As a globalised civilisation we were seemingly completely unprepared for the occurrence of a pandemic. The failure of leadership which helped the coronavirus proliferate has caused a day of economic reckoning and restructuring which will fundamentally change the contexts in which we all live. What are the career consequences of this for internal communicators as the curtain falls on significant parts of the old world we once knew?
It’s been the week from hell for internal communicators. However, the impacts of the coronavirus crisis have a silver lining for our profession. We should act to seize the opportunity which has been presented by the outbreak and not let it slip through our (washed) hands
Internal communicators are often on the receiving end of a litany of unintentional disrespect which seems to know no bounds. It would be unthinkable to ask a colleague in accounting to ‘Just finance this up’ or a lawyer to ‘Just legal this up’ or a HR practitioner to ‘Just people this up’. So, why is it acceptable to ask an internal communications professional to ‘Just comms this up’?
Volunteers are the real powerhouse of a professional body like CIPR, and are fundamental to changing the perceptions of IC amongst employers, recruiters and leaders. This is why I am a CIPR volunteer helping to take IC towards a better place.
What was the point of the CIPR Inside ‘Changing The Conversation’ internal communications conference in Birmingham on 8 October 2019? As a CIPR Inside Committee member, I think this was about internal communicators finally taking control of their destiny.
There aren’t enough ‘real’ internal communicators practicing in the public relations and communications industry. It’s symptomatic of the chicken and egg conundrum of imbalance in the supply of and demand for properly qualified professionals. In the absence of industry regulation and barriers to entry into the profession, how can you find a real internal communicator?
The IC Citizen movement needs a manifesto. A statement of intent which sets out what the movement stands for and what those who follow can do to support it. I invited other internal communicators to have their say about what should go into the manifesto in a short survey. Here are the results.
I’ve started a revolution, or more accurately a small movement. Since I published my blog about the concept of an IC Citizen, I’ve been astonished at the positive reception for the idea. It seems that the blog and concept have resounded with many other internal communicators. Before I move on to Phase 2 of developing the concept further, here’s some more information about it and how it could help the internal communications profession face up to a challenging future.
IC citizenship is about being supportive and giving something back to the internal communications profession as a whole. It is the very essence of the power of our collective and what makes us unique. Here are a few tips on how to be a good IC Citizen. Join the movement by following @theICcitizen.
Internal communicators seem to be stuck in a rut, endlessly discussing the same old tactical topics. This is symptomatic of an evolving profession experiencing the overly prolonged growing pains of adolescence. It’s time for us to move on and become true professionals so we can face up to the future with confidence.
The IC Citizen 