U.S. presidential election, landmark trials, food shortages, record EV sales, loneliness, reproductive rights, decluttering surge, silver tsunami, domestic migration, child labor, dechurching, demand for older workers, record snow and heat, Bitcoin ETFs, dropping interest rates, climate gentrification....

As professional communicators, what trends and events should you have on your radar screen for the coming year? Scanning the horizon for potential changes and events can help communications professionals better anticipate and plan their internal, external and leadership communications.

In this IABC Philadelphia learning event, public relations pro and professional futurist Stephen Dupont, APR, Fellow PRSA, offers his Future Watch webinar. He will wire you in about potential trends and events to watch in the coming year. Applying a futurist mindset, Dupont will discuss how to scan for signals of change, how to prepare for game-changing events, and how the action you take today matters in achieving the future you (and your organization) want tomorrow.

By the end of this webinar, participants will:

• Learn about trends and events that will inform their work
• Learn how to think like a futurist and learn how to start to scanning for potential change/disruption
• Learn how to prepare for these changes and remain nimble in the coming months and years

About Stephen DuPont

Stephen Dupont, APR, Fellow PRSA, is vice president of public relations, Pocket Hercules, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He also is a professional futurist and edits Compass, the international quarterly magazine published by the Association of Professional Futurists (APF.org). He writes and speaks frequently about the intersection between communications and foresight in organizations (corporations, nonprofits, government agencies, the military).

Join us for a transformative session where Emmy award-winning news anchor turned media coach, Kerry Barrett, takes you on a journey to conquer your on-camera fears and embrace your authentic self. This presentation highlights the profound impact of genuine communication on your career and personal growth. Dive deep into the essence of authenticity, distinguishing it from perfection, and discover how being real can build trust, credibility, and lasting connections with your audience.

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In this engaging program, you'll learn:

• Practical techniques to balance preparation and spontaneity.
• How to use body language and voice modulation to convey sincerity.
• How to connect with your audience through compelling storytelling.
• Overcome common barriers to authenticity.
• Manage on-camera nerves with grace and confidence.

Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to media appearances, this session equips you with the tools to maintain authenticity and continuously improve your on-camera presence. Embrace your true self and transform your media appearances into powerful, impactful moments that resonate with your audience.

About Kerry Barrett

Kerry Barrett Consulting seeks to be the preeminent advisor to top Fortune 100 companies in media training and on-camera readiness for a broad spectrum of situations ranging from formal talks, media interviews to everyday sales pitches over Zoom. As an Emmy Award-winning [NBC] news anchor, Kerry offers a unique perspective as someone who has 25 years of experience in front of the camera. Kerry’s specialty is teaching people how they can become relatable to their audiences and make that genuine connection. She helps people feel confident, sincere and energetic, yet relaxed on-screen.

 

The Edelman Trust Barometer shows us that trust is eroding in society and that we are more likely to trust business than other entities of authority. This position has also put stakeholder pressure on organizations to take stands on societal issues, where speaking out and silence can be reputational risks. The 2023 Global Communication Report conducted by the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations compares this time to maneuvering a Rubik’s Cube. Like solving a Rubik’s Cube, each move impacts somewhere else, and your actions can either build equity or erode trust. 

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Reputation is currency for an organization but achieving brand equity with all stakeholders that you can take to the bank requires a shift in thinking. This becomes even more challenging in a polarized environment where brands are trying to attract younger audiences, be responsive to social issues, and even become brand activists. Then, throw in the level of revolutionary change that organizations are undergoing; reputation must be architected, accelerated, maintained, and defended in real-time where stakeholder values and interests may either be in sync or vastly different.  

This session will be interactive as we discuss the current global reputation trends and case studies, learn how to conduct a reputation risk assessment, and develop proof points for influencing leadership to prioritize reputation. At the end of the session, you’ll walk away with the tools you need to create a decision tree for guiding your leadership around taking a stand. Like the Rubik’s Cube, every move must align, and we’ll discuss the strategies that can put you on your way to solving this elusive puzzle. 

About Bonnie Caver

Bonnie Caver is the Founder and CEO of Reputation Lighthouse, a global branding, reputation, change management, and training consultancy with offices in Denver, Colorado and Austin, Texas. The firm, which is 20 years old, focuses on leading companies to create, accelerate, and protect their corporate value. 

Bonnie is a lifelong learner. She is a certified strategic change management professional (Kellogg School of Management), a certified crisis manager (Institute of Crisis Management), and one of few in the world to hold an advanced certification for reputation through the Reputation Institute (now the RepTrak Company). 

She is a past chair of the global executive board for the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). She has served on the board director for the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, where she led the Global Alliance initiative #WorldPRCommsMonth, which celebrates and advocates for the public relations and communication profession globally. Bonnie currently serves on the board of directors for the Global Communication Certification Council (GCCC) and leads the IABC Change Management Special Interest Group, which has 1,300+ members. In addition, she is heavily involved in the global conversation around the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence in the public relations and communications profession and led the Global Alliance’s efforts in creating Ethical and Responsible AI Guidelines for the global profession. 

Bonnie is passionate about the communication profession and the Global Standards that guide professionals. She has traveled the world to meet with business leaders and educators to advocate for the Global Standards for the Communication Profession and the use of ethical and responsible AI within the profession. She enjoys mentoring young communication professionals and speaks frequently on branding, reputation, M&A, the future of communication and business trends, change management, ethics, and thought leadership topics. 

A TOP GUN graduate. Mike Manazir was a naval aviator trained in the F-14 and F-18 aircraft with multiple deployments on US Navy aircraft carriers. Mike commanded the USS NIMITZ (CVN-68).

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Mike Manazir believes that the most influential leaders know how to establish a human connection, based on the heart, with those they lead. The true nature of “servant leadership” is to throw out any title you have and not act like “The Boss”. Mike Manazir served 36 years in the US Navy, ultimately retiring in July 2017 as a two-star Admiral. Mike commanded units of 350 people up to 10,000 people and is now a Vice President with a Fortune 100 Aerospace and Defense Company. Mike will discuss how his leadership philosophy served him well in the military, business, and non-profit boards.

In the Navy, Mike was a naval aviator trained in the F-14 and F-18 aircraft with multiple deployments on US Navy aircraft carriers. Mike commanded the USS NIMITZ (CVN-68).

Hypothesis: High performance catalyzes when a leader, acting from the heart, connects with teammates.

Mike will also describe the power of storytelling and the importance of the narrative to your business. Mike relates that one of the two most important people on a high-performing staff is the communicator - to help the leader tell the right stories. Hint: the other most important person is the lawyer!

Our program on October 28^th will focus on how to lead others by ensuring they feel valued and are part of something bigger than themselves. 

Key takeaways:

• Lead from your heart, without a title.
• The value of establishing trust as the foundation of your team’s performance.
• How to communicate with passion and vision.
• The power of listening (with a secret tip).
• The impact of empathy.
• Why learning people’s names is so important.

Nurturing your network is not something you only do when you need something. It’s easy to put off because of all the other priorities in your work and life. But there is real power in staying connected to people in your professional circle as a consistent practice. And now is the time to plan for how you will kick off the New Year with a great connections strategy that allows you to be intentional in your career.  Join marketing and communications Recruiter and Career Coach Angee Linsey for this powerful session.

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What you will learn in this session:

• How to initiate conversations with those people who matter in your network (but you may have neglected)
• How to make every connection an authentic, relationship-building conversation rather than a “what can you do for me” transaction.
• Tools to be more intentional in connecting more consistently with those who matter most in your network.
• Easy ways to remind people they matter

About Angee Linsey

Angee Linsey has dedicated the last 20-plus years to helping companies build great marketing and communications teams through exceptional recruitment strategies and helping individuals achieve their career goals. She leads Linsey Careers, a national search firm that specializes in marketing and communications recruitment and career coaching. She has successfully filled marketing and communications roles for companies including Logitech, Fossil, TransUnion, Clearwater Paper, Serta Simmons Bedding, Nordstrom, Jackson Family Wines, A.T. Kearney, Dolby, Kimberly Clark and more. 

Angee has been a featured presenter and keynote speaker at international and regional industry conferences and at academic institutions from Columbia University to the University of Washington. She also authored the book, Dare to be Deliberate – Level Up Your Communications Career, a guide for communications professionals who want to be more intentional in managing their careers. 

A three-time Silver Anvil award-winning comms pro, Angee understands the sector and what it takes to succeed in it. She held communications roles in corporate and agency environments and served 25 years in the military — first as a U.S. Army journalist and then as a Navy Reserve Public Affairs Officer. She graduated from the highly regarded School of Journalism at the University of Missouri and earned a master’s degree in career development from John F. Kennedy University in Northern California.