What is the worst task you have performed in the name of internal communication?
I don’t mean communicating difficult messages or some of the other challenging aspects that come with the job, but those unusual scenarios you can often find yourself in.
I wrote about the Melcrum Live event last week and how it came up as a topic of conversation there. Since publishing that article I have been Tweeted numerous examples by IC pros and am going to share them with you.
To put them in context, which is always helpful, the discussion at Melcrum was led by Sophie Sheppard, their Head of Relationship Management, Training and Delivery.
She guided delegates through the diverse roles, responsibilities and activities undertaken by the modern Internal Communicator and the ways in which tactical and strategic activities are balanced.
Further reading: You can read more and see the new Melcrum competency model in last week’s article.
Examples that came up last week included:
- washing hundreds of strawberries
- wrapping up Christmas presents
- negotiating the release of cream-filled Belgium chocolates from Customs
- fashioning a hood for an autocue via an IC pro’s personal sewing machine
- putting up thousands of pictures in the London 2012 Olympic village bedrooms
Plus my absolute favourite: sewing up the, ahem, bottom area of a Superman costume – with the company CEO still inside.
Reflections
It made me think about mine, ones that sprung to mind: When I was Head of Communications at LOROL I ended up donating some of my make-up (face powder) to the BBC’s Politics Show team to use on former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone‘s forehead and nose.
We were filming at one of our railway stations on a super sunny day and the usual make-up kit wasn’t with the crew so I ended up rummaging in my handbag and seeing what I could rustle up.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I have had to poke microphones up/down CEO’s clothing, and hastily locate ‘serious’ ties or non-striped shirts (can often distort on screen) for spokespeople to be able to conduct media interviews appropriately.
Top tip: always have a dark/black tie to hand!
So in a light-hearted post as we’re rapidly heading towards the end of the week, take a few moments to read through these examples that IC pros have Tweeted me.
Do check out the Melcrum information for more details on the steps to take to shift from tactical to strategic communicators.
Final thought from me is that internal communication and IC pros experience a rich tapestry of roles, responsibilities and scenarios throughout the course of their career.
As with many other professions, you may often find yourself in unusual situations, like those detailed by people in my network below.
You’re not alone!
Got one to add to the list? I’m @AllthingsIC or you’re welcome to comment below,
Thank you as ever for stopping by,
Rachel
@AllthingsIC myself and a colleague built 4 fooseball tables for an IC event. A real IKEA job and sore fingers
— Andrew Gilleran (@AGilleran) May 6, 2014
@AllthingsIC made worse that the Events Manager held them up against me “to check the size”…
— Simon Monger (@SimonMonger) July 10, 2013
@redluker @allthingsic Oh my, I’d forgotten my night in A&E after a conf delegate had accident with a glass door! Party planners, nurses…
— Kate Jones (@how_IC_it) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC haha just googled: http://t.co/TXusLwc6wr
— jenniwheller (@jenniwheller) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC @AllthingsIC buying underpants and socks for a delegate whose luggage got lost at the airport. #awkward
— Simon Monger (@SimonMonger) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC mending a client’s bloody hand after she cut it on a dance floor #notmentioninganynames *cough, cough*
— Sara Luker (@redluker) July 10, 2013
@redluker haha it wasn’t my fault!
— Rachel Miller (@AllthingsIC) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC Was when i started out. Bloomin’ exhausting, but feels like a rite of passage now. Learnt to expect anything in #internalcomms
— Billy Hamilton (@BHamiltonWords) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC I did! I can officially report that every plastic fork in the N19 area came home with me that evening!
— Vici (@kikiloola) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC dressing up as the Thomson local cat, in a hot air balloon on its side with the mayor “chasing” me
— jenniwheller (@jenniwheller) July 10, 2013
@how_IC_it @AllthingsIC It was a real working copy of the dome: http://t.co/0LH8wA4GuF
— Wedge (@Wedge) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC Opening 500 cardboard tubes, dropping a marker pen in & closing them again. Attempting to source disposable cutlery after 11pm.
— Vici (@kikiloola) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC physically blowing up hundreds of balloons for an event. Although I also got to sample cupcakes for same event #upside
— Billy Hamilton (@BHamiltonWords) July 10, 2013
@how_IC_it @AllthingsIC Ah; alas, *I* was also the event photographer, so all my photos are sans moi 🙁
— Wedge (@Wedge) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC Film shoot. Actor wore green T one day, white the next. Continuity Kate couldn’t find clothes shop.Halfords car-spray 2 rescue!
— Kate Jones (@how_IC_it) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC locating new shoes for a Board member who broke her heel!
— Stacey Atkins (@stackieb) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC not exactly positioning ourselves as strategic business partners though!
— Simon Rutter (@southendscribe) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC wish I was there. Sounds like it provoked lots of debate and great examples. I have also had to sing a company song. #lowpoint
— Simon Rutter (@southendscribe) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC cakes are now a core IC channel. HR used them for a campaign this week…
— Simon Rutter (@southendscribe) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC Otherwise, being ‘Richard O’Brien’ for a crystal dome feature of an all-employee event (which was brill).
— Wedge (@Wedge) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC Knowing about M&As and the redundancy details in advance.
— Wedge (@Wedge) July 10, 2013
@AllthingsIC in reply to your blog, the worst things I have had to do are blow up balloons and order cup cakes with corp. strategy on them.
— Simon Rutter (@southendscribe) July 10, 2013
What’s the worst task you have had to perform as an IC pro – washing strawberries, sewing, custom negotiations? http://t.co/CIatsFCdXM
— Rachel Miller (@AllthingsIC) July 10, 2013
12 July update: Thank you to everyone who has been adding theirs to the list. Even more below:
@allthingsic forced to sing Frosty the Snowman at client karaoke party in front of assembled global Senior Leadership Team
— jenny andersson (@jenandersson1) July 12, 2013
@AllthingsIC Sent an email to 12000 employees telling them the event would be held in a public area. Shame I missed the ‘l’ in public.
— Darbs (@AbuDarby) July 12, 2013
@AllthingsIC loving the IC horror stories! My low point was ‘managing’ a male CEO who turned up to Xmas party in sweat soaked Lycra leotard
— Lee Smith (@gatehousegroup) July 12, 2013
@AllthingsIC at 7am delivering mouse mats, key rings, calendars and posters to 600 staff reinforcing corp values before an inspection
— Seashell Comms (@i_seashell) July 12, 2013
@AllthingsIC he “disliked” all our products,sign up processes and wanted them all redesigned for his Chanel. Nightmare. Will never forget it
— Padraic (@padraic_knox) July 12, 2013
@AllthingsIC not IC related but deliberating a briefing to 100 farmers with chair shouting across me constantly on mic when he disagreed.
— Padraic (@padraic_knox) July 12, 2013
@allthingsic Had to tell an exec with a very mini skirt to not cross her legs whilst sitting on stage. She made me swap skirts!
— laurajaynegrover (@binxyLJG) July 12, 2013
@allthingsic Once had to come into work at 6am to clear personal items off 50 desks – the people were sacked on arrival at 8am. Awful.
— laurajaynegrover (@binxyLJG) July 12, 2013
@AllthingsIC colleague’s, not mine, but: counting jelly beans for a ‘guess how many beans in the jar’ competition.
— Sharon O’Dea (@sharonodea) July 12, 2013
@AllthingsIC worst moment: on my knees in front of 100 leaders to fix a microphone with the CEO hissing every sec to ask if it was fixed!
— Advita (@Advita_p) July 12, 2013
Via LinkedIn:
Sally Sykes: Finding cufflinks for CEO for black tie dinner
@AllthingsIC being the CEO’s typist for the duration of an online chat session with staff practically on his lap!
— Alice Palace (@Alicia148) July 13, 2013
@AllthingsIC scrabbling around under a table with millions of cables trying to sort out Internet access for senior managers
— Alice Palace (@Alicia148) July 13, 2013
@AllthingsIC appearing as a last minute extra in various corporate videos
— Alice Palace (@Alicia148) July 13, 2013
@AllthingsIC Working for a law firm; away on conf I was running, had to break into loo stall to rescue a partner who’d locked himself in
— Nat High (@nat_high) July 17, 2013
@AllthingsIC Should do best/outside norm role. Me? ‘Flying’ C130 simulator & in landing at HK. 2nd best? Playing footie with Eddie the Eagle
— Mark Shanahan (@LeapfrogMark) July 16, 2013
@AllthingsIC Putting on a blonde wig to invite people to a Bonnie Tyler flashmob. Then convince other people to do the same
— Ross Tarbard (@owlyross) September 17, 2015
First published on the All Things IC blog in July 2013.
