… so said Oscar Wilde … and I’d add it to it that you can’t get solid experience without engagement – and that was the topic I was asked to cover at this morning’s South Africa / UK Communicator’s Breakfast, hosted by Lisa Wannell at the VMA Group HQ in London’s leafy Bedford Square.
Specifically, I shared insights from the recent #IABCafrica14 conference in Cape Town. The attendees at the VMA session were from a range of corporates; agencies; freelancers – and also a senior communicator with experience of the workings of the South African government.
To suit the time of day I was asked to keep my brief talk easy-going and accessible – which I hope you’ll find is what follows, set out in an A-Z format (of sorts).
South Africa is a unique environment, yet good practice knows no borders if you adjust for context – there’s a lot to learn and plenty to get on with!
Here’s what I took away on how to engage on the original continent:
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S – is for Social – and it is still growing – for example, 3m people are now on LinkedIn (vs. 17m for the UK) [for context, compare population counts of 52m vs 64m ].
- Tip: if you’re looking to operate in South Africa, get ahead of the curve and be sure to have a social presence. The LinkedIn Executive Playbook may come in handy if you want to lead from the front.
- O – is for Overview – veteran communicator Solly Moeng set out the case for gaining board level skills if you’re planning to really have an impact – not sure how?
- Tip: talk to VMA. You may also want to look at the IABC Career Roadmap – and look at the latest research on the future of the profession. You could of course also literally join a board…
- U – is for Underground – who knew De Beers have coal mines too? (To be fair, they have a point: it is all carbon – some of it is just more dense).
- Tip: more to the point, there are some real good practice gems out there to be picked up – not to mention an opportunity for yours to be recognised: http://gq.iabc.com/
- T – is for Tenacity – at #IABCafrica14 we heard from Lucy Balona from CANSA how they keep people going through the night (literally) – how they thank people seven times (!)
- Tip: thank you for getting this far… now reach back and help the next person along.
- H – is for Hotel – places do shape people… We were hosted at the Vineyard, a fabulous place to engage with Southern Africa’s leading communicators.
- Tip: never underestimate the importance of getting the right venue. If you’re in London and in the need of an office, I’ve got a card for you… either way, you may want to read about the truth about trust – when it comes to when, where and how we work.
- A – is for Alignment – something that is easier to arrive at if you use the IABC Global Standard: Ethics, Consistency, Context, Analysis, Strategy, Engage…
- Tip: it’s a mnemonic: #ECCASE – and if you put it into practice you can beat the competition.
- F – is for Friendly – where else do you get such a warm welcome?!
- Tip: read why venn anyway? – and then mark your calendar for #IABCafrica15 coming up in Johannesburg in 2015! On the road a lot? Then these two may also be of interest: #Eurocomm (London, April ’15), #IABC15 (San Francisco, June ’15). Last but not least, if you want to attend a future UK/SA Breakfast, reach out to Lisa Wannell.
- R – is for Recognition – South Africa punches well above its weight in terms of Gold Quills.
- Tip: who doesn’t want to be introduced as ‘the award winning…’ – so to be fair, the bar is high, but that never puts off the best: gq.iabc.com
- I – is for International – South Africa really is at the global forefront on thinking about corporate governance, specifically through the ongoing work to implement the recommendations from the King III report.
- Tip: want to boost your understanding of governance and help lead an organisation at the highest strategic level? Learn how, here.
- C – is for Connectivity – 3G/4G/WiFi can at times be a challenge in South Africa. It is most definitively not evenly distributed – but then again, neither is it in the UK. It is easy to be misled by the relative bubble that is London.
- Tip: great excuse to put the phone away and have a real conversation.
- A – is for Action… ask yourself: are you doing what you love?
- YES: great! Glad to hear it. Now is the perfect time to update your CV. Build your network before you need it. Need help? Work with your recruiter – and get out there and share the good practice you’ve built up (links galore above!).
- Maybe: that’s entirely normal – build your network before you need it. Get a perspective from a recruiter – and get out there and network. There are a panoply of links above to get you started…
- I’m starting my own… brilliant – and good luck. This might come in handy.
Either way, be sure to let me know how you get on. If you think somebody else could benefit from the above, please do share it.
Michael Ambjorn is founder of // Align Your Org – and Vice Chair @IABC. You can follow him @michaelambjorn
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