Last week, I attended the Summit on Corporate Communications in Boston, which was co-sponsored by the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) and the Arthur W. Page Society. It was a lovely two-and-a-half day affair that included communicators from reputable agencies and companies breaking bread, sharpening our skills, and looking at trending across our field. As usual, I spent a bit more time handling issues back home than taking in the sites and sounds of the hosting town. However, the conference also provided a well-needed break from the office, and the space to explore some thoughts that I have been having. (Not to mention the fact that I now understand why Boston has such a loyal baseball fan base — you can’t turn anywhere without a game being on or paraphernalia staring you in the face.)
I won’t go into too much detail, as my thoughts haven’t been fully vetted and copy written just yet *lol* However, what I will say is that my conversations w/ colleagues at the conference helped to validate my thinking on our employee communications approach. Granted, we are a highly regulated and decentralized organization, with many layers of complexity that I probably don’t fully understand — even after 5 years. However, what I do know is that traditional means for employee communications and employee engagement, much like external communications and engagement, has changed…and there is no looking or turning back. I won’t go into too much detail, as my thoughts haven’t been fully vetted and copy written just yet *lol* However, what I will say is that my conversations w/ colleagues at the conference helped to validate my thinking on our employee communications approach. Granted, we are a highly regulated and decentralized organization, with many layers of complexity that I probably don’t fully understand — even after 5 years. However, what I do know is that traditional means for employee communications and employee engagement, much like external communications and engagement, has changed…and there is no looking or turning back.
Good PR is just good PR, right?…and hopefully that will never change. But the way in which we counsel our colleagues, manage not only our reputation internally, but our inherent values and help shape the way that information and dialogue flows throughout the company, will go a long way in impacting how we progress through future change. Now this notion isn’t much different than in years past, right? But I think that the way in which we should be thinking HOW we go about doing these things is the key…
…we must continue to use innovative approaches…the cookie-cutter, mass comm approach just won’t cut it these days…we must force ourselves to be more authentic with one another…otherwise how else will we grow and develop at all levels… we must get better at measuring the value that we bring…its right before our eyes but we can do a better job of understanding the value of our impact across the board… and we MUST not be afraid of experimentation, especially in times of challenge and change when one might be less likely to push the envelope…
I’d like to think that I’ve embraced these thoughts and behaviors over the past few years, but I’m now more willing than ever to put them to the test. As I learned this past week, that is the measure by which companies - and individuals - are now being held…to be authentic when the cameras are on AND off…and not to simply accept the status quo.
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