Part 5 | What IC Needs in 2017
Lise Michaud
In this last post addressing the hopes of IC thought leaders on the profession of Internal Communication in 2017, Liam FitzPatrick, Adrian Cropley, Caroline Kealey, David Grossman, Rachel Miller and Peggy L. Bieniek share their thoughts.
“I hope that more of us can turn the rhetoric about measurement into reality. Data is the route to improving our practice, helping our colleagues make better communication decisions and gaining fresh insights into our audiences…”
Liam FitzPatrick, Managing Partner, Working Communications Strategies
"My hope for the Internal Communication Profession in 2017 is to continue to increase the perceived value in all organisations. Going into a new year is a perfect opportunity to take stock of what it is we do and what value that adds strategically to the business. Stop doing those low value activities that take up our time and start focussing on those activities that deliver a business outcome. Let’s face it, someone else can pretty up the PowerPoints, manage the distribution lists and HR can take back the events so Internal Communication Professionals can focus on the strategy and facilitating a communicative environment that delivers business results."
Adrian Cropley, CEO Cropley Communication
"As we look toward 2017, my hope for internal communications is that we tap into the power of community to really make a difference. To me, that’s an exercise that happens on two levels. The first is to continue to grow the amazing community of practice among internal communications practitioners globally. It’s a community that is generous with its insights and resources – this is a richness that can only make us stronger. The second is to encourage IC practitioners to explore ways of engaging employees by connecting with the sense of community of employees. This requires experimentation as it calls us to move beyond traditional functional groups or silos to tap into the formal and informal communities that make up an organization. It also means letting go of control, to engage in a more meaningful exercise of having conversations to help create shared meaning and nurture collaboration."
Caroline Kealey, Founder & Principal, Ingenium Communications
"My wish for 2017 for internal communications professionals is to continue to elevate our own skills in an intentional and purposeful way. Too often we’re so busy supporting others that our own development as leaders and advisors gets pushed aside. Lets keep growing in significant ways so we can support senior leadership even better in leveraging communications to drive performance."
David Grossman, Founder and CEO, The Grossman Group
"My biggest hope for the internal communication profession in 2017 is for comms pros to take time to invest in themselves. With fake news on the rise, our role is more important than ever to encourage organisations to create a new code of ethics for employees. The IC profession needs to rise to these challenges, pool resources and commit to the highest levels of transparency at all levels."
Rachel Miller, Director, All Things IC consultancy
"My biggest hope is that we continue to reinvent our roles as communicators to help drive and inspire innovation. Internal communication is the foundation of a collaborative company culture, which leads to innovation, a necessary element for sustainable business success. But this requires transformation. Begin 2017 by building new relationships while nurturing existing ones. Venture out to seek new experiences and people. Reimagine your role to expand your perspectives and activities that will sustain innovation for you and your organization."
Peggy L. Bieniek, Communication Consultant and Blogger Starry Blue Brilliance
Previous posts of this series
Part 1 - What we hope for IC in 2017
Part 2 - IC experts on the profession of IC
Part 3 - Hopes for IC in the new year
Part 4 - Wishes for the profession of IC
