Sitting in the crowd at today’s annual general meeting, listening to presentations from 2005-2006 Chair Warren Bickford, ABC; President Julie Freeman, ABC, APR; and Finance Director Scott Cytron, ABC.

The session began at 4.15pm. I arrived a bit late, some ten minutes into the show where Warren had already started. I’d intended to live blog this meeting but no wifi connection in the room.

So, some points I captured from what I heard. Not at all any kind of official IABC representation of all that took place (and clearly not minutes of any type), purely my snapshot view. If I missed anything, or I’ve not correctly reported anything, please add your corrections to the comments!

Chair’s report (the part I captured):

2005 was a transition year. Thanks to all who pulled it together. Still some growing pains. Members, Chapters, Regions are all critical.
On governance: at the most recent meeting, the board decided on a new governance model for the board. It’s a continual building process. The structure is now sound.
I visited 52 chapters during my term (loud applause from the audience). Thanks for your hospitality.

Presidents report:

Accomplishments of headquarters staff. Much working together with volunteers, but staff make sure things are implemented.
Membership in 2005 grew by 7% - the first year since 2000 with membership growth. 13,824 members at end April.
Redesigned website: member input for the new design. The website now has pictures of members - spend ten minutes on your next visit and hit that page-refresh button frequently.
IABC Job Site: a resource for members and revenue for the association.
New press room last fall.
The blogosphere: Warren led the charge by opening up the IABC Cafe. We also have the Communication Commons: more focused discussions on issues of interest to members.
Design changes to CW magazine and to CW Bulletin. More content outside North America, eg, first European supplement. Coming: supplements on Asia Pacific, Africa and another for Europe.
We produced 9 new manuals, 6 new templates and 2 new books.
I did a radio interview and 3 newspaper interviews including the Wall Street Journal re book.
The international conference - 1,364 attendees at the 2005 conference. 1,420 for 2006, projected 1500.
We’ve done small conferences, with Harvard Business Press and Delahaye, developing Eurocomm with Europe Middle East Region, and a couple on our own. We continue monthly web seminars and teleseminars.
Gold Quill Awards - 1,007 entries in 2005 and 1,180 in 2006: 17% increase.
Accreditation - 156 application in 2005: 30% increase. For the first time, this programme is profitable (loud applause).
Chapter support - online resources, monthly communications, staff available on the phone. We now routinely call Chapter leaders to offer support.
Annual Leadership Institute - 201 leaders in 63 chapters, now 207/70. Regional LIs in Berlin, Cape Town, Melbourne.
2005 IABC’s most profitable year, the first since 1996. If we’re financially healthy, we can expand services to members, take a few risks, plan services for members.
Our promise to you is staff will provide timely and accurate information. Create opportunities to network, online and in person. Our success dependent on your success.

Finance Director’s report:

Your eyes won’t glaze over!
$464,078 over budget surplus.
The deficit has been eliminated 2 years ahead of schedule (loud applause)
Staff does what it can to manage expenses. The headquarters office in San Francisco is very modest. It’s an admirable trait.
Surplus/net income $681,716 - 313% over budget. Healthy cash flow. Increased unsecured line of credit. Our revenue target is $5.8m.
Deloitte & Touche did the audit. Clean opinion. I want to recognize Colleen Foster, ABC, Chair of the Audit Committee.
Motion: approve the auditors’ report. Seconded: Barbara Gibson, ABC. Passed.
Choosing new auditors. RFP to 3 auditors. Staff made recommendation. Not based on price alone. Recommendtaion will save $25k this year.
Motion for new auditors Hood & Strong LLP. Seconded: Barbara Gibson, ABC. Passed.
Investment Committee chaired by Lori Joseph, ABC. The committee met a few times by conference call. 2005 was the first time we had any money to invest.
Regional Grants Committe.
Finance manual completed.
Umbrella policy in place re bonding for North America. Seeking underwriting for bonding outside North America.
We’re pleased where we’re headed in the future. Continuous monitoring.
Thanks to Iqbal Parupia. Everyone, send him an email to say thanks.

[IABC's 2005 annual report including financial statements is published in the July-August edition of CW magazine.]

General Q&A:

Q: Re the Stephen Lewis challenge on HIV/AIDS, how we can change the story, mobilize our global network to change the story?
A: (Warren): Trying to put together an advocacy committee in 2005, it didn’t happen, Glenda will address that. Advocacy for the profession is one thing, issues another. We need to find ways to make those things comes together.

Q: The governance model - what is it?
A: (Warren): Changing composition of the Board from regional representation to competency based. Now a smaller board, how to interact together and with staff. IABC has lots of traditons. some good, some not so good. Knowledge nimbles(?) trust model: shifts the Board away from operational things, moves towards issues (like advocacy, promoting the profession).

Q: When and how filter information back to the chapters?
A: (Julie): The international board will take a little while to see how this will work. The primary link for info will be via the Region. Governance models have to fit the circumstances of the Board.

Q: Revenue/expenses projections - specifics?
A: (Scott): more to to with goals in the strategic plan re growth. Achieve revenue through programmes more than dues. (Julie): New staff positions in 2006: one to sell corporate membership packages, the other an additional IT person (applause). The primary reason for increase in expenses.

Q: Will the 500 Club be expanded?
A: (Julie): It’s not our intention. There are about 470 members now. We will cap at 500.

Q: IT help for small chapters to register members for events (benefit of additional IT person)
A: (Julie): Can’t give you a specific answer. Chris Hall spends time on tech isuses more than strategic ones. The new person is mid level not entry level. Free up Chris for strategic thinking. How we can support chapters better.

Q: (from Australia) It’s a misnomer to say IABC is not for profit as we are making a profit. We get questoions from members and the Chapter Board on why are rebates only for renewing members.
A: (Lee Anne Snedecker): We do rebate new member Chapter dues.

Motion to approve by law revisions - Todd Hattori, ABC, moved to approve those revisions. Seconded: Jill Sackett. Passed

Motion to ratify 2006-0207 Executive Board: Jill Sacket moved to approve the motion. Seconded: Steve(?). Passed

(5.34pm) Warren passes the gavel (glass) to Glenda Holmes, ABC, the 2006-20007 Chair, saying “Anything you need, call Scott!”

Glenda Holmes, ABC:

It’s a big honour, a priviledge to be your Chair. I’ve got every job in my professional career thanks to IABC. A moment about Mr Bickford. 2005 was a great year for IABC. I applaud one more time for great achivements. Now time to look ahead. A great time for IABC. Now the time and a great position to look more outward. Attention on issues. This is not about me, it’s about IABC and you. My job and that of the Board is to push and ask questions. Kelly Garrett is Chair of the IABC Research Foundation.

Our focus is on the strategic plan. The member experience. Strategic international growth is a key objective. Chapters are our shareholders and members our salesforce. (Glenda introduced each Board member).

[Listen to Glenda's thoughts as the new Chair in today's earlier podcast interview.]

Warren: Thanks to Tom Keefe for covering the IABC Cafe.

Barbara Gibson, ABC, moves to adjourn the meeting. Jill Sackett seconds the motion. Passed. Meeting closed at 5.50pm.

A conversation with Glenda Holmes, ABC, who becomes IABC’s 2006-2007 Chair at the association’s annual general meeting today.

Topics discussed in this informal interview include Glenda’s views on key issues IABC will discuss and address in the coming year such as advocacy and ethics in the profession; her thoughts about the 2006 international conference; plus some ideas of what to expect from Glenda and the IABC Cafe blog.

 

 CC12: Glenda Holmes, ABC [17:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

It’s Monday 5 June and the IABC conference is in full swing (particularly with memories of the dancing Mounties at the Canada party last night) but that’s not the only rock that’s struck me here in Vancouver. I’m more convinced than ever about the power of authenticity and story-telling in global corporate communications. And that is learnt from conference sessions such as Carol Kinsey Goman’s ‘I heard it through the grapevine’ and Marianne Allison’s ‘communicating innovation: driving the adoption of new ideas’, plus stories of the Vancouver Siwash Rock on the Seawall Promenade. To quote the plaque on the shore of Stanley Park, “Indian legend tells us that this 50 foot high pinacle of rock stands out as an imperishable monument to Skalsh the Unselfish who was turned into stone by Q’uas the Transformer as a reward for his unselfishness.” A second plaque tells a sad tale of Robert Dennis Tribe who aged 17 dived into the waters at Siwash Rock exactly 40 years ago on June 5 1966. Robert failed to notice that it was low tide and he dived to his death. The plaque was put up by Robert’s friends as a reminder of the danger of diving from Siwash Rock.

The messages to me are the enduring power of concern for others, truthfulness and the need to learn to make improvements. In the words of Marianne from Waggener Edstrom “everything we do in communications is about trust building and now that everyone is contributing to communications through every kind of media -every company should have a Chief Listening Officer and be deciding how it should communicate its innovations and communicate with innovation.”

Change management is now the constant and we as professionals need to be more knowledgeable as to what our companies really are and what they want to be, what our communication strategy is and how we put people at the centre of this strategy.

As a write this my mind is still buzzing with today’s outstanding lunchtime presentation by Tod Maffin and his powerfully honest insight into the power of the Geek when avenging poor customer treatment. Next time you see this guy turning up at a conference make a point of being there and learning from him.

One thing I’ve noted in particular about being here in Vancouver is the hospitality of Canadians and, specifically, those from this attractive city (known as Vancouverans? Vancouverites?)

It’s my first visit to Vancouver and, although I’ve had little opportunity to see anything outside of the conference venues, it looks to me to be a place I’d very much like to get to know. So I sense a return visit at some point.

In the IABC context, I feel pretty honoured to be allowed to wear the badge you see pictured here on my strap hanger, what I call the little name tag everyone has that’s typically adorned with additional badges indicating a member’s affiliations or achievements. I actually saw one yesterday that looked at though it has at least 20 additional badges judging from the fact that it almost reached the shoes of the wearer.

Anyway, I was given this badge this morning by Elise Roaf, ABC, MC. And I’ve subsequently learned that it’s a pretty special badge that you’re unlikely to get hold of easily f you’re not involved with the IABC BC Chapter.

So thanks, Elise. I’m wearing it with pride!

This is just the second time I’ve participated in an IABC international conference. It’s a terrific event. For me, meeting so many great people has been the real highlight of my visit to this great city. More on that in another post.

Yesterday, I led a session entitled Organizational Communication 2.0: The Age of Social Communication. I had no idea how many conference attenders would join my fellow sessioners Shel Holtz, ABC, and Allan Jenkins. Perhaps 20, I thought, particularly as the weather wasn’t conducive to being out and about.

We actually had about 110, another indicator of how communicators really do want to find out about social media and how to figure it in to their communication planning.

This session might have been the most un-conference-like session. I did away with the podium and the usual speakers-talking-at-the-audience approach and instead had Shel, Allan and I sitting among the audience. A little unwieldy, I admit, with so many in the room. Still, I think it made for a far more engaging event for everyone. I did use a PowerPoint presentation as a scene-setter.

But the bulk of our time was spent in conversation and discussion and using the web as our sources of reference for all we discussed. if you’d like to have a copy of that PowerPoint, you can download it here.

Rather than comment in any detail about the session, let me direct you to Joseph Thornley, a fellow communicator and blogger who was in the session live blogging it. Some great commentary.

And a big thanks to John Grant who did a terrific job as session moderator.

As we come to the end of our Communication Cookout, I’m compelled to think about the future of our profession. The dessert is a dilly: Mission Hill Pears with Rhubarb Compote. Perfectly ripe Anjou pears are grilled until tender on a cedar plank, then treated to drizzles of lavender-icewine reduction, rhubarb compote made with late-harvest Vidal wine, honey-whisky sauce and a dollop of whipped cream flavoured with vanilla bean. The recipe was developed by a friend of mine, Michael Allemeier, who is the winery chef of Mission Hill Family Estate, the leading estate winery in Canada. Unlike me, Michael is a true chef, with incredible instincts, and he has taken some of my ideas and gone quite a ways beyond them in this recipe.

And so the metaphor to go with dessert is about pushing ourselves beyond our normal boundaries and using new technologies to enhance our communciations.

Yes, I’m talking about “social media” — the world of blogs, podcasts, wikis and streaming video. Web 2.0, as some call it. And in this area, my friend Shel Holtz is my Michael Allemeier. Shel, through his blog, A Shel of My Former Self, and his co-hosted podcast (with Neville Hobson), For Immediate Release, has opened my eyes and ears to this new world. At Shel’s prodding, I launched a blog about employee communication, For Your Approval. And, inspired by For Immediate Release, I created the Barbecue Secrets podcast, an internet radio show that celebrates the many pleasures of outdoor cooking.

Shel and his fellow cyber-libertarians have been preaching the gospel of social media for some time now, talking about the “collision of technology and communication” and positing a glorious future in which organizations engage in a refreshingly open, transparent conversation with their customers, employees and other stakeholders. The new technology is an enabler, unleashing the hidden power of the individual. By embracing social media and encouraging blogging and podcasting and such, corporations will gain a competitive edge. Their customers will be thrilled with the increased human contact, and their employees will all become enthusiastic brand ambassadors, lifting everyone to new levels of service and innovation.

Obviously we’re not there yet, and some might call the evangelistic zeal of the Shels and Nevilles of the world a bit of wishful thinking mixed with shameless self-promotion. Not me. I absolutely love it, and I have not been this excited since the advent of desktop publishing 20 years ago. We are on the edge of a huge and positive change in the way organizations communicate, and every one of us should be paying close attention to the social media phenomenon, even though it has not hit the mainstream yet.

Internal communication in large organizations has gone through a dark age over the past decade, with the blind adoption of Intranet and e-mail and the nearly complete abandonment of print. In the process of embracing the Internet, we have inadvertently disenfranchised millions of front-line employees by throwing away our main link with them — the print publication.

Finally, the new social media arrive, and although they still cannot replace print, they do encourage something that does not happen very much in today’s large organzation: a real, honest conversation. Social media are designed to encourage dialogue, debate, creativity and collaboration.

Just as the pears of our dessert are infused with the aromatic flavor of cedar and enhanced with innovative flavor combinations, let us infuse our organizations with refreshing new ways to communicate, enhanced by new technologies that make it easy, once again, to have a simple conversation.

The last meat course of the Communciation Cookout is Grilled Rack of Lamb with Balsamic Reduction. Racks of lamb are marinated overnight in a vinaigrette with Dijon mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and fresh rosemary. Just before grilling, they’re taken out of the marinade, dusted with granulated garlic and a touch of cayenne pepper, and coated with a mediterranean dried herbed rub. They are then coated with olive oil and placed on a medium-hot grill, where they develop a lovely crust while cooking.

After coming off the grill, they are given a five-minute rest and carved into individual chops. A drizzle of balsamic reduction (balsamic vinegar that’s boiled down to a thick syrup), a little kosher salt, and some chopped fresh mint finish off the dish, which is served as a finger food.

There are two things about communication that this dish illustrates. One is that great cooking is all about balance. The richness of the lamb is counterbalanced by the tangy marinade and the sweet and sour balsamic drizzle. The flavor of the lamb is rounded out with the earthiness of the dried herbs, the mild bite of the cayenne and the charred flavor from the heat of the grill. In the end, it all works together to deliver a great eating experience.

And so it is with communication. To deliver a great experience to whomever we’re communicating with, we need to take a balanced approach. We need to plan whatever we’re doing — to marinate it, if you will, in sound communication principles, to prepare it according to the rules of strategic communication. This means doing our research and analysis, determining the right audiences, developing key messages, delivering those messages through the right channels, and, finally, evaluating the effectiveness of what we have communicated.

As we are preparing and serving up our communications, we need to balance our planned approach with the flexibility to react effectively if the situation changes. We must balance our desire to use creative, innovative tactics with the need to keep things as simple and direct as possible. And we need to balance the desire of executives to water down and sugar-coat information with the powerful craving all employees have with the unvarnished truth. Without that cayenne pepper, the lamb is missing an edge, and without honest, transparent internal communication that addresses important issues in a frank and open way, our messages are as dull and bland as fast food, and just as nutritious.

A last word here about measurement. In barbecue contests we use a remote digital thermoter to accurately measure the internat temperature of our meat. We also use a chamber thermometer to measure the temperature of the inside of our cooker. These measures are important, but just as important (and sometimes more useful) is the simple touch of a finger to determine the doneness of the meat. We need to measure the impact of our communication using the latest technological tools, but there’s something to be said for good old instinct and editorial judgement.

Now we come to the main event: the Classic Barbecued Pulled Pork Sandwich with Tidewater Coleslaw. This is the way they eat barbecue on the eastern seaboard of the United States — in Georgia, and the Carolinas. A pork shoulder is cooked over a charcoal and/or hardwood fire at a low temperature for a long time (as much as 18 hours) until it becomes so tender that it’s almost falling apart. Then it’s pulled or shredded (hence the name of my team, the Butt Shredders), sauced, and piled onto a fluffy white bun and topped with sweet, tangy coleslaw. One doesn’t usually associate pork with the word fluffy, but a great pulled pork sandwich has a soft, fluffy texture and an incredible sweet, savory, tangy, spicy, smoky, rich flavor that you don’t just eat it — you inhale it!

Pork shoulder is one of the four official categories of barbecue competitions sanctioned by the leading governing body of barbecue, the Kansas City Barbecue Society. The other categories are chicken, pork ribs, and beef brisket. To become a Grand Champion, one must compete in all four categories and the winner is decided on the cumulative point score. Two years ago at the Jack Daniel’s Invitational World Championship Barbecue, our pork butt came second on the planet. Not bad for a bunch of hosers from Canada, eh?

On to the metaphor. Just as there are four official categories in a barbecue competition, there are four basic personality types in the workplace, and communicators have to understand this as we design and build our employee communications. This is my version of the Myers-Briggs or True Colors models of personality types. Here goes:

Chicken-types are sensitive, romantic, artistic people who define themselves based on their relationships with others and tend to see the big picture. Like their namesake meat, they are relatively neutral in flavour and see both sides of an issue. They are the peacemaker when arguments break out, and they appreciate it when their efforts are recognized.

Rib-types are extorverted and approachable but tend to get bored when they aren’t the center of attention. They are never satisfied with the status quo, and they often don’t feel a part of mainstream society. Like their namesake meat, they can be dry and tempermental and are easily overdone/misunderstood.

Pork Butt-types are solid, logical, analytical, introverted and independent. They don’t jump to conclusions but would rather think things through in a systematic way. They’re perfectionistic, steady, cautious and like to abide by tradition. They’re money-conscious and risk-averse and they don’t take well to instruction.

Finally, the Brisket-type person is a natural leader, a dominating force. They like to be in control and they are motivated by the achievement of power and domination. They crave adventure and they are not happy unless they are constantly producing, whatever that product may be. They are driven by instinct and common sense rather than analysis and they can be quite insensitive to the feelings of others — even ruthless at times.

As communicators, what can we learn from these four meats? First that we should not ever consider our audience in a monolithic way. That is, we need to understand that the employee population of any organization is made up of many different types of people, with different characteristics, different ways of looking at things, and different motivations. Not everyone is motivated by money, but some are. Not everyone craves stability, but some do. Understanding and respect for the diversity of people in today’s workplace is perhaps the first rule of effective communication.

Another thing. Most communicators are chickens. With maybe some ribs thrown in. We have a love-hate relationship with brisket people and pork butts. We need them because they have important qualities that we don’t, but we also have trouble understanding them and are easily hurt and manipulated by them.

The seafood course of the Communication Cookout is Cedar-Planked Salmon with Whisky-Maple Glaze. I call this dish my tribute to the flavors of wood. It’s cooked on a cedar plank, which imparts an unusual astringent flavor, and the finishing sauce is made from Jack Daniel’s (which has a strong oak taste) and maple syrup, which has a classic woodsy quality. The salmon is served on a bed of field greens tossed with toasted walnut oil and roasted pumpkin seeds. Lots of different flavours and textures, but all centred on good old wood.

Which brings us to the next analogy: managing your communication career is like tending a fire.

But first a little background. Plank-cooking is based on an ancient aboriginal style of cooking in which fish is fastened to a plank and then leaned over a hardwood fire. In the 1800s oven-planking was adopted by American hotel chefs, and somewhere in the last 50 years or so it has made its way onto the backyard grill. The basic process is pretty simple: soak a cedar or hardwood plank in water overnight, or at least an hour (this prevents flare-ups), place the plank in a hot covered grill and let it heat up until it starts to crackle and smolder. Place the salmon or whatever else you’re cooking on the plank, turn the heat down to medium, and close the lid. The food cooks gently because it’s protected from direct heat by the plank, and it is infused with the aroma of the wood smoke. Have a spray bottle of water on hand in case you get any flare-ups around the edges of the plank. When the food is done, you can remove it from the plank or serve it right on the still smoldering board — a spectacular presentation style that’s bound to wow your guests.

It’s a simple technique but if it’s not done right, the plank will burst into flames and the salmon will get burnt. Or if the heat’s too low, the plank won’t smolder and you won’t get that unique flavor.

And so it is with your career as a communicator. Early on you have to soak yourself in the knowledge and theories of our profession, which can take years of college or university. Then, as you begin to work in your first job, you have to submit yourself to a lot of heat. Young communicators get thrown into the Kafkaesque nightmare of the corporate world with plenty of wide-eyed idealism about what constitutes good communication, only to have those ideals tempered by stultifying bureaucracy, horrible internal politics, cheapskate accountants, timid managers, creepy human resources people and psychotic CEOs. During the early period of one’s communication career you see all the warts of your organization more clearly than anyone else — and you have less power than anyone to do anything about them.

Then, as your career progresses, the heat gets turned down and you actually start cooking — getting more responsiblity, doing more interesting projects, learning how to present a plan and defend it against the cautious bureaucrats — in other words, you start feeling as if you are making a difference.

All along, you have to tend the fire of your career — fuel it with professional development like this conference, stoke it with different work assignments, share the heat of your fire with others by volunteering your time with IABC, even change employers now and then to knock off the ashes and freshen the flames.

Finally, as you become a senior communicator, you’re ready to serve up great advice that shows maturity and wisdom. You can exercise creativity tempered by discipline and experience. And you can make a measurable difference to the reputation of your organization.

And, if you’re lucky and you tended the fire properly, your career didn’t fizzle, and you didn’t get burned to a crisp.

In three days time I will exchange my virtual podcast experiences of the IABC Vancouver conference for the full five senses and launch myself into a truly global Change Management process. Ann Hood has wetted my appetite to learn about how companies like Scottish Power not just cope but also thrive during dramatic regulatory, economic and cultural changes. I’ll be packing my paperback Fons Troppenaars Riding the waves of culture: understanding diversity in global business as this has been quoted in recent IABC UK seminars on how different nationalities respond differently to identical scenarios. The one in the book which intrigued me most was ‘If invited, would you paint your boss’s house over the weekend?’…so if you are attending and come across a 5ft 8inch 44 year old bloke reading out loud to you, it could be me trying that one out from you.

Many things are marked on my card in the Change Management section such as Marianne Allison of Waggener Edstrom Worldwide telling us about how innovation and communicators mix (sounds like a cocktail for spontaneous combustion) and Annita Stokes Thomas discussing new strategies for delivering your company’s global message (I wonder if she’ll agree with Fons Troppenaars?).

Now that I’m getting the passport out and checking my Zoom e-ticket, I feel the countdown starting and am looking forward to finding myself a changed man by a week today when I’ll be zooming back to Greenwich, UK (even if I remain 5ft 8inches and 44 years old).

The next course of the Communications Cookout is Grilled Quesadillas with Smoked Gouda and Jack Cheese with Fresh Rosemary and Granny Smith Apples. An unconventional quesadilla to say the least, but addictively delicious and easy to prepare.

A soft flour burrito shell is layered with gratings of two cheeses, then a sprinkling of chopped rosemary and a layer of thinly sliced apple. After a pinch or two of salt and pepper, more of the cheese is spread over the apple layer, and the quesadilla is topped with another burrito shell. The whole thing is grilled for about three minutes per side over medium high heat and then cut into pizza-shaped slices. Served with a crisp, dry, fruity white wine, it’s a gluey, tangy, herbal piece of heaven.

For our purposes, the quesadilla is a metaphor for the communciation vehicle, the internal print publication in particular. It’s a classic format. Most of us have had a quesadilla in a Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant, and it is usually filled with jack cheese, shredded chicken, some salsa, and maybe some refried beans. Fried on a griddle until the cheese turns gooey, it is served with some salsa, guacamole and a dollop of sour cream. And most of us have written, edited, or at least contributed to a company newsletter or magazine, with its stories about the latest corporate program, quarterly production numbers and financial results, information about changes to employee benefits, and so on.

This menu’s modern take on the traditional quesadilla nicely parallels the changing tastes and needs of today’s employees, and how the company publication needs to change with them.

In my new handbook, Writing and Editing the Internal Publication, I document a major shift in employee attitudes and values based on a great book called Values Shift: The New Work Ethic and What It Means for Business, by John Izzo and Pam Withers. In the book Izzo and Withers talk about how the workplace dynamic is shifting in a way that gives skilled employees more power and control over their destiny than ever before — and how reducing turnover and keeping employees is the biggest issue facing business today.

The new generation of employees has vastly different expectations of employers. Today’s workers detest the corporate heirachies and paternalism that have defined big business in the past. They are sick of the enormous stress of the modern workplace, they are oppressed by technological change, and they expect their employers to make things better. And they care more about their family, their health, and ethics than they do about power, prestige and money.

The greedy, selfish “me” generation has been overtaken by self-aware, moral, non-materialistic employees who expect a lot from their employers, and are more than ready to leave for more socially responsible pastures if their company doesn’t live up to their high expectations.

And so, although the vehicle or delivery mechanism might not need to change (the burrito shell or the print publication), the contents surely do.

Just as the new-age quesadilla reflects a more modern and sophisticated taste, we need our internal publications to reflect the changing values and expectations of employees. That means recognizing the stresses of the modern workplace and demonstrating what our organizations are doing to make life easier for their people. It means telling stories in human terms that make the vision of our companies real. It means breaking down barriers and encouraging real two-way communication that builds new connections between our company’s leaders and its employees. And it means creating shared experiences that create a true spirit of community. Finally, it means communicating with integrity — providing our organization with open, honest, timely and ethical communications that build trust, the most important building block for anything else in human life.

What it doesn’t mean is using the employee print publication as a vehicle for delivering hard news. News in big organizations happens at a pace that print just can’t keep up with, and is ideally suited to electronic communications. As my friend David Murray says, today’s print publication is less about news, and more about providing employees with a physical embodiment of a company’s brand, its values and its culture.

One more thing. If we think of the burrito shell as the physical container of the quesadilla, then paper, ink and staples are the shell that holds the contents of our employee publications. I’ll talk later about this as we progress through our menu, but I want to illustrate an important issue here. I believe that, by embracing new technologies like e-mail and intranets in the 1990s and abandoning print as a channel for employee communications, many big organizations have disenfranchised huge segments of their workforce. It’s as if we decided, collectively, that it’s just as effective to throw our cheese through the cooking grate and onto the fire below as it is to wrap it in a tidy shell. Shame on anyone for wasting food, and shame on our profession for wasting so much information by throwing away a perfectly good communciation format, the print publication.