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INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATORS (IABC) IABC is an international network of professionals committed to improving organizational effectiveness through strategic communication. With more than 100 chapters, IABC serves 13,500 members in 60 countries and 10,000 organizations. STEALSHEET is published every month by (IABC) as a source of news, features and fillers for editors of IABC chapter publications. Please contact Gretchen Hoover to submit items to Steal Sheet or to update your mailing address.
LEADER SEARCH:
Steal Sheet: June/July 2004
A source of news, articles and filler for your chapter/district/regional newsletters and Web sites.
PLEASE ADD IABC STEALSHEET STAFF TO YOUR CHAPTER'S DISTRIBUTION LIST FOR ELECTRONIC AND MAILED NEWSLETTERS:
Heidi Upton
One Hallidie Plaza, Ste 600
San Francisco, CA 94102
hupton@iabc.com
Articles:
IABC’s Templates, Practical and Hands-On
Getting the Line Manager Onboard
What Supports Brand Behavior?
International Benefits Spotlight
IABC Job Centre Heating Up
Some Common Courtesies
How to Cope with Angry Colleagues
IABC Calendar
IABC’S TEMPLATES, PRACTICAL AND HANDS-ON
IABC’s Knowledge Centre will be rolling out a new line of communication templates starting in August 2004. Smaller in length and scope than other Knowledge Centre offerings, templates are practical, hands-on, step-by-step instructions, worksheets and checklists that will help you create documents, draft plans or implement processes. Most templates will cost between $15 and $50, and will be available for download on the IABC bookstore at www.iabc.com/knowledge.
Topics will include
* Elements of a Crisis Communication Plan
* Secrets of the Successful Fundraiser
* Conducting an Information Systems Analysis
* Reaching Your Remote Workforce
* Measuring the Effectiveness of Your Messaging
* Constructing a News Release
* Researching and Writing Employee Newsletters
* Communicators as Internal Consultants.
To learn more about the template series, contact Heather Turbeville at hturbeville@iabc.com. We’d love to hear what you think, especially if you’d like to author a template yourself.
GETTING THE LINE MANAGER ONBOARD
In an age when communication is increasingly synonymous with technology, it’s curious that there should be a renewed interest in face-to-face communication. And yet, it makes perfect sense. Technology, as wondrous as it is, tends to be distancing, even alienating in those situations where we need human presence.
Organizations require the best human leadership we can provide to be successful. And the truth is communication and leadership are even more synonymous than communication and technology. Pity us if we ever come to the point when technology supplants human contact. It’s not as though they are in conflict with one another necessarily; it’s simply that there must be a balance between the two and an intelligent understanding about when to rely on face-to-face communication as a leadership tool and when to turn to technology.
No one is a more influential leader than our immediate boss. He or she sets the tone, provides the example and either motivates our engagement or destroys it. And yet we have paid little attention to ensuring that the boss is prepared to fill this critical role. As soon as you talk about this level of leadership and begin contemplating the competencies that make it work, you inevitably face the fact that human relationship and human communication are the key.
That’s not new. But today’s complex workplace filled as it is with information overload, job insecurity, pressure for results and conflicting priorities makes it essential that every leader be more able than ever to fill the role of interpreter for the people he or she is leading. Hence the need for face-to-face communication initiatives to support such leaders and help them fulfill their communication responsibilities.
It’s tempting to take a simplistic approach to this challenge—to assume that it’s only a matter of training or of providing the right information at the right time. But that’s a disservice to the people whose communication performance we want to improve. At least four tasks need to be addressed. There’s the critical matter of establishing accountability for the behavior. But accountability is unfair without training and development. And training and development do little good unless we provide the necessary follow-up tools to reinforce the training and then measure the results.
Measurement is often held up as the insurmountable obstacle to accountability. Those who would leave this whole business to chance or to the good intentions of the boss frequently ask: But how will we measure the return on investment in this kind of activity? Where’s the clear cause-effect relationship between such communication leadership and results?
The research shows that today’s organizational leaders are facing credibility and trust issues. The problem is lack of visibility and insulation from the people doing the work, not to mention an employee backlash for the hard-nosed decisions like downsizings, layoffs and the outsourcing of work that have been typical in recent years. The one person who usually does not have this visibility or credibility problem is the immediate boss. He or she typically earns the highest trust and credibility levels in employee opinion surveys. It is clearly in everyone’s interest to do everything we can to build on this trust and enhance the first line leader’s ability to interpret large goals and major initiatives and to explain what they mean for the people he or she is leading. That won’t happen without a deliberate initiative and accompanying strategy.
When it does happen, measurement then is simply a matter of whether overall trust and credibility levels go up and whether people have a clearer understanding of the business of which they are a part. The research shows that organizations that achieve those trust levels and provide the information people need to do their jobs have higher levels of performance and better business returns . That’s the important return on investment that can be quantified if we are diligent in our measures and honest about their causes.
There clearly is a powerful business case for improving face-to-face communication in today’s organizations. The jury is no longer out. We know that the most effective work organizations are the ones where there is good leadership at every level and where such leadership produces impressive levels of employee engagement. And in the midst of workplace stress, confusion, mistrust and simple human need, there is also a powerful human case for attending to this most basic kind of communication. Our business success and our human satisfaction with our work both demand it.
Excerpted from the new IABC Knowledge Centre release, TheFace-to-Face Communication Toolkit: Creating an Engaged Workforce” by Roger D’Aprix, ABC, available at: www.iabc.com/knowledge
WHAT SUPPORTS BRAND BEHAVIOR?
As important as employee communication is to the delivery of the brand promise, other elements are still essential to the process. The communicator needs to understand all of the dimensions involved in nurturing and supporting the brand, and must connect with the people responsible for their development.
The successful delivery of the brand requires a strong focus on operation systems – the various elements of an organization’s infrastructure needed to support employee brand behavior. In most organizations, these systems include just about every dimension of the operation. For example, for that grocery store to “be friends,” it must have a systematic approach to keeping the merchandise fresh. That system is essential to the employees’ ability to deliver the fields behavior the brand represents.
The successful delivery of the brand calls for a strong focus on marketing – to tell the story of the brand effectively and to create the expectation in the customer’s mind that employee behavior ultimately confirms. Therefore, for the grocery store to successfully “be friends,” it must have programs behind the scenes, as well as an effective story out in front. The marketing must be as precise and truthful as it is creative; otherwise, it can lead to unfulfilled expectations.
Finally, the successful delivery of the brand necessitates a strong focus on people and the specific training they need to deliver brand behavior. That focus on people, as we will explore throughout this manual, begins well before an employee actually starts to work for the organization.
The communicator interested in supporting the employee brand needs to do more than simply communicate. The communicator needs to address how to influence the development of systems and processes, as well as how to control the development of brand-related messages.
Excerpted from “Building your Organization’s Brand: A Practical Guide for Communicators” by Brad Breininger, Kevin Chapman, William H. Green, Mark Schumann, ABC, Charlie Watts, Katherine Woodall, ABC, APR. This manual is available for purchase at: www.iabc.com/knowledge
INTERNATIONAL BENEFITS SPOTLIGHT
You've already made the wise decision to advance your career by becoming a member of IABC. But the benefits of membership will only work for you if you make the effort to use them.
Don't let them go to waste.
A number of the IABC member benefits can be found in the Member Centre – IABC's members-only area of the international web site.
Member Search
Make contact with members anywhere in the world using the Member Search. Log onto the members-only area of IABC's web site to search for members by location, organization, or industry. Research potential employers, find mentors, and make friends online.
http://www.iabc.com/members/search/members/mbrsearch.cfm
Communication World/CW Bulletin Archives
Find articles from past issues of IABC's award-winning magazine Communication World and the monthly e-mail newsletter CW Bulletin archived online, plus bonus articles and case studies not available anywhere else.
www.iabc.com/cw
My Communication
My Communication (MyComm) is an online strategic planning tool, originally developed by and for employees of Cisco Systems. IABC and Cisco Systems have collaborated to offer an IABC members-only version of the tool, which you can access in the Member Centre.
MyComm takes users through a six-step process that results in a viable written communication strategy. Cisco worked with renowned communication consultant/author Roger D’Aprix to offer guidance on each step along the way. The tool also allows users to share and collaborate on plans with other communicators via the web.
The end result is a comprehensive strategic document that identifies and summarizes all of the essential audiences; messages; timing and preferred communication channels for any business issue or topic for any audience. It is an invaluable strategic guide for ensuring successful communications.
www.iabc.com/mycomm
MemberSpeak
IABC's online discussion forum, MemberSpeak, allows IABC members to share ideas, seek advice, and make contacts anywhere in the world. New features include private chat rooms and the ability to create personalized profiles and upload your own author icon.
http://www.iabc.com/MemberSpeak
Online Library
Find complete Gold Quill Award winning case studies, slideshows from past IABC events, research findings and exclusive articles. The Online Library is an invaluable source for research material.
http://www.iabc.com/private/library
Your IABC membership is your key to a world of knowledge and new people, but it's up to you to make the journey.
IABC JOB CENTRE HEATING UP
According to activity on its Job Centre (www.iabc.com/jobs), IABC has seen a monthly average of 72 job postings and 88 new employers/recruiters (signing up to view resumes), within the last six months. Employers posting jobs recently include: AARP, Mars Inc., Nissan Canada, Watson Wyatt, ChevronTexaco, United Airlines, Piper Jaffray, and Abbott Laboratories,
SOME COMMON COURTESIES
* Avoid bone crushing handshakes when greeting people. Don't be too aggressive but don't offer a handshake that's limp and lifeless.
* When you are out of the office, make sure that visitors and callers are told what you want them to be told. Don't allow them to come away from the conversation feeling that you don't work much or often.
Example: You might be buying office supplies, but when a visitor is old that you left at I ]:(X) for lunch and you're not back ;it 1:00, some incorrect conclusions could be drawn.
* Stand for introductions, or when senior execs or clients enter your office. - Introduce people by rank - client, boss, colleagues. Example.- Present your boss to your client, using last names: "Ms. Smith, this is my boss, Mr. Jones." Always introduce persons of lower rank to persons of higher rank. But address persons of lower rank so as not to offend them. Example: "Ms. Jones (your boss) I'd like to introduce you to my assistant, Mr. Smith."
* When you call on the phone, give your name and company and the department or person you wish to speak to. If you're disconnected during a call, the one who telephoned calls back.
* If you borrow something from a colleague, return it. If you don't, people in a position to promote you someday may consider your failure to return something as sign of not following up.
SOURCE:Article written by Stephen Covey, writing in "Executive Excellence, " P.O. Box 50360, Provo, UT 84604.
HOW TO COPE WITH ANGRY COLLEAGUES
Smoldering in silence or erupting in anger can lead to long-lasting grudges. How to avoid them:
* Don't show your anger. You can do it non-verbally, too, so beware. If both boss and worker are angry, solutions become even more difficult.
* Never talk down to an angry person. Don't patronize the person with statements such as, "You're upset now, so why don't you calm down and we'll continue when you're more rational."
* Avoid threats . Anger is a heightened state of self-defense. Threats only make the person more defensive and, hence, more angry.
OURCE: Article from the July 1997 issue of "Incentive."
IABC CALENDAR
>>>>Conferences:
Research and Measurement Conference
23-24 September, 2004
New York, NY
Presented by IABC and Delahaye Medialink
Strategic Public Relations Conference
5-7 October, 2004
Chicago, IL
Presented by Ragan Communications and IABC
EuroComm 2004, IABC’s European Conference
1-3 December, 2004
Brussels
>>>>Upcoming Teleseminars:
http://www.iabc.com/events/index.htm
Reaching Your Readers: Writing Compelling Features
22 July, 2004
Presenter / Ken O’Quinn, Writing with Clarity
Communication Planning and the Role of Teambuilding and Listening
12 August, 2004
Presenter / Karen Horn, Cisco
Engaging Employees through Effective HR Communication
26 August, 2004
Presenter / Mark Schumann, ABC, Towers Perrin
Measuring Messages, Channels and Outcomes
23 September, 2004
Presenter / Angela Sinickas, ABC
Reducing Communications Clutter for Internal Audiences
14 October, 2004
Presenter / Terry Weisz, Marriott Corporation
Measuring the Power of Reputations
9 December, 2004
Presenter / Mark Weiner, Delahaye Medialink
>>>>Upcoming Web Seminars:
http://www.krm.com/iabc/
90-minute telephone seminars with visuals presented on the web. Web seminars are lead by instructor, James E. Lukaszewski, ABC, APR, with frequent guest presenters.
Five Approaches to Crisis Communication Readiness
28 July 2004
Delivering Bad News: Handling Tough and Touchy Situations
25 August 2004
120 Seconds to Leadership: Influencing Management Decision Making
22 September 2004
Becoming a Verbal Visionary: Getting Ahead in a Man's World
13 October 2004
Influencing Public Attitudes
27 October 2004
Big Events, Big Crowds, Big Ideas for Corporate Social Events
24 November 2004
>>>>Upcoming Web Casts
Look for information in July on four new web casts that IABC will release from 2004 International Conference General Sessions featuring keynotes by author Salman Rushdie, Farm Credit Canada CEO John Ryan, The Corporation co-creator Joel Bakan and HR Panel featuring Libby Sartain of Yahoo!, Dave Mowat of VanCity and Mark Schumann, ABC, Towers Perrin.
Web casts are 50-minute archived videos, priced at US $50-75 that can be viewed from your computer using Real or Windows Media Player, audio and 56k+ bandwidth.
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INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATORS (IABC) IABC is an international network of professionals committed to improving organizational effectiveness through strategic communication. With more than 100 chapters, IABC serves 13,500 members in 60 countries and 10,000 organizations. STEALSHEET is published every month by (IABC) as a source of news, features and fillers for editors of IABC chapter publications. Please contact Gretchen Hoover to submit items to Steal Sheet or to update your mailing address.
Steal Sheet: May 2004
A source of news, articles and filler for your chapter/district/regional newsletters and Web sites.
PLEASE ADD IABC STEALSHEET STAFF TO YOUR CHAPTER'S DISTRIBUTION LIST FOR ELECTRONIC AND MAILED NEWSLETTERS:
Heidi Upton
One Hallidie Plaza, Ste 600
San Francisco, CA 94102
hupton@iabc.com
Articles:
Carrot or Stick?
How Much Do You Write Down?
Have You Tried MemberSpeak?
Early Actions to Take When the Crisis Hits
A World Of Support
IABC Calendar
CARROT OR STICK?
By Pat Morden, ABC, accreditation was a stimulating and fun experience
It was the baby carrots.
They got me through my IABC accreditation exam. My exam proctor (and fellow IABC member) had thoughtfully laid out a tray of goodies to provide energy, but I stuck to those little orange torpedoes. To be honest, I didn’t want to take time out for a washroom break, so carrots were the only things I ate or drank for four hours.
A small price to pay for the sense of accomplishment that came with becoming an Accredited Business Communicator earlier this year.
Why did I do it? Not because I needed more business for my already over-booked two-person communication firm. Not because I wanted to impress my clients and colleagues. And certainly not because I’m a closet masochist.
For me, it was an opportunity to stop doing and start thinking about what I’m doing and why. It was an opportunity to focus on theory, rather than practice, and to challenge myself to do better by understanding more.
Like many communicators, I’d been thinking about accreditation for a while, but there was always something else on the top of the pile (like completing the next client project on time, raising two kids, walking the dog, washing the kitchen floor . . . ). The kickstart I needed came in the form of a Gold Quill Award of Merit. When I picked it up at the 2003 IABC international conference in Toronto, we were all told that our awards gave us a leg-up on the accreditation process. OK, I thought, this is it. I completed my application, put together my portfolio, and completed the ethics quiz.
Now that was a surprise. I assumed that ethics in communication was pretty straightforward. In my micro-business, there’s little opportunity to “cook the books,” defraud thousands of shareholders, and make myself rich in the process. I thought the quiz would be like the ones in women’s magazines, where you can see the right answer from a mile away. But no, this took some real soul searching, and gave me a new perspective on issues that often arise in my work. A few weeks after sending in my package, I got word that I was approved to write the exam.
Wait a minute. Exam? Four-hour exam? What was I thinking? I hadn’t written an exam in more than 20 years. Was it like riding a bicycle? Or more like playing the flute-I did it for several years in high school but wouldn’t know which end to put to my mouth now.
I started working my way through “Inside Organization Communication”, a wonderful IABC publication that I’d dipped into in the past, but had never (I blush) read cover to cover. As a graduate of the school of “Do Whatever the Client Wants and Learn as You Go”, most of what I read was familiar and presented within a theoretical framework that made sense. It put my years of experience together into a coherent whole. It gave me a vocabulary for talking and thinking about what we do. And it gave me new ideas that I put to work almost immediately.
I felt a little sheepish studying from my “textbook,” especially when my two sons were home from university. They seemed slightly bemused that I too was preparing for an exam, and that I had actually volunteered for this particular form of torture. There were moments when I could see their point.
The exam day arrived. I had been warned that it was an intense four-hour experience but I pride myself on being fast writer-three hours tops, I thought cheekily as I headed into the room. Shortly after three hours, I was indeed coming to the end of the questions. I started to re-read the exam and saw, to my horror, that I had picked one essay question in a section where I should have selected four the classic exam-writing error. I turned into a whirling dervish, churning through the remaining questions with a speed born of desperation.
It was April 1 when I received word from IABC that I had passed the exam. Stifling thoughts that it might be a sick April Fool’s prank, I went through the next few days feeling quietly triumphant. But it was when I mentioned my new status to a fellow member of my local IABC chapter that I began to realize what it meant. As word got around, the response of my colleagues was immediate, heartfelt and generous–they saw accreditation as a significant accomplishment and celebrated with me.
Here’s the strange thing, I enjoyed the process. It was stimulating to set myself a challenge and work toward it. It took me out of the everyday hurly burly of practice and helped me to appreciate the complexity of what we do. It made me feel more professional and confident. It gave me new ideas and perspectives and a sense of belonging to a professional brother and sisterhood. It won’t change my life, or even my career, but every time I reach for a baby carrot, I’ll glow a little.
HOW MUCH DOYOU WRITE DOWN?
Did you know t hat about three-quarters of the information and procedural knowledge that an organization needs to function has never been written down? Most of an organization’s knowledge, according to current research, is implicit and exists only in the minds of its employees. So when an employee leaves, irreplaceable knowledge walks out the door.
Fortunately, new technologies are emerging to help organizations capture and record this knowledge. To learn more about this emerging trend, be sure to read the IABC Research Foundation’s latest paper, “Knowledge-Capturing Technologies and the Culture of Change,” by Megan D. Sullivan, winner of the 2004 Student Call for Papers Competition. The paper can be downloaded from the Foundation website at http://www.iabc.com/fdtnweb/pdf/2004KnowledgeCapture.pdf
HAVE YOU TRIED MEMBERSPEAK?
Did you know that MemberSpeak is the virtual meeting place for worldwide members of IABC? This multi-featured posting area on the association website enables you to trade ideas, solicit advice and input, debate strategies and share information with your peers – unconstrained by time zones and geography. www.iabc.com/memberspeak
EARLY STEPS TO TAKE WHEN THE CRISIS HITS
1. Find out – ideally before any crisis – how several lines in your phone system can quickly be taken out of the roll-over sequence to be used only for outbound calls. If that can’t be done, are there any private lines into the building, fax lines or other phone lines that can be used in an emergency? Cell phones are an important alternative to regular phones for getting information into and out of the organization. Being able to communicate with people inside and outside the organization will be vital in the early hours of the crisis.
2. If you don’t have trained security staff on duty, get someone to the front gates or to your lobby to meet anyone seeking information about the crisis. Make sure that only employees or authorized emergency response personnel can penetrate the facility. The last think you need is frantic people or investigating press wandering through facility while you and management try to get control of the situation. The who and the how can be built into your crisis plan.
3. Prepare a straightforward statement to begin telling your story. Include only that information which can be confirmed at the time. As information becomes available, update your statement. Make you first statement within 60 minutes. The sooner you give a statement the better, but say nothing until you can offer verifiable information. Your first utterance or release might be a one-paragraph statement similar to the following:
"Regarding the reports of (events), this is what we can confirm right now. At approximately (time), we learned that (event) happened at (location). We have called for assistance from (emergency units and/or regulatory agencies). Management has been notified and is gathering as a crisis center. At this moment we have no details of the events. We will update you at (time and place) as soon as we have additional verified information.
Your opening statement should be provided to all phone stations or loaded into your automatic answering systems. It should also be photocopies and given to your staff posted at the front gates or lobby so they can distribute it to anyone who wants information.
Excerpted from Crisis Management and Communication: How to Gain and Maintain Control by Dan P. Millar, Ph.D and Larry L. Smith. This manual is on sale, 25% off through 19 June at the IABC Store: www.iabc.com/knowledge
A WORLD OF SUPPORT
The bidding was hot in June 2003, as the IABC Research Foundation mounted its first Online Auction. Things are heating up again now, as our auction returns to the web 18-27 September for the 2004 Online Auction!
Offerings create snapshots of the many regions and member brands throughout our World of Support, on which the Foundation depends.
Some of our best sellers were members’ personally, professionally or geographically unique items—as well as getaway weekends for two, airline tickets, gift certificates, jewelry, art and small electronics items.
Donations bring benefits to the donor, provide much-needed funding for the Foundation’s important research, and stir up competitive fun for everyone. Individuals and their companies, chapters and districts, all get involved!
Proceeds from the Online Auction will help the IABC Research Foundation continue in its mission to support and advance the communication profession.
To donate items or bundled-item gift packages worth retail $100 U.S. or more, contact Barbara Puffer, ABC ~ 2004 Auction Chairperson, at Barbara@pufferpr.com.
IABC CALENDAR
>>>>Conferences:
Los Angeles 2004 IABC International Conference
6-9 June 2004
The Westin Century Plaza
2025 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, California 90067
Phone: +1.310.277.2000
Fax: +1.310.551.3355
Rates: US $197 Single/Double (plus tax)
Make your reservations directly with the hotel no later than 30 April, 2004 , and identify yourself as an IABC conference attender to secure the group rate.
For registration and additional information: http://www.iabc.com/events/conf2004/
>>>>Upcoming Teleseminars:
http://www.iabc.com/events/index.htm
How the New Spam Laws Affect You
24 June, 2004
Presenter / Louis Mastria, Direct Marketing Association
The "Can Spam Act of 2003" is now in effect - and most everyone is impacted. But do you and your marketing staff know how to comply? And do you know what other threats there are on the horizon? Learn how to handle compliance with today's regulations and what tomorrow's threats could be.
Reaching Your Readers: Writing Compelling Features
22 July, 2004
Presenter / Ken O’Quinn, Writing with Clarity
To make scanners readers, writers need to give their readers more than information. This teleseminar will look at different types of feature stories and will focus on the important elements of storytelling: crafting strong leads, finding and using precise details that bring writing alive, snagging substantive quotes, and creating sentences with a particular purpose in mind.
>>>>Upcoming Web Seminars:
http://www.krm.com/iabc/
Influencing Employee Attitudes: Rethinking Employee
Communications; Challenging Current Assumptions
A 90-minute web seminar to be held on
Wednesday, June 23, 2004, 12-1:30 p.m. EDT
With James E. Lukaszewski, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA
This program presents an interesting and different approach to understanding why employees come to work each day, and how to turn that knowledge into effective communication strategies. Why do employees do what they do when they get to work? An interesting analysis is presented that helps practitioners better understand why it's so difficult to communicate with employees no matter where they fit into the hierarchy of the organization. This program is a management discussion about understanding how to better communicate with employees and think more pragmatically about what employees need to hear, want to hear, have to hear, and are willing to hear.
Reducing Conflict Between Corporate Security and Corporate
Communications When Crises Occur
A 90-minute web seminar to be held on
Wednesday, June 30, 2004, 12-1:30 p.m. EDT
With James E. Lukaszewski, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, and
With Regis Becker, Global Director, Security & Compliance, PPG Industries, and
Past President, American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS)
With Brian R. Hollstein, CPP, Past President, American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS)
This program is designed to bring together these three disciplines, communications and security, with three extremely knowledgeable presenters to help explore collaboration, cooperation, and the urgent need to prepare in advance for security-related issues and crises.
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march 2004
a source of news, articles and filler for your chapter/district/regional newsletters and web sites.
PLEASE ADD IABC STEALSHEET STAFF TO YOUR CHAPTER'S DISTRIBUTION LIST FOR ELECTRONIC AND MAILED NEWSLETTERS:
Heidi Upton
One Hallidie Plaza, Ste 600
San Francisco, CA 94102
hupton@iabc.com
Articles:
Salman Rushdie: Step Across This Line
Early Conference Registration & Hotel Discount Ends 30 April
Getting Accredited: A Personal Journey
Research Foundation Lowers Prices on Reports
10 Tips for Effective Newsletters
Horse Sense: Round Pen Reasoning
Testimonials from “Horse Sense”
Lunch & Learning with Russell Grossman of the BBC
IABC Recognizes Stellar Members
Farm Credit Canada CEO Knows how to Communicate
IABC Calendar
SALMAN RUSHDIE: STEP ACROSS THIS LINE
“We are living, I believe, in a frontier time, one of the greatest hinge periods in human history, in which great changes are coming about at great speed … We will all be judged by now we handle ourselves in this time. What will be the spirit of this frontier? Will we give the enemy the satisfaction of changing ourselves into something like his haze-filled, illiberal mirror image, or will we, as the guardians of the modern world, as the custodians of freedom and the occupants of the privileged lands of plenty, go on trying to increase freedom and decrease injustice? Will we become the suits of armor our fear makes us put on, or will we continue to be ourselves? The frontier both shapes our character and tests our mettle. I hope we pass the test.”
– Salman Rushdie, excerpted from “Step Across This Line”
Salman Rushdie's most recent literary work, “Step Across This Line” is a collection of essays, speeches and opinion pieces that not only chronicles Rushdie's intellectual odyssey, but also offers a personal look into his psyche. In it, he addresses a host of wide-ranging and unexpected subjects. The sense of violation and damage of living under a fatwa, anti-Americanism as an ideological enemy and the terrorist attacks of 11 September. He also discusses his fascination with the Wizard of OZ, the 2000 presidential election, Amadon Diallo, Elian Gonzalez, his obsession with soccer, reality TV, globalization, rock music, Northern Ireland, Kosovo, the Telluride Film Festival and the state of the novel, among others.
On Sunday, 6 June, Salman Rushdie, opening general session and keynote speaker at IABC Los Angeles 2004, will present, “Step Across This Line.” Rushdie will explore the concepts of borders and boundaries, journeys and the crossing of frontiers. A gifted storyteller, Rushdie will discuss the changed nature of frontiers in our time and the inherent risks and threats in crossing boundaries that are defined by others.
For conference registration and additional information: http://www.iabc.com/events/conf2004/
EARLY CONFERENCE REGISTRATION & HOTEL DISCOUNT ENDS 30 APRIL
Interested in attending IABC's International Conference in Los Angeles, 6-9 June? Not interested in paying full price?
Register before Friday, 30 April, to take advantage of IABC's early conference registration rates of U.S. $100 off the standard rates of U.S. $895 member/ U.S. $1095 nonmember. And, remember to book your hotel room early at the 2004 IABC conference hotel -- The Westin Century Plaza Hotel & Spa, or the adjacent The St. Regis, as rooms sell out quickly. After 30 April, the special conference room rate will no longer be in effect.
Be sure to identify yourself as an IABC conference attender when making your reservation.
Westin Century Plaza Hotel
U.S. $197 (plus tax) single/double
+1.310.277.2000
www.centuryplazala.com
The St. Regis Los Angeles
U.S. $240 (plus tax) single/double
+1.310.277.6111
www.stregis.com
To register for IABC Los Angeles 2004 International Conference: http://www.iabc.com/events/conf2004/
GETTING ACCREDITATED: A PERSONAL JOURNEY
Editor's note: The following article is one person's journey to accreditation. Florence Giuly-Davis, ABC, has graciously agreed to share her thoughts and experiences with us. To learn more about IABC accreditation, go to www.iabc.com and click on “development.”
After procrastinating for too many years, I decided to embark on my own accreditation journey in November 2002. The reasons that motivated my decision may have been slightly different from others. I wasn't looking for professional advancement nor peer recognition for my work. My thoughts were driven by inner feelings of another nature. With 16 years of communication and PR experience under my belt, I was at a crossroads in my career.
I have been an independent strategic communication and public relations counsel since 1991, and was starting to feel restless. I was able to look at the past and feel proud of my accomplishments but when turning my thoughts toward the future, it was a different story. From a professional viewpoint, I was starting to feel uncertain about my capacity to withstand the test of time.
Did I have the skills to meet the challenges that the future would bring? Was my technical knowledge in line with the current needs and expectations of my profession? How did I truly know that my work was current with the trends influencing the communication industry? I was beginning to second guess my ability to effectively research, plan, implement and measure.
I needed to challenge myself and to assess the level of my skills against those of my peers. A dinner with a few IABC friends was the tipping point. That night I shared my feelings and the solution became clear. I needed to go through accreditation and search for some of those answers.
The very next day, I filled out the accreditation application and sent it to San Francisco. There was no turning back. I was committed and determined to go though the process and was stunned when only days later I received a green light from IABC. I had been approved and now needed to get to work. My portfolio was submitted by the end of March 2003. In June, three days before the international conference accreditation exam, I was notified that my portfolio had passed.
A few days later, I found myself sitting in a room full of colleagues who, like me, had gone ahead with accreditation. Somehow, as I started writing the exam, the answers I was so desperately seeking a few months before became clear. I was a professional communicator and this profession was my calling. Here are some of the things I have learned:
The right time may never come along
We're all busy. We all have hectic schedules, tight deadlines and a never-ending to-do list. Demonstrate your commitment to communication by making the time for accreditation. The rewards are priceless and the feeling of achievement awesome when you finally answer the last question on the exam. At that point, it is no longer about being accredited, but about having done something for yourself.
Attend an information session.
Accreditation sessions are great to break the ice, answer any questions and get you motivated. Find out when the next session will be held in your chapter and mark your calendar. You won't regret it.
During the exam, there is no time to doodle!
The four hour exam will be the fastest four hours of your life! From the moment you get the test in your hands until you answer the last question, you need to stay focused and use your time efficiently. I was told to start with question 1 and keep going until I was done... They were right! Forget about glancing through the document first to get a feel for what you should expect next. There is no time for that.
Always remember IABC's basic communication development principles.
Effective communication is a continuous process. Accreditation is about demonstrating your ability to research, plan, implement and measure communication programs. Keep this in mind while preparing your portfolio and answering questions during the written and oral exams.
Don't write to impress... write to express.
During the accreditation exam, you have no time to structure award winning answers to the questions asked. The purpose of accreditation is to ensure that you can demonstrate well-rounded communications and analytical skills. Keep your answers direct, focused on the information requested and formatted clearly and you'll be fine.
I couldn't finish this column without thanking Janet Wile, ABC, APR for her constant words of encouragement and great tips. She played an instrumental role in making me believe that accreditation was within my reach. I also wish to thank Eric Bergman, ABC, APR. Thank you for the tremendous help you gave me at the portfolio preparation stage. Thank you for twisting my arm and “forcing me” to take the exam only three days after receiving my portfolio marks! You were both right. Accreditation is a great experience and I hope that this story will encourage other people to get started on this incredible journey.
Florence Giuly-Davis, ABC, is President of Florence Giuly Communications Inc. As an independent consultant, her mission is to bring people and communication possibilities together, assist organizations express themselves with a distinct voice, build a compelling image and nurture positive relationships with key stakeholders. Florence can be reached at fgc@interlog.com .
RESEARCH FOUNDATION LOWERS PRICES ON REPORTS
Effective March 1, the IABC Research Foundation dramatically reduced the member prices for its research reports. Prices for most printed manuals were will be cut by 50 percent and prices for PDF downloadable files were slashed by 67 percent.
This major price reduction program applies only to IABC members and is part of the IABC Research Foundation's continuing effort to serve the membership.
Browse the complete line of Foundation reports and order online at:
http://store.yahoo.com/iabcstore/iabresfoun.html
10 TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE NEWSLETTERS
By Ken Steele
1. Be clear about your purpose.
No matter what your organization, there needs to be a specific payback to justify the time and expense of producing your newsletter, and to justify each and every article it contains. Are you trying to motivate employees, educate customers, promote a specific product, boost referrals, or what? You can't be effective without a clear objective.
2. Remember, it's not about you.
Keep the focus on your audience, and what they will find interesting, not on what you or your boss would like to see printed. Create several streamlined newsletters for different audiences if the content will vary significantly. Emphasize news and information, not sales pitches. If you're selling burglar alarm systems, don't feature the latest system and price information — provide crime prevention tips appropriate to the season.
3. Respect your readers' time.
Be pithy and succinct, in a simple journalistic style that gets to the point right away. Remember, most people read most comfortably at a grade 9 level, even if they're high school graduates. Put a table of contents right up front. Publish your newsletter consistently, at least quarterly, at predictable times.
4. Tell people stories.
Think like a journalist: information comes to life when people are involved. Interview people, quote them, photograph them, provide the human interest angle of the story. Your newsletter can be a great place for interesting client testimonials or donor acknowledgement.
5. Use humour sparingly.
Include some humour, particularly in a sidebar or column, but ensure it doesn't undermine your organization's positioning or professionalism. Use caution to avoid causing offence.
6. Hit employee “hot buttons.”
Surveys show that employees want information about your organization's goals and future, financial results, strength and stability. They're interested in people news about their co-workers, and naturally in opportunities for career advancement and information about employee benefits. Give them what they want and they'll become regular readers.
7. Answer customer FAQs.
Save staff time and reduce customer frustration by answering some of their frequently-asked questions in your newsletter. Their questions usually point to subjects that interest or confuse them — prime candidates for features articles in your newsletter.
8. Partner with your suppliers.
Consider selling sponsorship or advertising space in your newsletter to help cover costs. If you're a dealer or retailer, co-op advertising dollars can help to pay for your newsletters.
9. Keep design accessible and inviting.
If you can, hire a professional designer to ensure that your newsletter has a clean, inviting layout with ample white space and interesting visuals. Use photographs and colour when possible, even if you have to preprint blank “shells” or templates with the colour elements. If in doubt, keep it simple and don't over-decorate.
10. Engage your readers.
Encourage new contributors by acknowledging current contributors, and providing easy email channels for feedback and submissions. Talk with subscribers after each issue, and conduct a formal readership survey regularly.
Next time:
10 Tips for effective Email Newsletters.
Ken Steele is president of steelecommunications inc, a full-service agency specializing in branding, strategy, public relations, and design, based in London Ontario. www.steele.ca
HORSE SENSE: ROUND PEN REASONING
The prey animal has evolved a highly sophisticated system of non-verbal communication that protects its herd from predators. Centuries of survival have schooled horses and other prey animals in a refined and highly sensitive “body language” that rivals the verbal communication skills of the human predator. Horses live in a society and socialize using a complex system of postures, poses, pushes, bites, stares, and an occasional whinny or neigh. The members of a horse herd are constantly on the “lookout” for one another. The communion of early warning signals is their first and most critical line of defense.
Horses defend themselves by swift flight. When approached by a predator, they move off quickly. By putting a horse in a round pen, we take away his ability to flee without quelling his instinct to flee. As we (human predators) approach him in a threatening manner, he immediately takes flight, forced however, into a circular escape before he realizes it. The faster and further he runs, the closer he gets to the predator chasing him. When this awareness finally dawns on the fugitive horse, he eventually moves on to his next line of defense – negotiation. He attempts communication through body language. If the predator understands the language and responds, communication begins. At that moment, the human speaks the language of the prey animal – body language.
On Sunday, 6 June from 12:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., IABC Los Angeles 2004 pre-conference workshop attendees will travel to the nearby L.A. Equestrian Center to participate in a clinic on non-verbal communication where the horses will be their teachers.
Led by Joe Williams and Frank Bennett, several members of the audience will have the opportunity to get in the round pen and communicate with a horse using the horse's language!
Joe Williams holds 12 IABC Gold Quills plus 100 other national awards for his work. His company, Joe Williams Communications, Inc., focuses on research, strategic planning and face-to-face communication training.
Frank Bennett heads The Western Challenge leadership program and was previously the president and CEO of Famous restaurants. He and Joe Williams have been teaching the “Horse Sense” program for several years as part of Joe's “Dialogue in the Desert” strategic communication thinking and planning workshop.
TESTIMONIALS FROM “HORSE SENSE”
Horses communicate entirely by body language and are masters at seeing beyond the constant noise of words to get to the essence of your intention. A horse is a powerful teacher when it comes to communication, leadership and followership.
On Sunday, 6 June from 12:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., IABC Los Angeles 2004 pre-conference workshop attendees will travel to the nearby L.A. Equestrian Center to see a clinic on non-verbal communication where the horses will be their teachers.
Led by Joe Williams and Frank Bennett, several members of the audience will actually have the opportunity to get in the round pen and communicate with a horse using the horse's language!
Joe Williams holds 12 IABC Gold Quills plus 100 other national awards for his work. His company, Joe Williams Communications, Inc., focuses on research, strategic planning and face-to-face communication training.
Frank Bennett heads The Western Challenge leadership program and was previously the president and CEO of Famous restaurants. He and Joe Williams have been teaching the “Horse Sense” program for several years as part of Joe's “Dialogue in the Desert” strategic communication thinking and planning workshop.
Here is what past attenders had to say about “Horse Sense:”
"Everything I learned about non-verbal communication, I learned from a horse.
I learned you don't need to use words to gain each other's trust. Gestures mean a lot. To really communicate, you need to focus on each other. LISTEN. Listen with your eyes, ears, heart and soul. Really tune into the other person (or animal). Connect, and you will communicate.
I connected with a horse at one of Joe Williams' sessions in Arizona. We were outside. There were people watching. But all I remember is being focused on communicating with that horse. I didn't speak. He didn't either. But he got my message. He followed me around the pen. It was real---and it was powerful. Horse Sense is an experience you don't want to miss.”
Peggy Hain
Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital
Lincoln, Nebraska
=================================
"As professional communicators, we assume because we write well - and usually speak well - that's enough to motivate others to do what we want. Try telling that to a horse!
Now I get it. There's nothing like staring down a twitchy steed in a ring by yourself to make you wish you were the best communicator in the world . . . especially when you can't talk your way out. The experience certainly convinced me I'm not a compelling leader when I'm not focused and my non-verbal communication is arguing with what the rest of me is doing.
Wished I'd understood the dynamics a long time ago. What a novel and engaging way to bring these points home. I have a renewed appreciation of the term ‘horse sense.'”
Stacey Shaw
Director of Communications
Arizona State University
Herberger College of Fine Arts
=================================
"I knew the Horse Sense session would be fun, but I never anticipated the sense of accomplishment I would feel upon making a non-verbal connection with that horse. From that point forward, I just knew she would follow me anywhere! Since then, I've been much more aware of my honest intentions while communicating with my friends and colleagues... and it has helped. I can't explain it any better than that. You just have to experience it for yourself!"
Dwight Gram, Employee Communications Manager
Eaton Corporation
=================================
"Horse Sense was for me a profound reaffirmation of the powerful subtleties of interactive communication and how we use it professionally and personally. Absolutely a must for every communicator."
Lorraine Lynch-Geisler
Issues Management & Stakeholder Relations Consultant
Workers' Compensation Board - Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
LUNCH & LEARNING WITH RUSSELL GROSSMAN OF THE BBC
Shortly after arriving at the BBC over four years ago, Russell Grossman realigned the internal communication function, joining strategic forces with human resources in effecting people-centered transformational change.
This set a new agenda for internal communication at the BBC as a people-focused change enabler and placed it firmly at the centre of the organization. “It's better to do organizational change ‘with' employees rather than ‘to' them,” he said.
Internal communication performance at the BBC, as measured annually by research organization Market & Opinion Research International (MORI), has more than doubled in the last three years.
On Wednesday, 9 June at IABC LA 2004, Grossman will present this year's Lunch & Learning session, titled, “Change is … often where your employees know best.”
Attenders will learn:
* Cost-effective techniques to accelerate, sustain and measure change, while keeping your board interested
* Why a burning platform isn't necessary for change
* How making line managers into better leaders is critical to success
Having worked in the communication industry for 16 years, Grossman has worked with many large UK public sector organizations, successfully leading a number of high profile projects and scenarios. At the BBC, he and his team have been at the center of the change program, which began in 2000 and continues today.
Individual tickets for Lunch & Learning are U.S. $55 and can be purchased online: http://www.iabc.com/events/conf2004/
IABC RECOGNIZES STELLAR MEMBERS
Professionals honored with Fellow, Chairman and Foundation Lifetime Friend awards
The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) will recognize three individuals for work done on behalf of the association and the profession, at its international conference in Los Angeles, 6-9 June.
IABC Fellow Award
The highest honor IABC bestows upon a member is the Fellow Award. The Fellows program acknowledges outstanding leadership, contribution to the profession and service to the association. This year, the recipient is Tudor Williams, ABC, MC, principal and founder of Tudor Williams, Inc, of Delta, British Columbia. Williams is internationally recognized for his skills and experience in research and the development of eCommunication strategies.
“Tudor was one of the first people to recognize the potential of the Internet for communication and to incorporate it into his work,” said Anne Forrest, Chair of the Fellow Selection Committee. “He has combined this awareness with his considerable knowledge of research and survey methodologies and analysis to advance the communication profession and IABC.”
Williams is an accomplished international conference and seminar speaker and has received four IABC Gold Quill Awards of Excellence. Over the years, he has contributed, and continues to contribute, to IABC at chapter, district and international levels. “While an IABC Board member he was instrumental in persuading other board members to use the Internet as a means of communication,” said Forrest.
In his career, Williams rose to the highest levels of a human resources consulting firm before venturing out on his own where he has successfully launched two companies. “He exemplifies the ideal communicator – professional, collegial, research-based, results focused, strategic, and visionary,” said Forrest.
Williams continues to give to the profession and the community. He publishes through his web site a monthly column on a wide range of business and communication issues, making his considerable knowledge available to anyone worldwide.
The association has named just 49 Fellows in its 34-year history.
Chairman's Award
IABC's 2003-2004 Chair Stephanie Griffiths will bestow the 2004 Chairman's Award to Karen Horn, senior director of employee commitment for Cisco Systems, in San Jose, Calif. Karen is recognized for creating the online communication-planning tool, My Communication (MyComm), and for developing a version for IABC. She is also recognized for her dedication to building global awareness for MyComm. MyComm is patent-pending, and is now available as an exclusive benefit of IABC membership.
The Chairman's Award recognizes a special IABC volunteer who has demonstrated initiative, leadership and a willingness to contribute to the association on the international level and to the communication profession in general. All IABC members are invited to nominate other members for this award.
"Karen Horn has made a true commitment to the communication profession," said Griffiths.
"Since the launch of IABC's MyComm, we have had an overwhelmingly positive response, with some members already using it as the primary planning tool for all their communications throughout their organizations."
Horn is a career communicator. She joined Cisco Systems in 2000 from GE Capital where she was the Global Leader of Organizational Communication and Diversity for its 28 global businesses in 44 countries. She has also held management positions at a core GE industrial business, a regional medical center and Bristol-Myers/Squibb. She has been a member of IABC for 20 years and has won numerous communication and HR awards during her career.
Foundation Lifetime Friend Award
Tamara Gillis, Ed.D., ABC, associate professor of communications and chairman of the Department of Communications at Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, Penn., brings the work of the IABC Research Foundation alive through articles for the Foundation Findings section of Communication World and chapter/district presentations on communications research.
The Foundation Lifetime Friend Award recognizes IABC members who have, over the years, given of their time and talents by working for the Foundation resulting in significant funds raised, research undertaken, and increased visibility for the Foundation.
"Tamara has offered a steady hand for the Research Foundation, continuing her support as strongly as ever," said Kit Jenkins, 2003-2004 IABC Foundation chair. "Whether speaking about its research, or writing about it, she brings the Foundation's work alive."
Gillis teaches journalism, public relations, international communication, and research at Elizabethtown College. Her research interests include media literacy, civic journalism, change management, effective organizational structures, public art as communications, and the impact of new media. She also serves as a communications consultant with Cooper Wright, specializing in change management.
Gillis has served the Foundation for six years and was Chairman of the Foundation in 2001-2002.
>>>A jpeg of Tudor Williams, Karen Horn and/or Tamara Gillis can be obtained by contacting hupton@iabc.com
FARM CREDIT CANADA CEO KNOWS HOW TO COMMUNICATE
And it's not just about the numbers
The executive board of the 13,500-member International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) has selected John J. Ryan, president and CEO of Farm Credit Canada (FCC), as the recipient of its 2004 Excellence in Communication Leadership Award (EXCEL).
Every year, EXCEL -- the highest award IABC bestows on non-members -- recognizes one business leader who supports, encourages and practices exemplary communication and whose organization reflects that philosophy and standard. Ryan will accept the award and make a presentation on June 7 th at the organization's international conference in Los Angeles, Calif.
“John Ryan is a dynamic communicator and is clearly committed to understanding the views of his employees and customers,” said Mitch Ramsay 2004 EXCEL Award Chair. “He is an excellent speaker, personable and down to earth, and clearly connects with his various audiences.”
FCC is a federal Crown corporation, straddling two industries – agriculture and finance. With a portfolio of CDN $9.7 billion, as of December 31, 2003, the organization is Canada's leading provider of agricultural financing and business solutions. Headquartered in Regina, Saskatchewan, FCC employs 1,000 people in 100 offices located mostly in rural Canada serving farmers and agribusiness from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
As President and CEO of FCC since September 1997, Ryan is accountable to Parliament through the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Reporting to a Board of Directors, he provides strategic leadership and ensures that FCC remains financially viable while delivering against its public policy mandate.
Ryan's career spans some 32 years, most of them in senior leadership positions where he has been responsible for developing a vision and strategies and inspiring others to achieve them. A graduate of Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program, Ryan also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from St. Francis Xavier University.
“John gives outstanding support to his communication team, who run an exemplary program to achieve the business objectives. There is a clear communication strategy, which supports the business goals and a very evident partnership with his communication team, evidencing his overt commitment to communication,” said Ramsay.
>>>A jpeg of John Ryan can be emailed to you by contacting hupton@iabc.com
IABC CALENDAR
>>>>Conferences:
Los Angeles 2004 IABC International Conference
6-9 June 2004
The Westin Century Plaza
2025 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, California 90067
Phone: +1.310.277.2000
Fax: +1.310.551.3355
Rates: US $197 Single/Double (plus tax)
Make your reservations directly with the hotel no later than 30 April, 2004 , and identify yourself as an IABC conference attender to secure the group rate.
For registration and additional information: http://www.iabc.com/events/conf2004/
>>>>Upcoming Teleseminars:
http://www.iabc.com/events/index.htm
Client Relationship Management: Beyond The First Date:
15 April, 2004
Presenter / Pat McNamara
The key to building, maintaining and growing a successful PR business is to get the right clients and keep them. Part science and part art, the ability to create long lasting client relationships is directly related to creating a long lasting firm. How do you make sure you grow existing business, generate ongoing referrals, keep your employees motivated and live to tell the tale?
>>>>Upcoming Web Seminars:
http://www.krm.com/iabc/
Managing Angry Publics: Customers, Employees and Critics 31 March, 2004
Presenter / James E. Lukaszewski, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA
This program shares useful, pragmatic approaches and strategies to recognize and understand, mitigate and manage, stabilize and even rebuild trust in these emotionally charged environments.
You should attend this program if you face problems like these:
* Angry communities
* Angry editors
* Job loss
* Organized opposition
* Outraged employees
* Plant closings
* Political/social upheaval
* Sudden management changes
* Takeover/divestiture/acquisition
* The dedicated critical opponent
* Victim attacks/victim family attacks
* Victims
* Vocal random opposition
* Uncontrollable reporters
* Whistleblowers
Media Relations Strategies During Crisis
28 April, 2004
Presenter / James E. Lukaszewski, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA
In media relations, one of the most challenging situations we can face is when 60 Minutes, 20/20, The Fifth Estate, or your local I-Team calls and says, "We're doing a story about you." It could be even worse if they call and say, "We'd like to do a good story about you."
This program is a strategic discussion of media relations options. Check all preconceived notions, ideas, and rules at the door. It's time to have a substantive discussion with an expert on what we currently do, why we currently do it, how we currently think, and, just maybe, some new and interesting approaches that might serve your clients in useful, powerful, and productive ways. Be prepared to bend your brain for 90-minutes.
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INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATORS (IABC) IABC is an international network of professionals committed to improving organizational effectiveness through strategic communication. With more than 100 chapters, IABC serves 13,500 members in 60 countries and 10,000 organizations. STEALSHEET is published every month by (IABC) as a source of news, features and fillers for editors of IABC chapter publications. Please contact Gretchen Hoover to submit items to Steal Sheet or to update your mailing address.