Get online professional development from IABC On Demand

Speaker: Brie Thorsteinson-Ogle, Principal, Skipti Strategic Consulting Communicators are at the forefront of disruption as sense-makers, bridge-builders and early-adopters, so isn’t it about time we tested a new, future-forward approach to strategic problem solving? Our ability to transform effectively to the “new normal” may depend on it. Design Thinking (DT) is a relatively new framework that bridges the divide between creativity and logic-giving teams a clear path to shift from today’s problem solvers to tomorrow’s problem finders in even the most disruptive environment.   This session introduces a communications-focused DT approach before breaking out into small, moderated groups for a DT problem-solving simulation using real-world challenges of participants. Engagement activities like polling, chats, individual callouts and the use of platform features will happen every 2-3 minutes. Participants leave with a digital toolkit featuring a step-by-step guide to DT for communications, DT resources, and the confidence and knowledge that comes from creating quick but effective solutions the DT way. Read more

Speakers: Joanne B. Henry, President, PR for Good and Donna Itzoe, Senior Vice President of Communications and Marketing, Global The Internet of Behaviors (IoB) is the holy grail for communicators like us – those who care about what our audience does, not what they say they are going to do. Suddenly, all the tools to track behavior from REM sleep to eating habits, eco-buying , employee health habits and supplier relationships are in the palm of our hands. How could we NOT use this wealth of information to recruit and retain employees and to create AI driven products and services that improve our bottom line – if not the world!? If your organization is using or considering  IoB and AI tools as part of your communications work, it’s time to examine your initiatives through a values lens. For example, an organization’s core values of  transparency, technology innovation, equity or creating a culture of respect for the individual could each translate to a  different approaches to the use of IoB and AI driven tools. This session takes research from one of the leading trends researched by the IABC Trends Watch Task Force and examines our roles as communicators in working with these new capabilities.  Task force chair Joanne Henry, SCMP, and Trend Task Force member Donna Itzoe will host a short panel discussion to keep you thinking long after the conference ends.  Read more

Speaker: Susan Walker, AES Research and Rachel Tolhurst, Head of Internal Communications Group Strategy, Amey plc Social media has become part of everyday life.  An integral part of our organisational communication toolkit, it has new prominence today in our present and future age when many work from home. Now it's the time to assess the impact of e communication and value to the business so we need fresh ways of evaluating our e-communication from apps to zoom. Our session will share this learning:  Equal? Better? Worse? To give context and perspective,  benchmark channels and e-usage:  Effectiveness: measure how well the channels work now and ways to improve in the future Evaluate: the impact of e-communication on organisational campaigns and goals Experience: how people use your website to identify the ease or difficulty of navigation Engage: how the approach, appearance and language interest and involve your audience Educate: return with greater understanding of e-communication measurement, a practical toolkit and learning to share with colleagues Read more

Speaker: Elizabeth Williams, Co-founder, The Academy of Business Communications and Andrew Brown, Co-founder, Academy of Business Communications Let's face it, most employee town hall meetings are pretty terrible. Even before the pandemic forced our leadership teams to find the mute button, filling a room full of people and talking at them for hours on end was really not working in most organizations. It's time we got our leaders off the hamster wheel of roadshows and all-hands meetings and started helping them build trust, engagement and purpose that sticks. This session will look at why our leaders need a new communications toolkit and the skills to go with it. Using real-world examples and group discussion, we'll talk about: Communicating with a hybrid workforce Why executives need to stop cheerleading and start listening Communication tools that build trust Outcomes: Define new tools to evolve leader communications Understand the building blocks for a measurable strategy for remote and in-person communication between leaders and employees   Read more

Speaker: Tiffany Markman, Copywriter, Trainer & Speaker, Tiffany Markman Writing & Training Employees, it is time to act like CEOs! The world has changed. And to survive in it, we must learn from the lessons of the thriving gig economy – especially if we’re employed. We must find our niche and, once we’ve done that, we must self-promote. This is how we will stand out. This session will share a new philosophy, while guiding attendees through an interactive process of developing their own personal ‘opening line’ (a twist on the elevator pitch). At the same time, attendees will see how one of the Six Principles of the Communication Profession can be used to season the freelance mentality, via the presenter’s own challenges and techniques for using freelance methodologies to enhance positioning on the job.  On completion, participants will be: Able to identify and verbalize their own specific niche Better equipped to promote their personal-professional brand Able to use freelance techniques to boost their performance   Read more

Speaker: Patti Sanchez, Chief Strategy Officer, Duarte, Inc. According to research conducted by Duarte, Inc., during 2020, communication has grown more important since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Why? The pandemic—plus other social, economic and political shifts—forced businesses to reframe their goals, communicate new strategies clearly, and transform faster than ever. Given this environment of disruptive change, it’s time for leaders of all kinds, at all levels of organizations, to step up their communication game.   In this talk, story expert, Patti Sanchez, will teach you how to use empathy and storytelling to inform, inspire, and activate people. You'll hear lessons from Patti’s book, Illuminate: Ignite Change Through Speeches, Stories, Ceremonies, and Symbols —plus new insights from her experience in helping Duarte and its customers pivot to virtual communication. Patti will share the strategies she's used to develop effective communication for both Duarte, Inc. and some of the biggest brands in the world, and how you can too. Read more