It's time to let employees opt out.

Do you allow employees to opt out of receiving company information? Probably not…and you should.

Most of the time we are pushing out information that we believe is important to employees and we are all doing our best to segment the audiences and send people relevant information in a timely matter.

But in our personal lives, we have endless choices. We are allowed to choose which marketing emails we get. Heck, we can choose the style and size of shoes we prefer to receive marketing emails about. And yet, for some reason at work, the same choices don’t exist.

The reason that we are allowed to opt out or set email preferences is to maintain a connection. I know that when I unsubscribe from a marketing email, most of the time, the company is going to ask me if I would like to receive their emails less often. The reason they do this, we all know, is because they don't want to lose me as a contact. I would love for us to use this mindset at work with employees.

We want our employees to engage with our content, but we’re terrified of giving them power.

“But they NEED to know this information.”

Do they?

“If we gave them a choice, they’d opt out of everything.”

What does that say about our content?

We have control issues and yes, it takes one to know one. But we are disempowering employees by not giving them a choice. If we allow them to make choices about what kind of information they receive and when they receive it, I can almost guarantee that they would engage with the content on a deeper level.

We are not empowering employees. We're trying to shove information down their throats. Yes, this might be because you have a boss (or a boss's boss…or a boss's boss's boss) who is telling you that this is the information they need to receive so I challenge you to push back and explain the data behind allowing people to make choices.

If employees would opt out of most of the information we are sending them, we’ve set the bar too high for communication engagement. (Uncomfortable hot take for another time: it's ok for employees to not give a crap about Q3 results.)

The vast majority of employees want their jobs to NOT be the worst part of their day. That’s it. And that might mean that the information we are sending them is simply not relevant or interesting to them.

Let’s try something new and empower our employees to make their own choices, like we get to do everywhere else.

It's time to choose bagels or bacon.

I would call myself a conference connoisseur but you might refer to me as a conference snob and that's fair. Because I’ve been to so many professional development events, my bar is very high.

Now that I have the pleasure and enjoyment of planning conferences for ICology, I've learned so much about what it means to personalize these kinds of events. The lessons from personalization are easily applicable to so many aspects of internal communications.

The very first camp ICology that I ever planned was in Chicago in 2022. And at the time, it was a two-day event which meant I was providing breakfast on both days. I planned a full hot breakfast for both days because I like to give the people what they want (hello mini breakfast burritos!)

Fast forward to 2023.

Last year, our first camp event of the year was in New York City. One of my attendees, who is a native of New York, said to me, “make sure you order breakfast from this particular bagel place.”

Easy peasy, I can make that happen.

For day one, I order the bagels. On day two, I think to myself, surely people will want a full hot breakfast after just having bagels the day before.

Most of our attendees were from New York City, and on day two they are all asking me where the heck the bagels are. I’m standing beside massive trays of hash browns, bacon, eggs, thinking, “you want bagels?!”

I had no idea that bagels were such a hot commodity in New York City. I did not do my research on my audience.

This happens a lot in internal communication. But it's not hard to personalize when you know what people want, and all that takes is asking simple questions. Whether it’s breakfast options or email delivery times, knowing your audience is always worth going the extra mile.

~ Kristin

It's time to join the "make it pretty committee."

Wanna watch the video instead? Scroll all the way to the bottom.

Have you ever been asked to make something pretty at your job? Have you ever rolled your eyes at this request? Maybe you grumbled or groaned or bemoaned to your colleagues about this request.

I've been asked this, although maybe not in those exact words, and I've always been confused about why the response from our industry is one of annoyance.

Our response every single time should be, “heck yeah, I can!”

We should get excited when someone in our workplace approaches us for help. This means, if nothing else, they’re comfortable enough with us to ask for help. And they know how to get ahold of us. This is fantastic! This means that you’re known as someone who can help (and maybe that your company directory works!)

Your colleague might be saying, “make it pretty” but what we should hear is:

• Can you make this poster more engaging?

• Can you make this article more interesting?

• Can you make this document easier to read?

And can we do all of this? Heck yes we can!

Internal comms pros are not graphic designers (though I do love me some Canva) but we can do so much to improve materials. If your frustration is that you're being asked to do something that you perceive to be too tactical or “below” your role as a strategic advisor, I would encourage you to explore what it means to be strategic and what it means to be tactical. Making something more engaging IS strategic.

If you're worried about the scope of your role then this is a great opportunity to set some expectations. Need some words for that? Here you go:

“I would love to make this poster more appealing and easier to understand. However, I don’t have the skills to use our design software so we’ll need to bring in one of our graphic design colleagues for the logo and print setup.”

You’re welcome ;)

Repeat after me: “I can absolutely be the person to lead this project and achieve the outcomes you’re asking for.”

We have discounted tactical activities like this to our detriment. The request to make something “pretty” sounds trivial, no question. But internal communication as a practice should be at the crossroads of strategy and execution…and that includes making things pretty.

I hope you make everything prettier today and always.

~ Kristin

It's time to end the garbage leadership epidemic.

In the past two weeks I have had six, yes six, conversations about terrible bosses and my heart is so broken. There is manager trash out there and we know it. But it got me thinking,

Are we in an epidemic of garbage leadership?

There have always been bad leaders but it feels like it’s getting worse. Is there some sort of post-COVID, dumpster fire of leadership happening?

I have no data to support this but what I'm learning is that we have all experienced garbage leadership. We have all had bad bosses. We've all probably had at least one truly terrible boss that we don't want to remember…and maybe some of us are in therapy as a result. But this isn’t a rant about terrible leadership.

Everyone has had a bad boss and there are lots of reasons for this: unjustified promotions, people manipulating their way up the proverbial career ladder, etc.

Everyone has had a bad boss. And no one has ever been one.

I’m confident no one is reading this thinking, “I was manipulative. I let my ego get in the way. I was unqualified to lead people.”

Have you heard about the study where they polled people and asked them about their driving skills? Nearly everyone in the study claims that their driving skills are better than everyone else's, which is statistically impossible and also very funny.

Is this what's happening with leadership? It seems likely that if we ARE a terrible boss, we may never know it. Even with feedback from employees or co-workers, our minds are very good at discounting criticism.

So I have a challenge for all of us.

Let's assume we are all bad leaders. Let's assume if you are in a role where people report to you, that you're just not a very good manager. Let’s work to correct it and work to learn more.

Books and videos are great, but I’m talking about more intentional activities where you can obtain objective feedback and learn new skills:

• Sign up for a management course or program.

• Join a mentorship program (ICology plug!)

• Hire a coach.

• Start going to therapy.

Look, I'm not saying that we’re all manipulative jerks. What I am saying is we all need formal training on how to be better managers and better leaders. Let's take this assumption and instead of beating ourselves up, let’s learn and grow and be the most healthy, supportive, emotionally intelligent leaders that we can be.

Cheers to the bad bosses. May we never be them again.

~ Kristin

It's time to put community over competition.

I just got off a Zoom call with someone in our industry who has a wonderfully-thriving community of internal communicators. We talked about who we're targeting, what kinds of ideas we've got for next year, what we're charging, and more.

At this point you might be thinking, "that's weird, Kristin. Isn't that group considered competition for ICology?"

What competition?

ICology does not have competition because no one is doing what ICology is doing in the way that I am doing it. AND - no one is doing what she's doing in her community in the way that she's doing it.

Our industry doesn't need to be competitive with itself. We do a disservice every time we are focused on what our perceived competition is doing that is taking business away from us. It is a mindset of lack and it is helping no one.

Community over competition.

We live this phrase every day. No one is doing what we're doing, and we're not doing what other people are doing. There is room for an infinite number of communities, associations, events, and people doing really cool things in our industry.

There is room for all of us.

I was at an event last week in Phoenix that was put on by Firstup. The conference was called Attune, and I was there as a partner and a sponsor. At one point during the event, they held a breakfast for all of the partners who work with Firstup. Many people in that room were objectively competitors, and yet we were all able to have a healthy discussion about what our goals are, where the industry is headed, and what the technology looks like for our customers and in my case, our members.

Let’s stop judging and start helping. Find your people and lift them up.

Community over competition, always.

~ Kristin

Applications are Open for the 2024 Mentorship Program!

The ICology Mentorship Program is refreshed and ready to launch in a bold new way.

Application Details

You do not have to be an ICology member to apply to the program but will need to join our community before the program starts in January 2024. Membership is $149.99/year or $19.99/month.

The application process is less about acceptance into the program and more about matching you with the right mentor. It’s crucial that we get to know you and your goals before we pair you with a mentor.

Mentee applicants are required to:

• Have at least 5 and no more than 10 years of career experience (does not have to be solely internal comms)

• Submit application and participate in a video conversation with program director

• Demonstrate a passion for improving the employee experience through first class internal communication

• Possess a commitment to career growth and development

• Be willing to accept feedback with an open mind and a willingness to learn

• Complete the program as outlined

Timeline

• September 8, 2023: applications open for the 2024 cohort

• October 31, 2023: last day to apply

• November 30, 2023: mentorship pairs are confirmed

• January 2024: virtual program kickoff

• September 2024: Graduation Ceremony & Mentorship Summit (in-person, date/location TBD)

More Info

Join us on LinkedIn on Thursday, September 21 at 3pm ET for a live Q&A session. Hear from past mentors/mentees and learn how this program can propel your career.

If you want to set up a time to chat more about the program being a good fit for you, reach out to Kristin Hancock: kristin@joinicology.com

Ready to get started? Apply today!

It's time to purge your LinkedIn connections.

I recently went through a “LinkedIn purge.” You've seen the movie The Purge, right? It's one of the few scary movies I've seen, and I think the lesson should be applied to LinkedIn, and here's why.

Sometimes I'll be going through my LinkedIn feed and it's messy. It's people that I don't know talking about things I don't care about. Then I get frustrated and wonder, “why am I seeing this?” Well, guess what? Like all social media platforms, the algorithm is delivering content based on who I’m connected to, what I comment on, topics that I follow, etc.

If your LinkedIn feed is messy, that's on you.

To combat this mess, I developed a litmus test for LinkedIn. Yes,this is a soapbox, a hot take, and a hill I’m willing to die on.

For every LinkedIn connection I accept, I ask myself,

“Would I be comfortable introducing them to someone else I know?”

A few weeks ago I was planning an event in a different city and I wanted to talk to a communicator in that city about hosting a tour of their company's office. In going through my LinkedIn connections, I noticed that I am connected to someone who has a connection at that exact company. So I reach out and ask for an introduction…and my connection got back to me and said, "sorry, I actually don't know them."

Beyond being 0% helpful, the interaction left me wondering why these two people were connected on LinkedIn? What is the purpose of LinkedIn if not to make meaningful connections with other people in your industry?

Being connected to people you don’t know doesn’t add value to your LinkedIn experience and it certainly doesn’t add value to your community. It doesn't matter how many connections you have if none of them are meaningful. 

But what about if you’re in sales or recruiting and you have a deep, passionate need for thousands of LinkedIn connections? 

Let me introduce you to Creator Mode.

Turning this feature on allows you to encourage people to follow you without sending a connection request. 

Your followers will see what you’re posting but they won’t be listed as a connection. (And yes, people can still send you connection requests, it just takes an extra step or two.)  

This is a great option if you speak at a lot of industry events, meet a lot of people in your travels, or run a business. I’m happy to accept connection requests that have a personal message with a clear intention (i.e. “I enjoyed your session at the conference and would love to connect so we might be able to work together in the future.”)

If you’d like for a lot of people to have access to what you're sharing, creator mode is your friend. 

I would love to hear what other people think about this so feel free to comment below. In the meantime: purge your list, my friends. Let this be the great LinkedIn purge of 2023!

Quality over quantity and community over competition.

~ Kristin

September 2022: Rise & shine.

I’m a “slow morning” person.

For years I proclaimed, “I’m not a morning person” but that was a lie. In fairness, I didn’t know it was a lie, I just didn’t know how to best describe my preferred way of waking. I want soft sunlight, a Chani meditation, and a leisurely dog walk. Some mornings I check all the boxes and others…well, you know.

My vision for ICology is to create a community that people want to rise and shine with.

This month, we’ve got more going on than EVER including our first in-person event! We’re also launching a new series called Beyond Internal Comms so our members can become better all-around business pros. Oh, and there’s also Toolsday, ICology Presents, our monthly “Meeting of the Minds” member chat, and more!

It looks like I might need to rise and shine a little earlier this month.

If you want to see what it’s like to rise and shine with the brightest and friendliest bunch of internal communicators, your first two weeks are on me. Know someone who needs more rise and shine in their life? That forward button is right there…

Sending slow morning vibes

~ Kristin

Introducing: Beyond IC

Our industry networking and education events have turned into echo chambers. We're talking about the same topics and re-learning the same things over and over again.

So in typical ICology fashion, we're going to change that. 

"Beyond IC" is a members-only series that launches in September and will feature experts from industries OTHER than internal comms. What a concept!

At least once a month, we're bringing in an expert who can answer questions in a no-judgment zone. Don't know how to read a balance sheet? We'll cover that. Not sure what SSO means? We'll explain that, too. Everything we learn will make you a more business-savvy communication professional. 

All sessions will be recorded and if you can't attend live, you can send questions ahead of time.

If you’re looking for a sign to join us and grow your role, this is it!

~Kristin

August 2022: Find your flame.

We're in the nest, right? Because I have a confession. Up until very recently, I struggled to define ICology and its direction. Where were we going with this podcast-turned-community and what the heck was the point?

On September 21 & 22 you're about to find out.

Camp ICology is our first in-person event and we are knocking it out of the freaking park if I do say so myself. The creativity and energy that is going into this event is setting my professional soul aflame and I know that every single one of our 25 campers is going to feel the passion behind the planning.

All this to say, if you can squeeze some extra dollars out of your PD budget for 2022, this is the time to do it. Registration cost is all-inclusive meaning you won't have to worry about spending a dime once you get there. And I promise you'll leave with a head full of ideas and a heart full of pride.

I've found a new flame in planning Camp ICology. Join me at the event and do the same.

~Kristin

July 2022: Unplug

In case you missed it on social, our July community theme is unplug because, well, don't we all need a little downtime? 

Earlier in the summer I participated in an eight-week course on resiliency, taught by our friend Marie Bodine (who has done some amazing ICology workshops, too!) The course focused on how we can best help ourselves move through the tough stuff with grace and compassion.

One of the small habits I committed to was putting my phone "to bed" half an hour before I did that same. It's stuck and I have to say it's had a profound impact on my overnight sleep and my morning mood.

What habits are you working on to help you set healthy boundaries, digital or otherwise? I'd love to hear about them and so would our community!

~ Kristin

June 2022: One step at a time.

One foot in front of the other is the only way we move forward. 

We'll spare you the rest of our notes-app-saved-cliche quotes and leave you with this: when you're tired of standing still it's time to take the first step. And when you make that decision, we've got your back.

Lace up your sneakers, pull on your boots, slip into those heels...LFG.

~Kristin (in heels, of course) 

May 2022: Celebrate everything!

Chuck and I are fortunate to be partners in work and life. You'll probably see my name around ICology more often, but much of the creativity here comes from our kitchen table conversations.

We've been married since November 2019 (long, immigration-related story) and we were supposed to have an April 2020 wedding. I know I don't need to explain why that didn't happen.

After two postponements and several cancelled contracts, it would have been easy to scrap the whole thing. Except that one of our “relationship rules” is to celebrate everything.

So we’re having an overpriced, elaborate and unnecessary party. And it’s gonna be awesome.

What can you celebrate this month for your employees? For yourself? The people in your circles? Life is so challenging. When we have an opportunity to create joy, it's our duty to take it.

Party on,

~ Kristin

March 2022: Jump right in!

What a year it's been! We've crossed the "first birthday threshold" and are finally walking after crawling for a while. But that's how growth goes, ya know?

It's time to jump right in, which is, conveniently, this month's community theme. 

We've got a podcast launch coming up and more livestream content for our IC community (how awesome was "Mistakes were made"?!) Jump into the fun, jump into the network, and jump into making ICology the best it can be!

~ Kristin

February 2022: Gear Up

This month our community theme is all about the tools of the trade. In an homage to the 90s sitcom, you could say, “it’s tool time!”

What are you using to get the job done? What are your options? What is everybody else using? We're going to explore all of these questions and more! Check this out:

• Toolsday is a brand new weekly (as much as possible) session where vendors in the IC space will come to showcase and show off their platforms. It's a quick 30 minutes for members, who will be able to ask questions in a no-stress environment. Recordings will be stored in ICology and our goal is to develop a library of resources from our industry partners. Our first Toolsday is Feb. 1 with Vennly! If you’re interested in hosting your very own Toolsday, click here.

• Our Meeting of the Minds monthly networking chat is on Thursday, Feb. 10 (1pm ET) and will be centered around who is using what and what's working well.

• Our first "open to all" event is happening this month!!! "ICology Presents: Mistakes were made." will be Feb. 25. It's a livestream conversation on failure and it features members Erica Goodwin, Gabriel Galdamez, and Zaheed Bardai.

• ICology's first birthday party is Feb. 22 so of course we’re hosting a party for members. (Ok this has nothing to do with software tools but it's just as important imo.)

We're growing so much already this year and my brain is buzzing with cool new ideas. Thank you everyone for your enthusiasm and love for our community. Let's gear up and grow together!

~ Kristin

Introducing: Toolsday

Our members want to feel confident that they are using the right tools at the right time. They’ve told us that they want opportunities to learn about new technology in a low-pressure environment where they can ask questions openly.

They asked and we’re delivering - with your support.

Starting February 1, we’re hosting weekly “Toolsday” live sessions where vendors in the IC space can showcase their platforms. You can share anything you want our members to learn: a case study, product demonstration, industry insights, or a really cool new feature you’re offering.

Your session will be hosted live and recorded for future playback within the ICology community. We can’t guarantee how many members will join us live but we can promise high engagement from those who do. What can we say, we’re keeners.

How it Works

For an investment of $1,000 USD you’ll have the virtual floor for 30 minutes. What can you teach, demonstrate, and show off in a way that keeps us on the edges of our rolly chairs? We’re looking for content that is delivered in a fun and interactive way.

Your session needs to check as many boxes as possible:

• A targeted, concise presentation with a clear purpose

• A real-life example (bonus points if you can have a customer on the call with you!)

• Interaction with members

• Creative way of delivering information

• Tangible value for internal communicators

• Diverse presenters/contributors (this is a key initiative for us)

Not-so-Fine Print

Scheduling

Yes, the sessions happen on Tuesdays because we’re clever like that. You can request any week you like, as long as it’s not already filled. (The start time is up to you but we recommend sometime midday so we can hit all North American time zones.)

Member Data

No, we won’t share or sell our member list but you’re strongly encouraged to connect with the folks who join your session afterwards. The best way to do this is by joining ICology but I guess we’re biased that way.

Logistics 

We’ll use the ICology Zoom account in meeting format to allow for better interaction. You’ll be given full presenter controls to share your screen, play DJ, however you decide to get creative.

Promotion

You better believe we’ll promote the crap out of your session.

• Long Story Short: Our monthly e-message is sent on the first of every month and as long as the timing lines up we’ll include your session in our upcoming events section.

• Inside ICology: your event will be listed in our calendar, promoted on our main feed and pinned to our “featured” section for our 125+ members to see

• JoinICology.com - we’ll feature your event on our calendar for the whole internet to see

• Twitter: 2,600 followers

• LinkedIn: 900 followers

• Instagram: 230 followers and growing!

It’s hammertime!

When you’re ready to stop, collaborate, and listen:

Kristin Hancock (she/her)

VP, Community & Engagement

kristin@joinicology.com / 317-903-2838

ICology Gives Back

It's no secret that Chuck and I are dog lovers. This year we chose Indianapolis Animal Care Services for a donation made in honor of each of our members. Every time I volunteer there I am reminded of how powerful a second chance can be. We're so grateful for all our members who took a chance on ICology and this seemed like a fitting way to pay it forward.

~ Kristin

January 2022: Begin Again

I don't know about you, but we're feeling '22 and that means it's time to begin again. When we flip the calendar page it's an automatic refresh and a time to evaluate, review and reflect.

As we transition into another year, we're highlighting a theme that supports second chances. What can you forgive from 2021? How can you give yourself permission to restart your career? Does it look the same or is it time for a change?

Our monthly member chat on Jan. 13 will be themed around these ideas and we can't wait to hear your voices. We're going to chat about consulting, contracts, and career moves in general. Join us for a vulnerable and supportive conversation with fellow IC pros.

Comment below with a story of how you let yourself begin again or how you plan to in '22.

~ Kristin

December 2021: Sparking Joy

We're kicking off monthly themes here at ICology. You'll find them woven into our discussion topics, networking calls, and shared content.

"Are you happy?" isn't a helpful question, imo. It's too broad, too bland, and too subjective. "What brings you joy?" Now that's a question we don't ask enough!

As 2021 comes to a close, we want to highlight the joy you spark in the lives of your employees, co-workers, and colleagues. What were your wins at work this year? What joy do you hope to spark in 2022? Most importantly, how can we help?

Our monthly member chat on Dec. 16 will be themed around this idea and we can't wait to hear your voices.

Comment below with what joy means to you and how you find it amidst the mess.

~ Kristin

Introducing: long story short

Something cute, clever, and fun is coming to your inbox! Subscribe to our monthly message to be the first to find out about events, education, and delightful happenings in the world of ICology and internal comms.

We’re sending out a short little email every month announcing our monthly theme, together with links to industry events, member successes, and more! It’s a quick pick-me-up for the first of the month (cue Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, anyone?)

For members, it’s a nice way to get the news you need. For the rest of our IC friends, we want you to take a peek inside our community and who knows, maybe you’ll feel like it’s time to get a seat on our spaceship.

Subscribe below and happy story telling!