Cultural Resolution

The city-to-city schedule is making me lose all track of time, but it’s all good.  Almost time now for a luncheon event with the San Diego chapter, where my topic is about how to go from being a tactical communicator to a strategic one — something I learned through IABC (courtesy of Les Potter, ABC) early in my own career.  After that, we’ve got a half-day board development session scheduled. 

I’m starting to get email notes from people I met earlier in the week, in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Pasadena, including a couple that weren’t members, and have now signed up and are already inspired to volunteer for chapter leadership roles.  That’s exciting to me.

Have to run now, make sure the preso is on the memory stick and everything is set.

Ok, I have to admit I was afraid to listen to it at first when I got the message that my first Cafe2Go podcast  as chair had been posted.  Even though I have a background that includes radio and television, I’m always a bit squeemish about hearing or watching the final result.  But after letting the link sit in my inbox for a day, I just listened and it’s not too bad.  Aside from a few giggles sneaking in, I think I managed to mostly get across what I wanted to, and it didn’t sound scripted (which it wasn’t).  I think it helped that Julie and Shel and I were all in the same room for the recording, not doing it over the phone.   Hope we can do that again sometimes.  Thanks Julie and Shel, for making my first time a good one!

I love it when things that other people do (completely independently of me) align with something I believe in.  I’ve been talking about our responsibility, both as an association and as individuals, to influence our profession and the world.  And up pops a member who took it upon herself to do just that, and made a difference.

Lana Collins, ABC, a member of the Newfoundland & Labrador chapter in Canada, was surfing a government employment website, and noticed that under the “communication” category there were options to indicate membership in or accreditation by other organizations, but IABC and the ABC were not mentioned.  So Lana contacted the responsible Canadian government agency to point out the oversight and get IABC added.   A small action, that has had a positive impact for IABC, raising our visibility with the Canadian government as well as with job-seekers, and elevating the importance of the ABC accreditation. 

It’s the kind of small opportunity for influencing that we each come across regularly.  And it’s easy to say, “IABC should do something about that,” and continue on our way, or even be critical of the fact that “they” haven’t done anything before now.  But as a long-time member and volunteer, Lana knows that “they” is really “we,” so she took the initiative.   Great going, Lana!  That proves at least two of the I’s in one fell swoop.

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.

As the new year begins for IABC boards and committees, there will be lots of calls for volunteers.  This is, after all, an association that is largely run by volunteers.  It has to be.  There’s no possible way to do all that we do around the world with only 30 or so staff members.  So at every level of the association, we send out emails imploring members to fill the need.   But why would anyone give up their scarce free time to meet the needs of an association that they already give money to?

It’s not as if we’re finding a cure for cancer or saving disaster victims.  If it were about selfless giving, there are loads of other places we could be volunteering.  This is a professional association.  We’re members for professional reasons.  We want to advance our careers, be successful, whatever that means at whatever stage we are. 

And the secret is that volunteering is one of the most effective ways of achieving your own professional objectives.

So instead of approaching volunteer recruitment from the perspective of IABC’s need, I try to start with the question, “What do you want out of your IABC involvement?” 

Are you just starting out and need to develop skills and knowledge?  Want a new job, so need to expand your network?  Need to gain some management experience in order to make the leap to your first management-level job?  Already very senior, but looking to raise your visibility within the profession?  Or a freelancer looking for potential clients? 

All these have applied to me at different stages of my career, and there’s been a volunteer role that met my needs every time.  I have said many times that I owe my career to IABC — but not in a passive way that the association just dumped success in my lap.  It took work.  In fact, it was the work itself that created the opportunities. 

My first IABC volunteer role was on the Bronze Quill Awards Committee for the Central Florida chapter.  I was just a pup, serving on a committee with people with far more professional experience.  I learned event planning and organizational skills that I later used on the job and in my own consulting business.  I met someone who I later recruited to work for me (who also became one of my best-ever friends).  I gained a mentor who helped me over the next several years every time I needed support as I climbed the career ladder.  The benefits far outweighed the number of hours I put in as a volunteer.  And over the nearly 20 years since then, I’ve probably put in thousands of hours.  I never bothered to count, but there were even times when IABC work was more than a full-time job.  If I added it all up and gave it a financial value, it still could never come close to what I’ve gotten back.  Jobs, clients, salary increases, promotions.  And that doesn’t even take into account the fun times and great friends I’ve made. 

So what do you want from IABC?  There’s a volunteer role that will help you achieve your objectives.  If you want to get involved and need help figuring out how or where to focus, get in touch with me.

And if you’re already one of the serial volunteers, please chime in and share your stories of why you do it and what you’ve gotten from your involvement.