Summer season is in full swing here in the UK.
I’ve spent the weekend lathering my three children in sun cream, trying to locate their various sun-hats and negotiating pleas for more ice-cream. London has been enjoying some beautiful weather, I love it.
It feels like everyone is in wind-down mode, but there’s still work to be done!
Today’s What’s on this week reflects that, as there’s only a handful of events happening over the next 10 days.
So I thought I’d help you focus on how to improve your skills and make plans over the next few months.
First up is news of The Big Yak. This is a free unconference taking place on Saturday 17 September 2016 in London.
Alongside my fellow The IC Crowd co-founders, Jenni Field and Dana Leeson, we released tickets this week.
The first batch were snapped up in less than 48 hours. We will be releasing more on 3 August.
Keep an eye on @TheICCrowd or our blog for more information.
If you’ve never heard of The Big Yak before, check out my blog post.
In a nutshell – we gather the crowd and approximately 150 comms pros attend and enjoy learning, networking and discussing all things comms.
As it’s an unconference you set the agenda and our lovely sponsors enable you to come for free.
See @TheICCrowd on Twitter or our blog for all you need to know.
What’s on this week
- 26-27 July: Social media and storytelling summit at Facebook, California, via Ragan
See my Comms Calendar for future months and do let me know what’s missing.
Invest in your comms career
Thank you to everyone who has booked their space on an All Things IC Masterclass.
These are one-day courses to enable you to boost your skills.
Upcoming courses include Internal Communications on 15 September, Strategic Internal Communications (for senior-level communicators) on 6 October and a Writing Skills Masterclass on 10 November.
Attendees include professional communicators from the UN, Welwyn Hatfield Council, Sheffield Hallam University, St John Ambulance and Centrica.
You can get a taster of what to expect via this short film:
If you are an IoIC or CIPR member you can earn 10 CPD points for attending an All Things IC Masterclass.
See the All Things IC Masterclasses website for all you need to know.
Earn CPD
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations has kicked off its Summer of CPD (Continuous Professional Development).
See their website for full information, plus you can access a free CIPR skills guide to social storytelling.
Koray Camgoz, CIPR Public Relations Manager says: “Planet PR is an unpredictable place. New trends emerge, disciplines converge and best practice continually evolves.
“At its heart, CPD is about equipping you with the skills to meet the day-to-day challenges you encounter. It’s about pausing to take stock of where you are and where you want to be – and it’s fundamental if you consider yourself a professional.
“Ultimately, if you want clients and organisations to invest in you – you need to invest in yourself. But that investment isn’t financial. CIPR CPD is free for members and there are tons of cost-free activities available to choose from.”
Summer reading list
I’m sure you have fiction books lined up, but if you’re looking for a work-related book, I’ve got some ideas for you.
See my Summer reading list. My recommended books include:
- Social Media Explained: Untangling the World’s Most Misunderstood Business Trend by Mark W. Schaefer. (2014)
- The PR Masterclass: How to Develop a Public Relations Strategy That Works by Alex Singleton. Wiley (2014).
- Brand Media Strategy, 2nd Edition: Integrated Communications Planning in the Digital Era by Antony Young. Palgrave Macmillan (2014).
- The Public Relations Strategic Toolkit: An Essential Guide to Successful Public Relations by Alison Theaker and Heather Yaxley. Routledge (2012).
- Internal Communications: A Manual for Practitioners (PR In Practice) by Liam Fitzpatrick and Klavs Valskov. Kogan Page (2014)
- Strategic Internal Communication: How to Build Employee Engagement and Performance by David Cowan. Kogan Page (2014).
- Share This: Social Media Solutions for PR Professionals, Wiley (2012).
Want to improve your writing skills? See the All Things IC Writing Skills Masterclass on 10 November 2016 with Helen Deverell.
Further reading and book suggestions from the comms community
CIPR Inside published its summer reading list this week, see their website for lots of ideas
11 internal comms books to make your summer, by Gloria Lombardi.
Upcoming conferences – Intranet Now
Want to learn about intranets and discover who is doing what? Sign up to Intranet Now conference on 30 September in London.
I’m going to be speaking alongside one of my clients, Ed Garcez. He’s the Chief Information Officer for the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, and Westminster City Council.
Find out more via the Intranet Now website.
Upcoming conferences – CIPR Inside
CIPR Inside’s annual internal communication conference is taking place on Tuesday 4 October 2016 in London.
This year’s topic is Closing the Gap.
Readers of the All Things IC blog can save 20 per cent off ticket prices using my special code: allthingsIC16.
Find out more via my recent blog post – Save money off CIPR Inside conference tickets.
Recent articles on the All Things IC blog
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Save 20 per cent off CIPR Inside conference tickets
I hope you have a productive week.
Make sure you find time to enjoy an ice-cream or two.
Rachel
Post author: Rachel Miller
First published on the All Things IC blog 24 July 2016.
