Amen, brother. IABC should set the standard...practice what you preach.

My long-time IABC membership lapsed at the end of June. Although my fledgling freelance biz is slowly picking up speed, I couldn't justify spending $300 to reenlist. I thought at the time that I'd wait until September, when the $40 one-time administrative fee would be waived--but September 30 came and went and I still couldn't find compelling reasons to spend that money. My town has a strong IABC community but I can commune with those folks without paying $300.

Your post today eases a little guilt off my back. Could it be that IABC is a dead horse that no amount of verbal whipping--from people who want desperately to respect the organization--will resurrect?

Well, Jane, as usual with IABC—when I bring up a small issue, somebody widens it really quickly, as symptomatic of a huge problem with the association.

I think people see IABC in two ways, and which way they see it determines whether they're happy about IABC or not.

If they see it as the organization that's a clearinghouse for communicators and holds a big conference every year and has local chapters where people, especially younger, un-connected communicators can meet and network ... then they love IABC.

If they see it as the decades-old association that never seems to change, that fails to serve and continue to enlighten and aid older, better-connected communicators and just keeps offering up the same old sorts of stuff every year ... then they're pissed at IABC.

As for me, I think IABC is—to borrow THE SINGLE HOTEST NEWISH COLOQUIALISM IN THE WORLD TODAY—what it is. I think it has been much less competently run in the past than it is now. And sure, also I see how it might be more exciting and more splashy and a bolder advocate for communicators in the future.

As for re-joining IABC, I am curious: Where does the guilt come from? Do you feel guilty for withdrawing your support from the association, or guilty for not investing in your own network?

I ask, because it is my observation that feelings of "guilt" and "love" and also deep frustration are the intangible attachment IABCers have with their outfit. Not sure that's true of PRSA--or any other trade association I've been acquainted with.

I welcome anyone's thoughts as to why.

And another thing: after I wrote the comment above, I followed the link in your post. The new, improved IABC strategic plan reads EXACTLY like a million other strategic plans in this country and around the world.

Maybe this is evidence not that strategic plans are written poorly but that they're completely unnecessary.

Maybe what communicators should be saying to management is this: "Don't spend one more second on that strategic plan. Here's all we need to do: provide a stellar product, go the extra mile for customers and employees, and stay alert and flexible."

Of course, IABC isn't sure anymore what its product IS, so it's hard for them to make it stellar....

My guilt stems from separating myself from people I've known for a long time, enjoy, and respect.

I'm 54 years old and fighting cynicism about the current state and future of communication. What I long for but have perhaps stopped looking for is an organization that is EXCITED about communicators' challenges and possibilities. I'm a little jaded: make me feel urgency and playfulness and joy and the hard-won glory of acting honorably when no one else does. These are the basics I'm trying to revisit, and it's much more fun with companions than alone.

Jane, I feel your pain. I, too, have those "guilt" feelings whenever I consider just letting my IABC membership lapse. As David points out, it's a curious thing.

Perhaps my guilt stems from the fact that IABC was my "first love" when it comes to professional associations. I joined in 1988, just after accepting a job as a PR specialist -- a job I knew very little about, except that I would be able to use the journalism skills for which I'd gone to college and make more money using them. So I grew up in IABC, learned a lot from it, made some great friends through it and gave a lot of time to it. I served on my local chapter board, including a term as president, went on to three years as an executive board member, including two as a district director, served on various committees, got my accreditation and served yet another term as chapter president.

So I have invested a lot in IABC and I feel a little guilty about turning my back on an organization to which I've given -- and received -- much.

But at the same time I'm disappointed -- perhaps sad is a better word -- at how slowly IABC has adapted to the 21st century. What worked in the past just doesn't work so well in 2007 and beyond. The business world favors organizations that are quick to adapt and willing to stick their necks out, try new things and perhaps be a little controversial now and then. That's why, for example, Ragan Communications (a sometime partner/sometime competitor to IABC) seems to be thriving in this new age of social media. They're trying new things, even if it pisses the old-timers off a little bit. Before IABC does anything new, it has to form a committee to study it, take a vote to gain consensus and then check in every step along the way to make sure members still love them.

I re-upped this year, partly out of those guilt feelings, partly because I still value the connections and some of the resources I get through IABC, and partly because I want to keep my accreditation. But I've got to tell you, I just don't know how long the love will last.

I've added a comment to my previous post to answer your questions: why we've created a new plan, how this plan is different, and how this new plan will help us increase member value. In summary, the process, structure, and focus were different based on our current environment and what we have learned from recent member and non-member research.

When members view the full plan, they'll be able to read specific tactical strategies of the plan ... far to much detail to attempt to cover in a blog entry.

I think it was Eisenhower (or was it Patton?)who said--plans are worthless, but planning is everything.

IABC undergoes a strategic planning effort each year. Not just for something to do, but because the process forces board and staff to think hard about their priorities for the coming year. With 15,000 members--David, note the number--we get a ton of input about what we should be doing and we can't do everything that everyone thinks we should.

And then because there are a bunch of us involved in the planning process, we create a plan so we can refer back to it in the coming year. We would like to accomplish what we said we would do.

A good plan, I believe, should be a combination of stuff that never changes--the vision and the values--because the association has to stay true to who it is, stuff that changes slowly--the goals--because goals worth achieving don't get accomplished quickly (nothing good happens fast), and stuff that is modified from year to year--objectives and tactics--because there are new ways to accomplish the same goals.

The parts of the plan that Todd has blogged about are the slow moving parts. They are based in member research. He has not yet blogged about our 2008 objectives, which may not be revolutionary enough for David, but will help to focus our activitites in a different and we hope better way.

I will be blogging more about the plan soon. I am recovering from the week I spent in Brazil. I was asked to speak to 150 communicators working for CVRD, the second largest mining company in the world. They wanted to hear from the President of IABC because they are working to become a truly global organization and demonstrate that they are good corporate citizens. Too bad that not everyone sees how much value IABC offers to the profession and the business community.

Julie

Eisenhower (or was it Patton?) that plans are worthless, but planning is everything.

IABC undergoes a strategic planning process each year because it helps board and staff determine our priorities for the coming year. With 15,000 members--note the number, David--we get a ton of input about what IABC should do. We don't have the resources to implement every idea.

And then because the planning process involves a number of people, we write it down and create a plan that we can refer back to during the year. We want to do what we said we were going to do.

A good strategic plan should be a combination of stuff that stays the same--the vision and values--because the association cannot change its DNA--stuff that stays around for awhile--the goals--because nothing important can be accomplished quickly--and stuff that does change from year to year--the objectives and tactics--because there are always new ways to do things.

Todd has blogged about the vision, values and goals, which are all based on member research. Both he and I will be talking about the 2008 objectives soon. First, I have to get caught up after a week in Brazil. I was invited to speak to 150 communicators working for CVRD, the second largest mining company in the world. They wanted to hear from the President of IABC because they are trying to figure out how to become truly global and also good corporate citizens and they think the IABC body of knowledge can help them. It is too bad that not everyone sees the value that IABC has to offer to its members, the profession and the business community.

Julie, IABC President

Thanks for your response, Julie. As I've said, I'm not broadly criticizing IABC or questioning its value. (Which is up for IABC members, not communication pundits, to decide.)

I just don't like to see corporatese coming out of a communication association, especially on an issue as potentially important to members as the association's strategic plan.

I trust your follow-up blog on the new plan will be written clearly and its implications will be explicit.

Welcome back stateside,

David

Thanks for your response, Julie. As I've said, I'm not broadly criticizing IABC or questioning its value. (Which is up for IABC members, not communication pundits, to decide.)

I just don't like to see corporatese coming out of a communication association, especially on an issue as potentially important to members as the association's strategic plan.

I trust your follow-up blog on the new plan will be written clearly and its implications will be explicit.

Welcome back stateside,

David

David, you've hit the nail on the head. I, too, believe in the value of planning. It's absolutely necessary, especially for an organization like IABC.

It's the corporate jargon and cliches I can't stand.

Why can't we communicators practice what we preach?

Robert

I am no fan of jargon, but what some people might consider jargon, others might consider a beautifully turned phrase.

Some of this is in the eye of the beholder.

Julie

Maybe it's not the plan that's at fault, but the announcement of it. I'm having the same battle here at work, but people are gradually agreeing - do the plan (which necessarily talks about the organization) but then translate it for the members into WIIFM - What's In It For Me? Ideally in terms that say "we heard you" - such as "you told us you wanted X, and this year we will implement X1 and make a special effort to improve X2."

If people are bitching about corporatese, we should all be thrilled!