Cultural Resolution

Today (well, by now it’s yesterday, but I’m still awake) at the 2009 IABC Annual General Meeting, I gave my final speech as 2008-09 Chair of IABC.  It’s been an amazing year, a great World Conference, and an emotional day.  Here is the script from my remarks, which I intentionally tried to keep light to avoid crying (which almost worked):

I really believe that everything you encounter in life, every person you meet, every experience or challenge, is given to you by the universe as an opportunity – that you either have something to learn or something to teach, or both.

So as my year as chair of IABC draws to a close, I’ve been reflecting on the lessons.  I’m going to steal from our 2009 IABC EXCEL Award winner’s Top 10 List idea, and share my top 10 lessons from the past year.

10.   Authentic communication is the new requirement, a paradigm shift has already happened, and most companies and communicators haven’t made the shift.  I learned this from my participation in social media, and it’s why I’ve become passionate about pulling other communicators along with me on my journey.  You can’t understand this from the outside, and you can’t afford to wait until your company is ready, and then hire in the expertise.  I’m really proud of how IABC has moved into a leadership role in this area, and how our use of social media is enhancing and expanding the wonderful sense of community that has always been a part of IABC.

9.  Double-check when you’re tweeting a direct message that includes your mobile phone number – especially if you’ve got 20,000 followers.

8.  If your brand tag line is BE HEARD, you have to learn to listen, and to be willing to hear things you don’t like. 

7.  That said, there is a difference between BEING HEARD and BEING OBEYED.

6.  Look very closely at any travel itinerary put together by Adrian Cropley – He forgets to schedule time for sleep.

5.  Todd Hattori is a tough act to follow – especially from a fashion sense.  Seriously, though, Todd has been a wonderful mentor and partner, and he’s been a dedicated leader, serving on the international executive board for the many years.  Please join me in thanking him for all he has given to IABC.

4.  Asia Pacific is REALLY big. Every place you need to go is a very long flight away from everyplace else there.

3.  Texas is also really big, and it is not a good idea to schedule 3 events in 3 different chapters in one day – and even worse idea to make me drive there (wrong side of the road, plus I’m a bad driver to begin with).

2.  It is way more fun to stay with IABC members than in hotels.  I’ve gotten to know Wilma Mathews’ cat Shadow, I’ve made cookies with Alice Brink, I’ve had a girlie slumber party with the Queensland chapter’s board after we spent a day developing their chapter’s first strategic plan. 

1.  IABC is about the people.  It’s our members that make this association what it is.   So thank you all for what you do for IABC, and for the opportunity to learn from you over the past year.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about ethics — and the lack thereof — in the institutions that should be setting the highest standards. Not just isolated ethical lapses by an individual here and there, but whole organizations and even whole industries with cultures completely devoid of higher principles.

From the global banking industry to the UK members of Parliament, when behavior or decisions that are clearly wrong are exposed, the accepted fallback seems to be “it was within the rules” or “we didn’t break the law.”  As if that’s enough.  As if elected leaders and senior executives in whom the public, customers, investors and employees place their trust aren’t expected to have character or principles.  The problem with rules and laws is that they invite loopholes.  They take the responsibility and the judgement away from the individual.  Who cares whether it’s right or wrong, it’s allowed. Ethics, on the other hand, are more about who you are, what you stand for, what you believe in. Ethics are what you have even when you don’t think anyone would find out what you did.

I like this Business Week article by Bruce Weinstein, discussing legal versus ethical behaviour.  He points out that sometimes laws and rules aren’t ethical.  Clearly, that has been the case with many of the rules governing MP expenses.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the Parliamentary Code of Conduct to see if MPs have a set of principles they agree to follow, and indeed, they claim to stand for Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership.  Wow, demonstrate a real commitment to those, and I’ll vote for you.  Show me with your actions that you examine your actions and decisions against those kind of standards, and I’ll invest money in your company or buy your product.

I’ve adhered to IABC’s Code of Ethics for Professional Communicators throughout my career, but I’ve never needed to review it for loopholes before making a decision, because I don’t see it as a set of rules set by someone else, but a set of principles that I believe in and want to embody.  I use them as a basis for discussions with colleagues, clients and employers.  I refer to them from time to time as a source to help me think through issues.

I’ll close this post with a link to a song that inspires me: With My Own Two Hands .

Last month when I introduced several IABC board and staff blogs, there was one gaping hole in the line-up.  But while I’ve been away, our 2009-09 Vice Chair, Mark Schumann, ABC, has launched his eXchange site, titled Mark My Words.  And he’s off and running, with three posts already.  Take the time to get to know Mark, he’s wonderful. 

Even as I type, one of IABC’s newest chapters is launching, both offline and online.  IABC South Island, New Zealand launches this evening with an event (attended by 50 people!).  And right now, Adrian Cropley and I are meeting with the board and helping them set up the chapter’s eXchange page, which will serve as their website.  They’re all raving about how easy it is. 

Congrats to the new chapter, and welcome to eXchange!  Next stop: Twitter.

    IABC Barbados, one of IABC’s newest chapters, is carving out a name for itself, both on the island and beyond.  Chapter president Christal McIntosh wrote an inspiring article about the chapter’s goals for the latest issue of the IPRA newsletter, FrontlineOnline.  Here’s a short excerpt:

IABC Barbados is the product of less than eight months of collaboration and discussion among a few local practitioners who had one thing in common – we wanted an opportunity to shape our profession.

On the evening of our launch, we made our intentions very clear.  We told our audience that our aim is to usher in a new era in public relations in Barbados.

Some may consider this to be a rather boastful statement but it was intended to be a statement of optimism by people who genuinely wish to use their skills, their art, and their science to make a real difference to the success of the organizations they work for and serve.

Chrystal’s article, and the ambitious goals the chapter has set, hit every single one of my Four I’s.  They’ve set their sights far beyond the internal workings of a chapter.  They’re planning how they can influence the profession.  With leadership like this, I’m sure they’ll succeed.

I know I’m back from my very short holiday, because last night all my dreams were work-related.  I hate waking up after a night of dream-work, mentally exhausted, and knowing none of that time is billable. 

Anyway, I had a lovely break, and today am off to Amsterdam to attend the IABC Europe Middle East Leadership Institute (EMELI).  It doesn’t actually start until 1pm tomorrow, so I might even squeeze in some sightseeing in the morning.  Tonight I’m having dinner at an Indonesian restaurant, Aneka Rasa, with Lee Anne Snedeker, Sr VP of Membership at IABC.  

EMELI (previously known as ELI) is a great event, drawing chapter leaders and volunteers from across the region, many of whom would not be able to attend the larger LI, always held in North America.  And it’s one of the most internationally diverse IABC crowds you’ll find, so the conversations are incredibly interesting.  Last year’s event is going to be hard to top.  It was held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in the council chamber of the City Hall.  One highlight was being entertained by a top Slovenian opera singer at our night out.  Also, discovering the national drink, a liqueur with blueberries in it.  

Will try to at least Twitter from EMELI.  Need to pack my suitcase now.