Building on our strengths: new IABC Chair Todd Hattori and Research Foundation Chair Jan Thibodeau outline their visions for the coming year.

IABC Chair Todd Hattori

IABC's incoming executive board chair, Todd Hattori, is the technology acquisition services manager for the Washington State Department of Information Services. In this role, he manages the customer relations activities related to hardware, software and consulting vendor negotiations, brokering, leasing and marketing to state and local government agencies, tribal organizations, and qualified nonprofit organizations in Washington.

For the past 16 years, Hattori has developed a broad range of communication management skills by volunteering and working for a variety of nonprofit organizations, government agencies and private corporations.

Q: What do you want to accomplish during your year as chair, and what are your primary objectives for the IABC executive board?

A: My four areas of focus build on recent successes that respect and support our history, and explore new thinking and practices by which IABC will continue to meet the needs of our members, the profession and the business community. These areas are advocating for IABC and the communication profession; reinforcing IABC's brand distinguishers; exploring new ways to live the 'I' in IABC; and making sure our internal practices reflect the communication best practices that we promote to our members, other communication professionals and organizations.

Q: What is IABC's biggest challenge today? If IABC has untapped potential, how would you describe it?

A: As a global association of multidisciplinary professionals, our challenge is to maintain a focus on a service strategy that appropriately reflects our strengths and competencies. Just as we advise communicators to demonstrate purpose and value by aligning communication strategies with organizational business strategies, IABC must continue to deliver the right products and services, in the right way, at the right time. By acknowledging our competencies and shortcomings, we've started and will continue to tap into new potential by partnering with other organizations that also provide value for communicators and the profession. An example is our new partnership with the Shanghai Public Relations Association and its adoption of the IABC Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) program. It's different thinking, a different approach to connecting with and providing service for global communicators.

Q: IABC's membership is very diverse, which can be considered both a challenge and an advantage. What direction can IABC set to ensure it serves this diverse audience in the best way possible?

A: The international executive board adopted the Knowledge, Truth and Nimbleness governance a year ago. Within this model, all of our activities fall into two categories: issues-based and organizational management. Issues-based governance focuses on our members' needs, environmental/ professional influences, strategic capacity and ethics considerations. Organizational management includes policy setting, operational oversight and strategic thinking. As we address these issues, board members, staff and various committee members work together to gather information so that decisions are well informed and align with our strategic plan. Our diversity is one of our brand distinguishers, so we are committed to gaining an understanding of the diverse issues of our global membership, and making decisions and taking action that support our strategic goals.

Q: If IABC is to lead by example, what else can it do to practice its own good communication?

A: Our branding project and the launch of Be Heard[TM] reinforced the value of asking difficult questions, remembering and respecting our rich history, and being willing to change in the best interests of our members. Knowing our audience and implementing strategic efforts that are measurable and sustainable are a demonstration of us "walking our talk." We'll continue to apply this best practice of member engagement as we build on recent successes and explore new opportunities.

Q: When you describe IABC to potential members, how do you convey the value of belonging to this association?

A: IABC is a global network of professional communication mentors, advisors, colleagues and friends who keep me up to date on the best communication practices and help me succeed in my career.

Q: What potential do you think IABC has for growth? What is your vision for the future of IABC?

A: IABC has the potential for growth, and by "growth" I mean more members, greater global reach, more and better service offerings, increased networking opportunities, and greater individual, chapter, regional and international association success. I believe we've become more proficient at assessing our strengths, acknowledging our weaknesses, and implementing changes that elevate our strengths and reduce our weaknesses.

My vision for IABC is 100 percent market share in helping communicators, their employers and/or clients' organizations, and their audiences to hear and be heard.

IABC Research Foundation Chair Jan Thibodeau

Jan Thibodeau has 20 years of experience leading and managing teams to deliver strategic communications and organizational development solutions for corporate and nonprofit clients. As founder and president of JT Communications LLC, she works with Fortune 500 companies in the high-tech, retail and financial services industries, as well as with smaller companies, startups, nonprofits and academic organizations.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish this year as Research Foundation chair?

A: Last year a small band of foundation trustees, the executive board and staff carved out a blueprint for integrating three types of research: organizational communication research (the type that the Research Foundation typically commissions and conducts), member research and strategic research that informs governance decision making. The blueprint provides a new, broader view of research that will fulfill a key component of the brand promise of IABC. Our task this year is to make this integrated approach come to life. We'll have to employ all those communication, trust and change management strategies that we advise our clients about every day.

At the same time, the foundation will continue its tremendous momentum in four areas:

* Commissioning and conducting organizational communication research. We currently have a diverse set of research projects under way, which we will continue working on, as well as filling the pipeline with new and emerging research projects.

* Annual fundraising. Our chapters and many individuals gave generously to support research last year, and we hope to identify more creative ways and more reasons to contribute this year.

* Building awareness about the value of research, and working more closely with regions and chapters. I hope each of our chapters runs at least one research-based program this year. Foundation trustees and I are ready and willing to visit the chapters and be program speakers. We will also encourage chapters to create research libraries, making research accessible for members and the greater business community.

* Strengthening our regional liaison network of foundation advocates. We formed our liaison group last year, and this year we will work more closely with them to understand and fulfill regional and chapter needs around research.

Q: What do you feel is your biggest strength in leading the Research Foundation?

A: The biggest strength is not one I possess; it's the talents and passions of the foundation trustees, a diverse group of practitioners and researchers who commit countless volunteer hours in the name of organizational communication research. I've had the privilege of working for many years in IABC volunteer leadership positions, and I am blown away by the dedication and perspective of our trustees and the perseverance of our staff. Every leader in IABC knows that the only way we get things done is when we have smart, dependable people to work with.

Q: How do you convey the value of the research the foundation provides?

A: Communication decisions and practices that are informed by research are more credible. The value of the IABC Research Foundation studies is that they not only provide quantitative and qualitative analysis, but they give us the practical applications and implementation tools.

Q: The Research Foundation just celebrated its 25th anniversary. What is your vision for the next 25 years?

A: I see a greater variety and number of research projects--primary, secondary, aggregated research--and a greater diversity of delivery channels--print, media, programs and podcasts. I see more volunteers and more staff touching the research process, whether providing input, conducting research, or creating and utilizing the output. And I see the Research Foundation fulfilling the dreams and visions of the founders 25 years ago: to be the pre-eminent provider of communication research for the profession and the business community. The groundwork we will lay this year to integrate research within IABC will start the process. And then we have 24 more years to work on it.

mark your calendar

17-18 September Conference (Phoenix, Arizona): Business Writing Conference 26 September-9 October Online seminar: Designing and Modeling Communication Systems and Infrastructures 4-5 October Conference (Toronto): Business Writing Conference 9 October Conference (Chicago): Employee Communication Summit 18-19 October Conference (Chicago): Business Writing Conference 7-20 November Online seminar: Needs Analysis and Performance Consulting 8 November Teleseminar: Planning for Success: Writing the Strategic Communication Plan 15-16 November Conference (New York City): Research and Measurement Conference