By Lauren Westbrook, CMP
From June 4 to 7, 2023, IABC hosted the annual World Conference in Toronto, Canada. This conference’s theme centered on the power of communication to deepen relationships, purpose, impact, curiosity, and more among teams and organizations. The event brought together industry leade
rs, experts and practitioners to share strategies and actionable tips for effective business communication in today’s ever-changing world. This was my second World Conference, and I appreciate the scholarship from IABC and support from my local chapter, IABC/Chicago, to help me attend. In this post, I’ll share insights and key takeaways from the conference sessions and explore how communication can be a driving force in creating meaningful change.
The Gift that keeps on giving
I arrived in Toronto early on June 4 to kick off the conference festivities with The Gift of Communication, IABC’s annual pre-conference community social responsibility event. How does that work? Conference attendees give back through a day of pro bono consulting in partnership with local non-profit social service organizations. I had the chance to work with some amazing representatives from Jumpstart Refugee Talent, an organization that supports the economic empowerment of newly settling refugees in Canada, along with two other IABC members. Together, we talked through some of their current communication challenges and came up with recommendations for the next steps. I look forward to reconnecting with representatives from Jumpstart to see how things are going in a few months and to bring this activity to the members of our Chicago Chapter!
Getting started
The next day, the conference officially kicked off with a spotlight session: Communication That Deepens Impact. One of the prominent themes discussed at the conference was how communication plays a key role in so many business changes, including building and protecting the brand, driving revenue, culture changes and transformations. The panel reminded us communication is a “rock-hard skill” that needs to be cultivated and requires expertise. All of the recent changes in our world hav
e allowed many of us in the industry to step up and get the proverbial “seat at the table” where we can drive and counsel, but the seat at the table can be a “hot seat” as a key adviser on key issues. One of my favorite things about the IABC conference is the takeaways I can start using right away when I return to work, and I especially liked the idea of using data to be strategic, prioritize, and get the right message to the right people at the right time.
After the first Spotlight session, we had the chance to choose from a variety of breakout sessions. There were so many sessions I wanted to attend, but I chose one that focused on when leaders should (and should not) comment on social issues. The speakers from York University discussed the importance of selectivity, having proof points, and setting expectations before making public statements. They recommended considering if your organization should “commit, ally or lead” based on guiding principles, audience expectations, expertise and the ability to unequivocally stand behind the statements. The session highlighted the need for companies to manage their brand as a valuable asset, aligning it with the values that matter to their stakeholders.
Words into action
Between each breakout session, there was a short networking opportunity. I enjoyed meeting people from Barbados, Australia, and parts of Canada and the United States. Following the short break, I attended a session on accessibility that featured plenty of practical tips, such as using descriptive text links, providing alternative text for images, and avoiding acronyms and abbreviations that may not be understood by screen readers. The afternoon wrapped up with learning more about change management, something I’ve wanted to explore for a while, and how your lived experiences can shape how open you are to change, along with breaking down additional factors like risk aversion and processing time.
The second spotlight of the day was all about branding, with a deep dive into language learning app Duolingo’s presence on social media. Then, I headed outside for Region Receptions, a chance to catch up with other conference attendees from around the Pacific Plains Region, including Minnesota, California and the Great Plains.
Be agents of change
“Communication has power, and with power comes responsibility.” The second full day started strong with another large-group Spotlight session on The Dangers of Disinformation. The speaker provided poignant examples of how distrust is society’s default emotion and because of that, businesses are the most trusted source of information. We can help our clients and employers not be mercenaries of disinformation. What once took years or months to get society to embrace a false narrative can take minutes to reach worldwide. What the speaker said resonated with me: disinformation anywhere can affect people everywhere. Since our job is to communicate about business to senior leaders and employees, we can be agents of change. The session ended with a call to action to recommit to truth and accuracy.
Feedback loops, building trust, and transparency
I was excited to start breakout sessions once again, with the first session of the day being all about building internal communities. We explored real examples of managing enterprise-wide rapid feedback loops with many benefits, including building trust through authentic voice and knowledge sharing. This session included many interesting statistics about employee engagement. For example, asking a question was said to result in 150% more replies than not asking a question. Tagging other people was said to increase replies by 73%.
The next session was extra memorable because I had the opportunity to moderate through being a member of the Program Advisory Committee, (PAC), one of IABC’s international committees. Since last year’s World Conference, I contributed as a PAC member to plan the 2023 World Conference as a high-value professional development experience aligned to the needs of the global profession. PAC members were offered the chance to moderate the sessions, and I signed up for one with IKEA Canada as the speaker on Supercharging Your Brand’s Purpose. My favorite idea? People want to buy INTO brands, not just buy from brands. I loved hearing some of the behind-the-scenes from a store I’ve visited many times. As the speaker said, “Just because something is affordable doesn’t mean it is low quality.” The main ideas included building trust, fostering transparency, reporting on the things that are working well/where they have work to do, and sustainability.
An afternoon pick me up
The late afternoon sessions were a fun mix, starting with a closer look at the amount of information we receive in a day. To no one’s surprise, it is a lot. It was fun to work with other attendees to discuss their experiences in the workplace. Everyone agreed that communication is the “conduit to employee engagement, retention, and productivity” which can make a huge difference to business: can you believe that engagement costs many companies $400-500 billion per year?
To wrap up day two, I attended an interactive PowerPoint improvisation event, a social with conference sponsors, and Dine Arounds. Dine Arounds are a long-standing IABC tradition, where you can make new connections at local restaurants, two of my favorite things. I enjoyed excellent food and company at a nearby sushi restaurant.
Moving forward: what comes next
Overall, this year’s conference provided valuable insights into the power of communication to deepen impact in various contexts. From leveraging data, embracing AI as a tool, and ensuring accessibility, we were equ
ipped with strategies to drive change and build thriving communities. The conference served as a reminder of the responsibility communicators hold in shaping narratives, combatting disinformation, and fostering meaningful engagement. By employing these insights, communication professionals can become superheroes in their organizations, driving employee engagement, stakeholder trust, and societal impact.
I hope to see you at the IABC World Conference in 2024, located in none other than Chicago!