How did you spend your weekend in Canberra? A little resting? Perhaps brunching in Braddon then chilling (and digesting) by the lake? Maybe even some climate-change marching? I want to share with you some of what the IABC Canberra board was up to, because our weekends can be pretty special too! We headed up to Sydney for an intensive 48 hours at the Asia-Pacific Region Leadership Institute (APAC LI). What is it? The APAC LI is an annual opportunity for leaders from chapters around the A..... Read more »

Have you ever been curious about why one communicator is markedly more successful than others? What success looks like in our profession or, more fundamentally, even challenged your own definition of career success? For some success is the money they earn or the workplace titles they hold. Others see it in the achievements they deliver in their campaigns. Because there are so many interpretations it might be easier to ask what would distinguish you as a successful communicator. What are th..... Read more »

Most of us want to be led by someone with vision, energy and purpose. Unfortunately communicators don’t always get the bosses they deserve. Sometimes you find yourself working for a manager who won’t or can’t lead. Maybe they’re fearful for their career, lazy or just never got the opportunity to learn how to lead. An awful lot of managers fail to make the transition to leader.The end result is usually the same. Poor leadership has a dreadful impact on a communications team – it stifle..... Read more »

You can be one of the first communicators in the Asia Pacific region to achieve the new IABC Communication Management Professional certification. After much hard work and consultation with communicators across the world, the Global Communications Council (GCCC), an IABC initiative, is rolling out the first level of the new professional development certification program, the Communication Management Professional (CMP). The CMP program recognises professional communicators who meet the Globa..... Read more »

I’m happy to admit that a few years ago I stood Canute-like fiercely repelling the tidal wave of opinion about mobile phones and advertising. I couldn’t compute why people would ever want advertising on their phones and I railed against the idea with the same passion I currently dedicate to people who talk about “Disrupting Government” (No. Let’s have better Government) I do now concede that the smartphone revolution has given marketeers the chance to reach larger audiences than ev..... Read more »

It’s a great pleasure to write as Chair of the new IABC Asia Pacific Board. Having been an IABC member for six years and on the board of the NSW and now President of the Canberra chapter, I’m keen to build greater links across the Asia Pacific region. APAC is one of the most diverse of IABC’s eight regions. We have around 700 members and 13 chapters in seven countries. The Philippines was the first chapter established outside the United States, and IABC Victoria is the largest chapter. ..... Read more »

The IABC World Conference is an annual feast for communicators. It offers a mix of exceptional and visionary keynote speakers through to small expert workshops. It’s also a chance to meet with leading experts from around the world, to socialize, make new friends and contacts, and to relax in beautiful San Francisco. With over 1100 delegates and 80 sessions to choose from, my only regret is that there were many sessions I couldn’t get to, so here are some of my favourites. Firstly we..... Read more »

In June I was lucky enough to attend the IABC World Conference, held in San Francisco. It was an incredible experience with so many communication professionals in one room (over 1,000 of them). There were so many people who I could talk endlessly with about my passion…communication. It’s hard to condense that much content into a single blog but I like a challenge so I’m going to try. My big take-away from the event was to think like a start-up. Appropriate considering the confe..... Read more »

The Corporate Affairs Summit is an annual power packed forum for corporate affairs professionals.  It’s a great chance to hear top speakers ranging from Disney to Telstra, as well as an opportunity to reflect and network.  And thanks to a partnership with CAS2015, it was a great chance to meet up with IABC folk from Australia and New Zealand. A powerful takeaway was the speed of change. As Jason Laird wondered: Can the news cycle get any faster without bending the space-time continuum? Fu..... Read more »

Attention Government Relations practitioners, have we got the deal for you! The Government Relations Summit 2015 is the pre-eminent event for Federal level Government Relations practitioners in Australia. The summit offers attendees a combination of professional development and networking that will assist and improve the work of all Government Relations practitioners – both in-house and form GR agencies. The Government Relations Summit will be held on 18th June at the National Press Cl..... Read more »