IABC International Conference – Wednesday sessions

June 7, 2006 • Joseph Thornley • No Tags

The 2006 IABC International Conference wraps up with s series of All-Star Sessions featuring some of the top-rated speakers from past IABC conferences. (All-Stars seem to need extra sleep. Today’s sessions don’t begin until 8AM, compared with the 7:15 and 7:00 starts for the still-aspiring speakers on Monday and Tuesday.)

The first of my All-Stars, blogger and podcaster Shel Holtz, will lead a session on The practical impact of social media on your organization. The programme tells me that I will learn how to “convince management that a different, less-controlled approach to communication is in the company’s best interests.” Yep. Something that I think we’ll need to do frequently in the next year.

Then, I’ll join fellow Canadian Pat McNamara for Fuel your business: Strategies from one of Canada’s fastest growing companies. Pat and her company are based in Toronto (where one of our offices is located.) She has built and sustained a very successful business that has a remarkable record for attracting and retaining a talented team of consultants. (She’s also introduced me to PRSA’s Counselors Academy.) Pat’s a real All-Star and I can’t think of any better way to spend my morning than at a discussion led by her.

The conference’s Closing General Session will feature TJ Larkin’s presentation on Communicating big change. According to the conference programme. “…studies show that 80 percent of companies say that their change communication is a ‘major failure,’ so clearly radical change is called for.” Larkin was the hit of last year’s conference in Washington for his presentation on the relative merits of online and traditional print communication vehicles. This year’s session promises to be no less thought provoking.

And that’s it. My IABC Internal Conference. Three great days of learning, discussion and thought. Now, it’s time to put these lessons into practice.

Google Spreadsheets

June 6, 2006 • Joseph Thornley • No Tags

Google’s move toward offering a full online ‘Office-killer’ continues with the introduction of Google Spreadsheets. You can sign up for the Beta. Of course, there’s the usual Google stuff about “limited test – first come first served”

Living transparency – Chris Clarke's first day

June 6, 2006 • Joseph Thornley • No Tags

Chris Clarke started work at Thornley Fallis yesterday. I’m a couple thousand miles away in Vancouver – and yet I know what his first day was like and that it was pretty good. Yikes!

So, we hired a blogger. Yep. That’s what we wanted to do. So that we could learn. So that we could advise our clients from direct experience on what they will (and should) experience as they embrace social media.

But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t hold my breath while I read Chris’ blog. Happily, we seem to have come out OK on day one. I know there will be some days when we aren’t quite the place we would like to be (no company is.) But for now we’re OK.

And I plan to take another deep breath and encourage Chris to keep posting. Honestly. Intelligently.

Right now, our company blog policy is two words, “Blog Smart.” Up until now, that has meant that people like Terry Fallis, David Jones and I said pretty much what we wanted. With one exception. We didn’t give away client secrets.

I think that I’ll ask Chris to work with me to develop a slighter longer policy that provides more guidance to new bloggers (we have a bunch of other people who are launching a new blog. More about that later.)

As a first addition to “blog smart,” perhaps we should add “Cause no harm to any person.” I think this should be enough for each of us to be honest about what goes on in the workplace, but also to ensure that we pause before we publish anything that might embarrass or otherwise hurt a colleague (there are other more effective, one-on-one ways to deal with office strife.)

What do you think? “Blog smart. Cause no harm to any person.” Is that enough for our blog policy – or do we need to add more?

IABC International Conference – Lynne Lancaster

June 6, 2006 • Joseph Thornley • No Tags

This year’s IABC Research Foundation luncheon speaker, Lynne Lancaster, addressed the topic Minding the gaps: Engaging four generations in an info-saturated world.

What happens when generations collide?

Generational differences can be very challenging when you are required to communicate across four generations in any one day. The magic lies in people who are able to see through the eyes of another generation.

65% if resondents to the Generations Survey conducted by Lancaster and her partners reported that generation gaps make it hard to get things done at work.

The four generations now in the workplace:

Traditionalists – born pre-1946 – 75 million in the USA (8 million in Canada)
Babyboomers – 1946-64 – 80 million (9 million)
Generation X – 1965-81 – 46 million (7 million)
Millenials – 1972-2000 – 76 million (8 million)

When approaching generational analysis, be careful not to put people in a box. The analysis is just one way to get extra insight into people.

Key issues:

Succession planning: As 80 million baby boomers leave the workplace, they will be followed by only 46 million Gen Xers.
There will be a shortage of skilled workers – 4.2 million by 2010 and 14 million by 2020. Companies like Ernst & Yonge have established programs to stay in touch with their alumni as a source of potential future recruits (*”Boomerangs”).
Knowledge transfer will become an issue as institutional memory walks out the door with longtime employees.

Generations in motion

Traditionalists

72% of Traditionalists plan to return to work after they retire. This is a change from traditional norms. This is driven by several factors, especially a fear of being unable to afford retirement.

60% of Traditionalists say they do not have a clearly defined career path in the place they work. Companies who address this will be able to retain or hire Traditionalists, with their strong work ethic and reliability. Wells Fargo is a company that has understood the needs of Traditionalists and is using this understanding to recruit Traditionalists to return to work.

Baby BoomersBaby Boomers set out as optimistic, idealistic people who could make things better. Today, the number one reason for boomers to stay in a job is “making an impact.” However, this have become increasingly difficult for them to do and frustration is setting in.As boomers age, they are questioning themselves, their situation and rethinking.Boomers are a sandwich generation – sandwiched between aging parents and the needs of their kids. Boomers are feeling “pretty burned out.” They want more personal time. 75% say that “more time off” is the most valuable reward they can get in the workplace.

Generation X

One of the most formative experiences on Gen X was the explosion of media. By age 20, the average Gen Xer had watched 23,000 hours of television.

They witnessed the veil of privacy on the part of public personae drop away in an “anything goes” television environment. This fueled a profound skepticism. Gen Xers believe that they have a better chance of seeing a UFO in their lifetime than they do of receiving a Social Security cheque.

Communications must respect the skepticism of Gen Xers and work with it. Moster.com has done a superb job in doing this with a television ad that plays to Gen Xers’ belief that they cannot rely on institutions to take care of them.

When dealing with Gen Xers give them short, simple, to the point information, honestly.

Millenials

The digital generation: 50% of millenials have a computer monitor in their bedroom. Consider what they have seen – unfiltered. They have tried to sort through information their entire lives.

One of the most essential functions of communicators in dealing with Millenials is to provide cues regarding the reliability and trustworthiness of sources of information.

Millenials arrive in the workforce with less work experience. Teens work less than previous generations. Additonal school requirements, divorced parents, requirements for community service, keep many out of the workforce during their formative years. Employers will have to provide much of the cues and information necessary to help them learn the workplace norms.

Millenials are impatient with the pace of communication. Voice mail demands too much time. They have moved on the immediacy of Instant Messaging.

Millenials look for information online. They have learned to live their lives virtually online. Colleges have increasingly taken their courses and the recruiting experience online. They will expect this from their employers.

However, remember that technology does not equal communication. Technology will never take the place of good research, good planning and well thought-through communication.

Organization communications standards must be flexible to try new things.

IABC International Conference – Jody Humble

June 6, 2006 • Joseph Thornley • No Tags

Jody Humble, regional manager of corporate communication for FedEx Canada, argues that storytelling is an effective way to communicate and shape corporate culture.She opened her presentation with a video narrated by individuals reflecting on how FedEx employees has rallied to help in the wake of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation of New Orleans and Louisiana.“That explains the kind of company we are trying to be.” And the company clearly is doing something right ait ranks number four on Fortune’s list of most admired companies.Key drivers of culture at FedEx include a recognition that “Our product is our people.” Layered onto this is the evolving portfolio of companies (e.g. Kinko’s) and increased competition. Finally, there is a recognition that expectations of the company are changing. For example, in the post-911 world, the company must play a role in ensuring the security of it clients.

FedEx has introduced “The purple promise: Pledge. Attitude. Behaviour.” to shape and sustain its positive corporate culture.

Pledge: I will make every FedEx experience outstanding. Experience includes experiences between employees, with customers and with anyone else the company deals with.

Behaviour: A personal checklist for action. How will I satisfy my customers today? Have I treated them in a professional, competent, polite an caring manner? Have I delivered the highest quality service? Have I processed information with 100% accuracy?

The Purple Promise is an essential business strategy. It provides a basis for empoyees to compete collectively and provide optimal customer experiences, thus improving customer loyalty.

Four elements of embedding the culture:

Policies, practices and tools – must be established at the outset.
Leadership by example (storytelling) – provides a basis in fact.
Communication (storytelling) – delivers and sustains
Recognition & reward – At the end of the day, people need a personal reason to change their behaviour.

Storytelling is a principal vehicle for propagating a positive culture based on the Purple Promise. Our world is a social place. Our view of it is created by social interaction more than facts. We listen to people we trust.

Through the intranet, employee videos, an in-house television network, face to face meetings and other vehicles, FedEx attempts to deliver a constant stream of stories that embody the Purple Promise.

For this to work, it requires an enlightened human resources director who is prepared to work closely and cooperatively with the communications department.

Performance measures have been realigned to service performance, including a bonus based on the company’s service results.

This is backed up by both monetary and nonmonetary recognition and awards. A tiered recognition program empowers managers to acknowledge positive contributions on the spot. A more formal selection process is used to select recipients of Purple Promise Awards, which carry both recognition and remuneration.

In fine David Letterman, form Jody closed with a list of the Top 10 benefits of storytelling:

10. It can be inexpensive – a great deal can be accomplished at relatively little cost

9. Adds endurance ot the message

8. Encourages listening – we all listen to stories.

7. Infiltrates ‘water cooler’ conversations.

6. It is highly persuasive – You’re more likely to believe something in the context of a story.

5. Inspires trust – increased interaction through storytelling enhances familiarity, comfort and trust.

4. Forges the bonds of common experience

3. Simplifies the complex via metaphors

2. Appeals to emotions – a good story moves you emotionally.

1. Captures and leverages institutional knowledge – a great way to share knowledge with your workforce.

In the question and answer session, one participant observed that The Purple Promise is working because it is a way of life, not merely a communications program. For a culture program like this to work, everybody must be part of it – executives, human resources, frontline service deliverers, every part of the organization.

This was a good, practical advice section that had the corporate communications people in the room taking notes.

IABC International Conference – Stephen Lewis

June 6, 2006 • Joseph Thornley • No Tags

This is a long post, but read it through to the end … please.

When the bottom line isn’t enough.

Stephen Lewis, United Nations’ Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in stunningly and compellingly reminded us of our corporate social responsibility in responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the communication professional’s role in elevating these priorities and encouraging the instinctive compassion of individuals. Globalization is failing to deal with some of the most pressing problems: poverty, disease conflict, the environment.Faced with this, the UN established a series of eight Millenium Development Goals to be achieved by 2015:

To cut in half the most extreme manifestations of poverty and hunger
Dramatically reduce infant mortality rates
Dramatically reduce maternal mortality rates
To put all the primary school age children in the world
To introduce a degree of gender equality
To drive back the scourge of infectious diseases like AIDS and tuberculosis
Environmental sustainability
An accord between the developed and developing world, in which the former delivers on its promises.

“Six years later, while progress is being made in other parts of the world, it is clear that not one of these goals will be met in Africa – largely due to excruciating poverty and the pandemic of HIV/AIDS.”

Some hard realities. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is spreading irrevocably, ineluctably around the world. In China. In India. In Russia. Eastern and central Europe and Asia. There is no part of the world that is immune. And in the epicentre of Africa, it is astonishingly catastrophic.

“If the present level of infections continue, by the year 2012, we will have 100 million on this planet who have died of AIDS or who will die prematurely from it. … The pervasiveness of death is absolutely heartbreaking.”

Lewis spoke of a class of 10 year olds in Zimbabwe in which the teacher asked them to write what was on their minds. Eight out of ten wrote the word, “Death.” And for these children, the only solace they have is prayer. There is no other hope.

“It’s 2006, for god’s sake. How are we prepared to write off millions of people who … with help .. could break the back of the pandemic.”

Women suffer disproportionately from this scourge. Burdened by gender inequality, they are victims of irresponsible behaviour by men. Women have become an endangered species in some parts of the African continent.

And the plight of orphans … “the unsung heroes of the African continent are the grandmothers, who bury their adult children and then return to parenting their orphaned grandchildren. … And when the grandparents die, you have the extraordinary situation of households of children where the oldest assume the responsibility of caring for the youngest.”

And yet, we can beat this scourge. Simply by the governments of western countries honouring their commitments and by corporations acting on their social responsibility.

“Where is the private sector in the midst of the colossal cataclysm?”, Lewis asked. How does the Global Fund on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria get adequately funded? The governments of the world have begun to back away from their commitments. Hardly a penny has come from the private sector. The only quasi private sector contribution of moment is from the Gates Foundation. Why are corporations failing their social responsibility?

There are some glimmers of hope, Some companies have begun to provide testing and counseling for their workers in Africa. They have extended this to include families and communities of their workers. But what none of these companies has done is to go beyond the self-interest of dealing with the pandemic within their own employee groups to make a contribution of consequence to a real solution to the pandemic.

Lewis is traveling and meeting with leaders of corporations to ask them to exercise their corporate social responsibility by making a significant contribution to the Global Fund. “We need at least one major, significant contribution to break the logjam of indifference.”

“If there is one company anywhere that is prepared to take the first step, there is not a newspaper in the world that would not herald this in its editorial pages. … If you could construct a contribution to the Global Fund, this would be the leverage that we need to motivate others.”

Lewis challenged communicators to respond to this need. He asked that we all consider, what we can do. And that we take action.

He suggested that the IABC Research Foundation could play a role – examining why the coverage of this situation in Africa is under-reported. Awareness translates into a compulsion to act and the invisibility of Africa in western media makes it palatable to ignore the catastrophe.

Why is the communication around prevention not working in parts of the world? There are artful efforts to change behaviour … why are we finding it so difficult to change behaviour? To communicate how to protect yourself? To communicate the impact of gender inequality and the need to correct it.

“When one part of the human family is under siege, the privileged part of must respond.”

Stephen Lewis presented a compelling case for action on a human catastrophe. With wit, erudition and passion. We should not fail to heed his message.

IABC International Conference – Tudor Williams & Shel Holtz

June 6, 2006 • Joseph Thornley • No Tags

Blogs, Wikis and Podcasts- What’s Next? Over a hundred people were interested enough in the answer to this to show up at a 7AM(!) presentation by Tudor Williams and Shel Holtz.

In the past year, blogs and podcasts have emerged as important communication vehicles. They have not yet become mainstream, but the pace of adoption is accelerating.

Several members of the audience talked about a variety of experience with blogs and podcasts. Experience ranged from people whose companies had not yet begun to explore social media through to active podcaster Donna Papacosta who both blogs and podcasts.

Williams and Holtz suggested that blogs, wikis and podcasts should be introduced only as elements of a comprehensive communications strategy. If they are introduced as “neat new technology,” they will surely fail.

Social media reflect the natural evolution of communications from the sender driven, one to manyh controlled communications model established in the twentieth century. Today, we can have one to one communications controlled by the receiver in which everyone can participate.

Social media have a profound impact on our communications strategies. The immediate availability of information requires immediate response. Communications tools are now integrated on the web and readily interchangeable. Collaboration has become possible at an unprecedented level. We can share information, not just disseminate it. And with all of this, scope of access to information is expanding rapidly to include not just text, but video and audio. Podzinger is an early example of an application that enables the content search of audio files.

Immediacy: The attitude of the day is that “I want it and I want it now.”

Integration: Devices have been integrated and the telephone/BlackBerry has emerged at the centre.

Access: Search engines have created an attitude that “If it’s out there, I can find it.” And the engines continue to evolve and be supplemented. Tudor pointed to Clusty as an example of another new search engine.

Collaboration: Blogs, wikis and podcasts are user friendly collaboration tools. Anyone can do it – without knowledge of coding. And it is not necessary for people to be in front of their computers to access and use these tools. Blogs can can be accessed from web enabled phones. Podcasts are ideal for communication with distributed sales forces who can download the podcast and listen to it at their convenience, in their cars, at home or anywhere else.

One questioner asked whether companies would ever accept the threat to confidentiality that blogs represent. Williams and Holtz pointed out that companies have learned to live with innovations like the fax that have in the past been seen to represent a similar threat. Companies must develop policies for the use of this technology that ensure the security of data.

What is next?

Trends in communication:

More individual publishing
More noise
More media outlets
More direct communications
More accountability for results

Trends in marketig

Customer empowerment
Atomization of media
Fixation on ROI
Integration of marketing communities
Quest for the cult brand.

Trends in internal communications

Democatization of information
Strategy shift – information to influence
Focus on engagement and loyalty
Focus on ROI
Globalization
Simplicity
Personalization

What are the implications of these trends?

Demand for collaboration, access and integration will increase.
Need for consistent strategic management of the metrics
Evolution of the social marketing.

Implications for communication strategy

Collaboration – strategies to share and interact
Access – strategies to network and connect
Integration – merging of the three major functions of the internet

Other concepts to watch:

The wisdom of crowds and tagging.

Edgeio

A good session. Unfortunately, the session ran overtime. The people around me had many questions and observations. More time would have enabled them to jump in.

IABC International Conference – Tuesday afternoon sessions

June 6, 2006 • Joseph Thornley • No Tags

At this year’s IABC Research Foundation luncheon, Lynne Lancaster will speak about Minding the gaps: Engaging four generations in an info-saturated world. “Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X’ers, and Millenials … Each of these generations has unique expectations for how messages should be delivered, and which hot buttons are most important to hit. … savvy communicators need to know what’s important to each generation of listeners and how to make an emotional connection.”

Both of the afternoon sessions I’m planning to take in focus on employee communications.

First, David Grossman will discuss Making the most of leaders through effective leadership communication. The programme promises that the session “will explore a proven four-step leadership communications model and teach the skills necessary to coach leaders to drive business results and improve performance through effective leadership communication.” Something which I know that the folks back at my office would like to teach me! Later, it’s back to the online world: Intranets on the cutting edge: A look at what’s possible now and probably tomorrow, with Donna Itzoe and Jerry Stevenson. A look at “one of the most technologically advanced intranets on the planet – Verizon’s Digital Workplace.” Hmmm. I’m not sure it’s in this fiscal year’s budget. But I can always dream.

IABC International Conference – Tuesday morning sessions

June 6, 2006 • Joseph Thornley • No Tags

I thought the 7:15 start to Monday was tough. Today, we’re going at it 15 minutes earlier. But at least a continental breakfast is included. I’m planning on joining Tudor Williams’ breakfast discussion of Blogs, wikis and podcasts – what’s next?

Well, Stephen Lewis is next. The United Nations’ Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa and the Commissioner for the World Health Organization’s Commission on the Social Determinants of Health, Lewis will address “the role of corporate social responsibility in addressing global problems and the communication professional’s role in elevating these priorities and encouraging the instinctive compassion of individuals.” Serious topic. Passionate speaker.

I’ll close out my morning with Jody Humble’s presentation on How the ancient art of narrative can inspire culture change. Jody is the communication manager who worked with FedEx Canada’s President Rajesh Subramaniam on his Excel Award-winning communications initiatives.

IABC International Conference – Tod Maffin

June 5, 2006 • Joseph Thornley • No Tags

Tod Maffin. Let’s say that again. Tod Maffin. That about says it all.

Podcaster, blogger and CBC radio broadcaster Tod Maffin provided a “roll-in-the-aisles funny case for the power of social media. Solid ideas illustrated by real world examples.

And he made a great case for buying the IABC DVD video of the keynote presentations. I just couldn’t stop laughing long enough to catch up with Maffin’s delivery.

Agents of the old order, be very very afraid. Cause Tod Maffin and his blogging legions are ready to swarm.

“Bottom line: Tod Maffin. Nuff said.

Oh, and one more thing. Remember the keywords. Right, Tod Maffin?