Observations at and memories of European Communications Summit 2013

My recent experience of presenting at the European Communications Summit (#ECS2013) was great (check my presentation “Changing the name of the communications game“). I am grateful to the organisers to have enabled me to share my experience and vision on the value creation of communications. It is all about the three As: audiences, authenticity and audacity.

It was good to be a member on a panel on ‘Creating value through communication’ and be joined by two great people: Jim Macnamara, Professor of Public Communication and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Technology Sydney and Andre Manning, Vice President and Global Head of External Communications, Philips. It was very stimulating to observe that the three of us shared similar ideas of where we should take ‘value creation’. We panellists were not contradicting each other, but were coming at the subject matter from different angles. We were ‘adding value’ to each other, I believe.

All three of us were clear that we communications professionals carry an important responsibility concerning the next steps in our profession. We need to continuously address different ways of assessing, evaluation and measuring our function and need to work together to avoid many different ways of analysis. We need to address the (perceived?) ‘dichotomy’ of communications and marketing. Last, but certainly, not least, the profession carries a responsibility regarding the creation of a sustainable world. We will be the enablers of creation; we will be co-creating with others. The world of merely ‘sending’ in communications is over. The digitoral era is here to stay.

I got the feeling that we were on to something, something more fundamental than sharing best practice (though that took place and was critical too). Not just the three of us on the Friday morning panel were discussing in a new way, the other presenters and the participants too. The common discourse seemed to have moved us to address the future in a more substantial way. It seemed that we were willing to really address and change the current communications paradigm. I felt in good company.

So I sensed that my proposal to change CCO from Chief Communications Officer to Chief Challenges Officer was something that all ECS2013 attendants were ready and happy to take on. Taking on the challenges to further and co-create the company’s or organisation’s strategy to be our aim. I look forward to taking on the challenges together. Together we will be strong.