What does a communicator look like? Can you spot them in a crowd? Did you sit next to one at the food court during your lunch break today, or on your last plane, bus or train ride? Were you behind one at recent traffic light, in a grocery store or department store checkout line? Did you see one at a movie theater, walking in your neighborhood or at your local dry cleaner? Chances are you did, but you likely didn't know it.
Communicators are introverts, they are extroverts, they are flamboyant and extravagant, they are conservative and reserved, they are thoughtful overthinking analyzers, they are spur of the moment decision makers and action takers, they are storytellers and connect the dot-ers, they are planners and organizers and outliners, they are big picture and little detail obsessors, they are dreamers and visionaries, they are multitaskers and focused methodical workers, they are resilient, they are adaptors and adopters, they are flexible and resolute, they are reason and they care free.
Communicators are chameleons
Chameleons can change (adapt) their color to blend with and match their surroundings. Similarly, effective communicators adapt (change) to various situations as influencers for others to adopt their point of view.
2020 was quite a year for adoption, adaption, resilience, change, empathy, sympathy, flexibility, forgiveness, influencing, professional and personal growth, and perspectives of "what if?" What if we did things differently? What if we didn't approach challenges and solutions in traditional manners? What if we broke the walls of the box and played in a different sandbox? What if we held up a mirror, weren't satisfied with the reflection and decided right then to changes? Could we do it? Would it work?
IABC recognizes chameleons and their shape-shifting projects
At 75 years old, the International Association of Business Communicators and its members have adopted, adapted and morphed to industry and societal needs, incorporating new #communication technologies, styles and channels along the way.
Celebrating our 2021 #BronzeQuill awards last night, #IABCHouston recognized #agile pivoting that created exceptional campaigns with result-driven and actionable outcomes, building awareness and #connections through #storytelling when we needed it most.
Thank you to our talented #abc13Houston Melanie Lawson (bottom left) for emceeing the event and for all entrants and winners. I'm proud to be part of the talented committee on the floor and behind the scenes that made this amazing event--while still in a pandemic no one could have foreseen in June lasting this long--possible. Look out June 2022--we're back on track!
