Creativity and Flair Matter
Lise Michaud
The following is part of our most recent publication released online, "IC in 2017 & 2018 FROM HOPE TO REALITY How Far We've Come | The Road Ahead." Looking back at their greatest hope for the IC profession in 2017 in terms of where the discipline should be, 21 communication professionals from different countries answer two questions: How far have we actually come in 2017? What remains to be done in 2018?
Alan Oram, Founder and Creative Director of Alive With Ideas, shares his views on the progress made these past months, to what extent he believes his hope has translated into reality, and what remains to be done in 2018. To read the views of all contributors, download the free 42-page eBook here.
I hope that the profession continues to earn respect from all corners of the organisations that it operates in and beyond, and while building trusted relationships at the very top we don’t lose the flair and creativity that makes the profession so special. I feel that IC comes in many different shapes and forms and we often talk about what the role of the profession is. I think this is a positive discussion and it needs to continue but I hope that collectively we find our sweet spot.
How far we've come. Next steps.
It’s heartening to know that, according to the latest research from CIPR Inside, ‘The most senior people in our organisations understand the importance and value of IC and the difference it can make to achieving success,’ and the industry is moving in the right direction in terms of recognising and respecting the function as a valued and vital one.
I would add, whilst focusing on continuing to strengthen this position as strategic trusted advisors within our organisations, we don’t lose sight of the equal importance of the tactical work that we do. In both aspects, we can stop our stakeholders in their tracks, make a bold and lasting impression and achieve significant impact across the business. This will not be achieved without a whole heap of creativity and flair. We continue to see brilliant examples of this as we work with communication teams who have a hunger to step away from the norm with the communication they create. Whilst we have achieved a great deal in terms of raising our profiles as true professionals, my hope is that as this respect as strategic business partners grows, so too will our reputation as brilliant communicators with creative edge and a flair for presenting new and innovative ideas than can compete with the bold and vibrant communications that our people are exposed to outside of our organisations.
The Future of Jobs report by the World Economic Forum suggests that “Creativity will become one of the top three skills workers will need. With the avalanche of new products, new technologies and new ways of working, workers are going to have to become more creative in order to benefit from these changes.
Robots may help us get to where we want to be faster, but they can’t be as creative as humans (yet).”
In my view, there is a real desire for creativity and it’s becoming more commonplace, rather than a ‘nice-to-have’, it’s an accepted and a necessary part of the job. But maintaining that creativity in internal communication is an ongoing challenge that affects different individuals and teams in different ways. What works for one individual may not suit another and what is seen as highly creative by one organisation may be viewed by the next as run of the mill communication.
So, whilst it’s enormously encouraging to hear the conversations about communicators’ commitment to professional development, I also feel that, as individuals, we need to personally dedicate time and energy to more creative pursuits and educate ourselves on how to cultivate our own unique creative flair.
Click here to download the free 42-page eBook "IC in 2017 & 2018 FROM HOPE TO REALITY How Far We've Come | The Road Ahead."
Alan Oram
Founder and Creative Director
of Alive With Ideas
UK
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