business end, and that's not all about looking sleek and glossy.
An award based on a measure of true, tangible and measurable business value would be far for powerful to me than simply to have picked up a fairly meaningless certificate in a beauty parade.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Close to home is best
When it comes to strategic communication, I've always believed that organisations that drive the communication themselves are far more likely to achieve the best results.
While external agencies and consultancies can offer great ideas, great process and sometimes even extra legs in making whatever change is necessary happen, they're far less likely to make change stick by imposing solutions from the outside.
This seems to be borne out in the latest CiB Strategy Awards. Almost all have gone to in-house teams: the people who are closest to the issues their organisations face. I work regularly on change programmes, but always strive to hand the real running of such projects in-house as soon as possible. I know how I can influence and affect change - but my presence as an external supplier will never be as powerful as the buy-in and delivery from managers who will have to live with the changes long after I've moved on.
While external agencies and consultancies can offer great ideas, great process and sometimes even extra legs in making whatever change is necessary happen, they're far less likely to make change stick by imposing solutions from the outside.
This seems to be borne out in the latest CiB Strategy Awards. Almost all have gone to in-house teams: the people who are closest to the issues their organisations face. I work regularly on change programmes, but always strive to hand the real running of such projects in-house as soon as possible. I know how I can influence and affect change - but my presence as an external supplier will never be as powerful as the buy-in and delivery from managers who will have to live with the changes long after I've moved on.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Hearty frustration
There have been two lively threads running on the CiB's freelance forum - one of the most useful resources for communicators in the UK. The first concerns the pretty dreadful standards - or, indeed, complete lack of punctuation prevalent among both school kids and new entrants to the world of work; while the second explores the polarities of 'the best communication for corporates'.
Now my position on the first debate is that English is dynamic and that we can't afford to be too stuffy in the way it's used today. The rules change as the generations change and our role as communicators is to ensure we reach the right audiences in a way that's relevant to them.
Personally, I hate sloppy punctuation; I hate txt-spk and lazy English. But I'm not stuck in a time warp. We can still write good English that connects with all ages - and be grammatical too. And perhaps, as professional communicators, the standards we set for grammar and punctuation may just be taken up by some of the non-professional-communicators who operate in every organisation today.
On the second debate, I get heartily fed up with people who jump either into the print or the electronic camps. Both print and electronic channels are a means to an end. Surely communication is what organisations make of it? That means finding the best ways to create dialogue with audiences that enable them to do their job better and feel better about doing it. Too often these CiB debates get hung up on the tools and provide a lot of heat but little light on how best we can make the right connections.
Print and electronic both have their place - as does face-to-face. The magic is finding the right blend.
Now my position on the first debate is that English is dynamic and that we can't afford to be too stuffy in the way it's used today. The rules change as the generations change and our role as communicators is to ensure we reach the right audiences in a way that's relevant to them.
Personally, I hate sloppy punctuation; I hate txt-spk and lazy English. But I'm not stuck in a time warp. We can still write good English that connects with all ages - and be grammatical too. And perhaps, as professional communicators, the standards we set for grammar and punctuation may just be taken up by some of the non-professional-communicators who operate in every organisation today.
On the second debate, I get heartily fed up with people who jump either into the print or the electronic camps. Both print and electronic channels are a means to an end. Surely communication is what organisations make of it? That means finding the best ways to create dialogue with audiences that enable them to do their job better and feel better about doing it. Too often these CiB debates get hung up on the tools and provide a lot of heat but little light on how best we can make the right connections.
Print and electronic both have their place - as does face-to-face. The magic is finding the right blend.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
One size doesn't fit all
I really enjoy delivering training. Actually, I enjoy the whole process of assessing a need; building a programme that addresses that need and then working through that programme with people who will really benefit from it.
It's something I do from time to time in house with clients, and also through CiB. In fact, the next O2O course is set to run on November 21. Of course CiB is a not for profit - its courses are, in the main excellent, but they're inexpensive: generally coming in at under £300 per delegate for the day. The downside is that I don't earn a lot from those days - but I think they give me a certain civic sense of having put something back in to my profession.
But sometimes I'm a wee bit gobsmacked when I see what other providers charge.....especially when I'm left wondering how much they're tailoring the offering - or not - for their local audiences. Marc Wright from Simply Communicate dropped me a note recently inviting me to take part in the Advanced Writing and Editing Seminar he's running in conjunction with one of the chaps from Ragan. On the surface it looks a good deal - a tad under £1,200 for a two day workshop delivered by two participants.
But two things struck me. First: Marc informed me that 'Written communication is pretty lackluster at 90 percent of companies ....' - okay, a sweeping statement, but do I want to go on a writing course in London where the provider can't spell lacklustre? It smacks of a bit of lazy marketing: taking an American promo piece and just cutting and pasting it in.
Second: Marc informed me that this was the course for me if......
It's something I do from time to time in house with clients, and also through CiB. In fact, the next O2O course is set to run on November 21. Of course CiB is a not for profit - its courses are, in the main excellent, but they're inexpensive: generally coming in at under £300 per delegate for the day. The downside is that I don't earn a lot from those days - but I think they give me a certain civic sense of having put something back in to my profession.
But sometimes I'm a wee bit gobsmacked when I see what other providers charge.....especially when I'm left wondering how much they're tailoring the offering - or not - for their local audiences. Marc Wright from Simply Communicate dropped me a note recently inviting me to take part in the Advanced Writing and Editing Seminar he's running in conjunction with one of the chaps from Ragan. On the surface it looks a good deal - a tad under £1,200 for a two day workshop delivered by two participants.
But two things struck me. First: Marc informed me that 'Written communication is pretty lackluster at 90 percent of companies ....' - okay, a sweeping statement, but do I want to go on a writing course in London where the provider can't spell lacklustre? It smacks of a bit of lazy marketing: taking an American promo piece and just cutting and pasting it in.
Second: Marc informed me that this was the course for me if......
- You’re new to corporate communications; this seminar will give you the tools to succeed
- You’re a veteran communicator; AWE will give you new ideas, recharge your batteries, fix some bad habits and get you out of a rut
- You’re struggling with communication of any kind; AWE is the place to get some real answers!
So, it's something for everyone......which, from my experience, means a poor compromise for anyone. I've got 20 years plus in the business, and don't want to be spending my time going slowly over the basics with rookie writers. And if I was a newbie, I'd want to work with my peers, not the seasoned to cynicals looking to recharge their batteries.
The best training I've had has always been bespoke or tailored for a particular audience. O2O is definitely for experienced professionals and if any newbies came my way I'd point them to something more basic. Courses like AWE leave me cold: I get the feeling that they're about cramming as many delegates in as possible to maximise the return. With comms training, one size doesn't fit all and heightens the risk of pleasing no-one.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Great idea - shame about the old news
Ragan sent me my first daily headlines today - whoopee - a daily round-up of all that's hip and happening in IC. The one that caught my eye was the new research giving the lowdown on the state of IC in the UK. Only one problem: the research is six months old and was first presented at the CiB Annual Conference in May.
So Ragan guys - many congrats on getting your daily headlines out......but you may have shot yourselves in the foot just a tad with your breaking news that's six months old.
We do have the CiB IC Index survey for inhouse IC professionals about to close....maybe some of Ragan's readers would like to contribute? There are just a few days left..... and I'm sure we can share the results with Ragan rather sooner after they're published than today's first effort.
So Ragan guys - many congrats on getting your daily headlines out......but you may have shot yourselves in the foot just a tad with your breaking news that's six months old.
We do have the CiB IC Index survey for inhouse IC professionals about to close....maybe some of Ragan's readers would like to contribute? There are just a few days left..... and I'm sure we can share the results with Ragan rather sooner after they're published than today's first effort.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Several steps away from the board; working for HR or Corporate Comms....but the budgets are getting bigger
CiB are running a survey to gauge where in house communicators sit in terms of seniority, budgetary control and to look at the kind of work they're involved in. The survey's also looking at the relationship between CEOs and IC.
I've had a look at the early results, and while it's too early to draw too many conclusions, the function still seems largely split between Corp Comms and HR control; no-one so far is operating at board level, and there are a fair few loan IC-ers out there.
What's encouraging is that there seems to be more budget for IC than a few years ago and, most encouragingly, more budget as a proportional spend when compared with external comms.
The survey's set to run for a wee while yet, so if you haven't had a chance to complete it, why not give it a five minute whirl now?
I've had a look at the early results, and while it's too early to draw too many conclusions, the function still seems largely split between Corp Comms and HR control; no-one so far is operating at board level, and there are a fair few loan IC-ers out there.
What's encouraging is that there seems to be more budget for IC than a few years ago and, most encouragingly, more budget as a proportional spend when compared with external comms.
The survey's set to run for a wee while yet, so if you haven't had a chance to complete it, why not give it a five minute whirl now?
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Interested in outcomes more than outputs?
There are just two places left on my Output to Outcome course which I'll be running through CiB in London on June 19th. I only run the course for small groups, so there's plenty of time to look at individual circumstances and scenarios during the day.
If you want to know more about it, give me a shout at mark.shanahan@leapfrogcomms.com.
If you want to know more about it, give me a shout at mark.shanahan@leapfrogcomms.com.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
After the Lord Mayor's show
Last week was a good week - hectic and challenging up front, with a curate's egg of a conference to follow.
I'd taken on a workshop at short notice so spent Wednesday in one of those classic windowless conference rooms provided by older hotels talking catering strategies with a disparate group from across the UK and Ireland. There was just time to change when I got home before hitting the motorway for a drive up to Newcastle - 280 miles when I was already feeling tired.
I was peripherally involved in the organisation of the CiB's Annual Conference which culminated in a glitzy awards evening attended by almost 400 people.
The conference attracted about a third of that number and when not trying to talk to members about their issues and thoughts on the Association, I was able to attend some of the sessions - and what a mixed bag it was.
To be honest, the first day worried me. There was no 'wow' factor, and the event was pitched at too low a level. The senior communicators I met were restive, after the likes of Shay McConnon had told us at great length about the basics of business relationship building (a few great nuggets, but stretched to nearly an hour - and delivered quite aggressively!) and Dr. Steven Windmill had told us how he'd won the war....single handed (at least that's what he sounded as though he was talking about). The lesson learned? Never book a speaker unless you've seen them in action. The CiB audience is bright, demanding, savvy - and a bit more senior than one might expect. Ever more, we demand stronger speakers.
Steve Bevan of the Work Foundation took us through some interesting , though not ground breaking, findings from IC.UK Work Foundation Survey which begged the question - is the UK falling behind the field? Social communication hardly got a mention and the survey appeared to show we're still a nation of Generation Xers using our tried and testeds to communicate to (and occasionally with) the Yers and after now rapidly advancing in organisations.
Somehow, it felt like a trick was missed.
Thankfully, Friday showed the upside of the conference Ben Page from Ipsos Mori was great; I particularly enjoyed the crap-cutting Judith Thomas ex-of 10 Downing Street, and apparently (though I'd scuttled off elsewhere), Em Whitfield Brooks and Jim Montague from The Sage had the participants on their feet and singing.
My gut feel was that the conference was pitched too low. We needed more Ben Pages and fewer Steven Windmills - and getting 60 people singing was probably more for a workshop than a plenary session (the fact that half the participants weren't in the room says quite a lot). Actually, we needed more workshops and less chalk and talk.
The evening dinners were carried off with panache and the look and feel of the conference was good - all credit to the organisers. But it suffers from being coupled with the Awards dinner.
Too many people attend conference only as a forerunner to the Awards. Therefore we get agency bias and too may people involved whose focus is creating great media rather than digging deeper into the drivers that will enable communication to unlock organisational success.
I came away feeling that what I know has been validated rather than that I'd learned anything new.
I'd love to go to a CiB Conference in a few years' time and really be challenged. I'd love to come away feeling uncomfortable: feeling that I had to change to keep up. This felt a little too cosy - and dominated by the Awards evening.
I carried most of the conference kit back in my car - and spent yesterday's Bank Holiday catching up on the work I'd missed while up in Newcastle.
This morning's back to reality and the 'down' that inevitably hits after a big week. Anyway, it's straight back in today and little time to reflect.
I'd taken on a workshop at short notice so spent Wednesday in one of those classic windowless conference rooms provided by older hotels talking catering strategies with a disparate group from across the UK and Ireland. There was just time to change when I got home before hitting the motorway for a drive up to Newcastle - 280 miles when I was already feeling tired.
I was peripherally involved in the organisation of the CiB's Annual Conference which culminated in a glitzy awards evening attended by almost 400 people.
The conference attracted about a third of that number and when not trying to talk to members about their issues and thoughts on the Association, I was able to attend some of the sessions - and what a mixed bag it was.
To be honest, the first day worried me. There was no 'wow' factor, and the event was pitched at too low a level. The senior communicators I met were restive, after the likes of Shay McConnon had told us at great length about the basics of business relationship building (a few great nuggets, but stretched to nearly an hour - and delivered quite aggressively!) and Dr. Steven Windmill had told us how he'd won the war....single handed (at least that's what he sounded as though he was talking about). The lesson learned? Never book a speaker unless you've seen them in action. The CiB audience is bright, demanding, savvy - and a bit more senior than one might expect. Ever more, we demand stronger speakers.
Steve Bevan of the Work Foundation took us through some interesting , though not ground breaking, findings from IC.UK Work Foundation Survey which begged the question - is the UK falling behind the field? Social communication hardly got a mention and the survey appeared to show we're still a nation of Generation Xers using our tried and testeds to communicate to (and occasionally with) the Yers and after now rapidly advancing in organisations.
Somehow, it felt like a trick was missed.
Thankfully, Friday showed the upside of the conference Ben Page from Ipsos Mori was great; I particularly enjoyed the crap-cutting Judith Thomas ex-of 10 Downing Street, and apparently (though I'd scuttled off elsewhere), Em Whitfield Brooks and Jim Montague from The Sage had the participants on their feet and singing.
My gut feel was that the conference was pitched too low. We needed more Ben Pages and fewer Steven Windmills - and getting 60 people singing was probably more for a workshop than a plenary session (the fact that half the participants weren't in the room says quite a lot). Actually, we needed more workshops and less chalk and talk.
The evening dinners were carried off with panache and the look and feel of the conference was good - all credit to the organisers. But it suffers from being coupled with the Awards dinner.
Too many people attend conference only as a forerunner to the Awards. Therefore we get agency bias and too may people involved whose focus is creating great media rather than digging deeper into the drivers that will enable communication to unlock organisational success.
I came away feeling that what I know has been validated rather than that I'd learned anything new.
I'd love to go to a CiB Conference in a few years' time and really be challenged. I'd love to come away feeling uncomfortable: feeling that I had to change to keep up. This felt a little too cosy - and dominated by the Awards evening.
I carried most of the conference kit back in my car - and spent yesterday's Bank Holiday catching up on the work I'd missed while up in Newcastle.
This morning's back to reality and the 'down' that inevitably hits after a big week. Anyway, it's straight back in today and little time to reflect.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Apathy rules!
Let's Go CiB!........Or not.
A couple of months ago I wrote a piece in CiB's monthly journal - Communicators - on the Catch 22 facing the organisation. We have around 1200 members, though fewer than 5% or truly active in the sense of doing something to move the organisation forward.
We need to move the organisation on to a platform where it is the first stop in the UK for all issues related to internal communications. To do that, CiB needs to be seen as the leader in continuing professional development (not just for IC pros, but for all managers with a foot in IC). We also need to be seen as a credible home for leading edge research - whether that's as a research sponsor or publisher.
But with only about 60 proactive members - and most of those in agencies where involvement comes with a tacit aspect of business development (and I'm very much in that space) it's hard to get anything moving. So I put out a plea or a challenge or even a request for more people to get involved. The response? A very big, fat nothing. Well, almost nothing. One person has sent me some information on membership recruitment and retention. But that's it.
Then last week, I found out I'd been elected by my peers for another year on council. Out of the successful candidates, I polled about in the middle. So far so good until you realise that i got 46 votes. Out of an electorate of 1200, 79 people voted. That's pathetic by any standard.
I don't know what it will take to light the fire for CiB, but for whatever reason, it's not happening at present. Too many people seem happy to sit and wait for professional accreditation and high class research to land in their laps without putting anything other than their membership fee back in.
without putting more in, CiB will not grow. And if it doesn't grow it will not be able to deliver what communicators want or need. If that's the case, someone else will fill that gap and CiB as an organisation will be redundant. That's rather depressing.
A couple of months ago I wrote a piece in CiB's monthly journal - Communicators - on the Catch 22 facing the organisation. We have around 1200 members, though fewer than 5% or truly active in the sense of doing something to move the organisation forward.
We need to move the organisation on to a platform where it is the first stop in the UK for all issues related to internal communications. To do that, CiB needs to be seen as the leader in continuing professional development (not just for IC pros, but for all managers with a foot in IC). We also need to be seen as a credible home for leading edge research - whether that's as a research sponsor or publisher.
But with only about 60 proactive members - and most of those in agencies where involvement comes with a tacit aspect of business development (and I'm very much in that space) it's hard to get anything moving. So I put out a plea or a challenge or even a request for more people to get involved. The response? A very big, fat nothing. Well, almost nothing. One person has sent me some information on membership recruitment and retention. But that's it.
Then last week, I found out I'd been elected by my peers for another year on council. Out of the successful candidates, I polled about in the middle. So far so good until you realise that i got 46 votes. Out of an electorate of 1200, 79 people voted. That's pathetic by any standard.
I don't know what it will take to light the fire for CiB, but for whatever reason, it's not happening at present. Too many people seem happy to sit and wait for professional accreditation and high class research to land in their laps without putting anything other than their membership fee back in.
without putting more in, CiB will not grow. And if it doesn't grow it will not be able to deliver what communicators want or need. If that's the case, someone else will fill that gap and CiB as an organisation will be redundant. That's rather depressing.
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