Turbocharging Comms, Career and Community
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Editor’s Note: On Thursday, 7 November, the IABC UK & Ireland Chapter hosted Turbocharge, a conference dedicated to boosting comms professionals’ careers. Below is a recap of the event from speaker and attendee Rachel Miller, which can also be found on LinkedIn. Edits have been made for length.
Conversations about how to help communication professionals increase their skills, knowledge and confidence always get my vote. I enjoyed speaking at the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), UK & Ireland chapter conference, Turbocharge, on Thursday, 7 November.
It took place in London and was billed as an event to help “turbocharge comms, career and community for comms pros.” It certainly delivered on all three promises. Congratulations to the volunteer board members who organized the event — thank you for all your efforts and energy.
I was on a panel hosted by Lisa Riemers, featuring Shane Hatton and Dr Kevin Ruck. We explored how to craft communication strategies to drive impact. The thoughtful Turbocharge agenda was carefully curated, with insights and views from a variety of speakers. Topics ranged from job hunting with a panel of four recruitment experts, to leadership with Jenni Field’s new book, creativity with Alan Oram to culture with Shane Hatton.
Montage of photos from Turbocharge taken by Rachel Miller.
Montage of photos from Turbocharge. Taken by TyneSight Photographic Services.
Here’s what made me grab my pen and take note.
"The job market has been waiting for certainty and it’s finally here, with the UK and U.S. election results being known. We’re expecting to see a turn for the better” —Andy Macleod, Director and Lead Consultant, Comma Partners
“Your culture is leaking while your leader is speaking. When it comes to culture, organizations need to reward what they want reflected” —Shane Hatton
“It can feel like the whole world has changed. What hasn’t changed are the people — humans haven’t evolved as quickly. We need to look at the discipline and science behind the art of communication.” —Russell Grossman, Director of Comms Rail & Road (ORR) and Head UK Government Internal Comms Profession
"Your unique ideas are the combination of everything you are and have experienced, plus the challenge or problem you’re trying to solve. A weed is simply a plant in the wrong place.”—Alan Oram Co-founder, Alive with Ideas
“Being credible is more important than being authentic. When nobody believes you, almost everything feels like a wrestling match. When everybody believes you, almost anything becomes possible.” —Jenni Field, Founder, Redefining Communications
Other speakers included Salma Ali, Ann-Marie Blake, Chris Carey, Simon Cavendish, Costanza De Salvia, Peter Finn, Andrew Holland, Kathryn Kneller, Andy Macleod, Vicki Marinker ACC, Eduvie Martin, Kate Matrunola, Jane Mitchell, Edeje Onwude, Crystle Pearce and Laura Whitworth.
Photos by TyneSight Photographic Services
Photos by TyneSight Photographic Services
Looking for more opportunities to connect with IABC in 2025? Keep an eye on our events calendar for virtual and in-person options throughout the year, or discover how you can get involved with your local IABC chapter or region.