This was 
my fourth IABC World Conference, and it was the most rewarding one yet. I heard from speakers that grounded their sessions in proven principles while offering fresh perspectives, reconnected with many brilliant communication professionals, and made new connections that energized me.
All of these moments throughout the conference reminded me of two truths:
- We do work that matters.
- We’re not in this alone.
“Do your homework. Learn how people think.” ~Anne Wickham & David Imber
The conference featured standout sessions on applying brain science, organizational psychology, and behavioral science to communication—topics I’m deeply interested in. Across sessions on persuasion, influence, trust, connection, emotion regulation, and how human brains react to and process change, a few themes kept surfacing:
- Emotion drives action. Most people don’t make decisions based on logic alone. We react first and rationalize second. That means the way we frame change matters. The way we listen matters. Stories and context matter.
- Connection builds trust. People listen to those they know, like, and trust. And in most organizations, that’s not always the C-suite. This broken top-down cascade model won’t fix itself. We must intentionally activate trusted messengers at every level.
“Internal comms, the invisible heroes.” ~Howard Krais
I left Vancouver thinking differently about our profession, with one idea that keeps echoing: internal communication professionals have fought for visibility. Now that we have it, we have a responsibility to lead with it.
Too often, we’re still cast as tactical messengers. And without meaning to, we sometimes play along. But that mindset doesn’t serve us, our organizations, or the profession.
Our job isn’t just to inform. It’s to influence, guide, and drive value. We must move beyond tactics and just “getting things out” and instead anchor our work in outcomes. Not vanity metrics, not volume, but true business results.
I left Vancouver thinking differently about our profession. One idea kept echoing: internal communication professionals have fought for visibility. Now that we have it, we have a responsibility to lead with it.
“Our thinking is already primed; We have old brains operating in a new world.” ~ Mel Loy
If we want to be treated like strategists, we must think and speak like them. That means using the language of outcomes, framing our asks to inspire action, and reminding leaders (and ourselves) that the work we do impacts the bottom line and moves the business forward.
We also have to start with people—their context, questions, and emotional responses to what’s happening around them. That means shifting from one-way messaging to two-way communication. It means co-creating change, not broadcasting it. It means making room for dialogue, not just updates.
People value what they help build. If we want buy-in, we need to invite participation. When we chunk ideas, visualize impact, and repeat key messages in human terms, we cut through the noise. And in today’s noisy world, clarity is everything.
“That’s not support work. That’s business work.” ~ Jo Frankel
As incoming president of IABC Chicago, I’m thinking a lot about how we support our members in this shift, from being seen as content creators to being seen as strategic advisors. In the year ahead, our chapter will focus on:
- Providing development opportunities to help our members grow their careers
- Creating a greater sense of community for communication professionals in Chicagoland
- Advocating for the strategic communication profession
If you’re reading this, I have a few asks of you:
- Volunteer with IABC Chicago or your local chapter and help shape the year ahead.
- Follow us on LinkedIn to stay in the loop.
- Attend an event. Bring a colleague. Expand your network.
Most of all, I hope you pause and reflect on the value you bring. Our work is not soft. It’s not fluff. And it’s not optional.
We’re not support teams—we’re strategy teams. Let’s start acting like it and help others see it, too