One year ago, #WeLeadComms was just “a guy with a hashtag.”
Today, it’s genuinely a global conversation involving a community of communication leaders who take the initiative to make a difference.
Together, we continue to make a difference in our enterprises and communities - taking inspiration from one another in a world that doesn’t always welcome our contributions.
This anniversary also is the opportunity to share some great news:
- #WeLeadComms this week passed the 2,500 follower mark on LinkedIn.
- Over the last year, #WeLeadComms profiles and content items on LinkedIn have been viewed more than 235,000 times.
- In a reference group including five of the world’s top international communication communities (CIPR, EACD, IABC, IOIC and PRCA), #WeLeadComms finished first in organic LinkedIn engagement.
- Having committed to abide by the DICE Charter guidelines for visible minority representation, #WeLeadComms has achieved more than 30% minority representation
- 54% of #WeLeadComms honorees have been women, 36% men, and 10% have been industry activities and initiatives
- 45 countries have been represented so far.
Today’s 235th profile features Chris Izquierdo of Canada, CEO of Sparrow Connected.
Chris’s selection as today’s honoree marks another great development for #WeLeadComms: a new sponsorship deal with Sparrow Connected.
This partnership will drive more expansive and inclusive content that will involve our honorees and followers in new and exciting ways - starting with a webinar series featuring #WeLeadComms honorees.
Chris’s mission at Sparrow Connected aligns strongly with the #WeLeadComms spirit:
"I see a future where communication leaders are sitting alongside the CEOs, CFOs and CMOs of the world when the decisions are made at the executive table. My mission is to make this vision a reality."
The Journey So Far
These results are not an accident - they are a result of a conscious rethinking of the way communication leaders want to connect, engage and participate.
For the most part, #WeLeadComms functions as the exact opposite of a traditional communication association.
No dues.
Pay as you go for events and initiatives.
No applications or strict rubrics for recognition, aside from a general commitment to taking initiative and doing more than the minimum.
A consistent commitment to representation that crosses borders, disciplines, ethnicities and genders.
No boards or committees.
At the end of one year, it’s easy to see the plusses and minuses of such an approach.
The biggest plus - the #WeLeadComms conversation about “communication leadership” and its definition as “communication professionals taking initiative” is gaining traction.
The term communication leader no longer simply applies to people who have “Chief” in their title or lead corporate communication functions.
There is now a basis for sharing, building and championing “communication leadership” as a practice and discipline that crosses borders and boundaries in our profession.
This success results from two things: having the definition of communication be inclusive of the work being done by thousands of comms pros already, and the willingness of hundreds of communication leaders to accept being honored as examples of this level of service.
A second plus, is that the process of identifying honorees and collecting their posts and profiles is relatively easy - particularly as many #WeLeadComms honorees come from the ranks of #WeLeadComms followers. This is a community that is fueling its own growth.
Still, there are some challenges and opportunities.
One thing that was clear from the survey research I did with 100 #WeLeadComms honorees is that the growth of our community feeds the desire for more community.
Here’s what our honorees want:
- Content and thinking from other honorees
- Webinars and podcasts
- Continued daily postings
- Live and online events
The Sparrow Connected sponsorship will support the first three types of activities and help sustain #WeLeadComms for another year.
Helping Shape The Emerging Communication Leadership Ecosystem
What is fully within #WeLeadComms’ scale and scope is to participate in the transformation of the global association picture into a more coherent, effective and efficient ecosystem.
For the initial Open Conferences on Communication Leadership last year, #WeLeadComms secured the cooperation of a number of communication associations: PRCA. IABC, EACD, IOIC, IPRA, ICCO, and ICology, and were in conversation with several others.
What we learned:
- #WeLeadComms is actually complementary to the global association picture, rather than oppositional.
- In recognizing visible association members and leaders, #WeLeadComms built strong support and ties within and between each of these associations
- It is becoming increasingly clear that the future of communication associations will involve them moving away from being competitive, and towards becoming a more collaborative ecosystem - with each specializing in specific strengths and areas of interest.
Logically, This Makes Sense.
One can easily have six restaurants on the same street.
But it’s best that they don’t offer the same exact menu, prices or atmosphere, and claim to be the “only” good restaurant around. Together, they can make sure all of the needs of the community are covered.
There are still some challenges to be overcome - tribal rivalries and competitive business models still prevail in this space.
But a community of leaders that crosses all association boundaries - and includes those who belong to none - has the potential to be a catalyst for uniting the profession in a positive and sustainable way.
The main lesson of #WeLeadComms’ first year is that such unity is actually achievable.
But the road to this kind of unity is cleared not by erasing the boundaries and the reasons for individual communities to continue - but by celebrating what we share and promoting what we have in common.
In doing so, a united, diverse and respected profession is within our reach.
#WeLeadComms
What’s Next:
