Thoughts from a weekend conference...

I participated in a panel this weekend on the value of communications professionals to a school district.  Some thoughts and reflections from that experience:

• If your organization is facing a crisis and your communications team is also in crisis, they haven't done their job.  A good communications professional anticipates and plans for crises.  You may not be able to predict what type of crisis you will face, but you should know that eventually you will face one.
• Double or triple redundancy on technolgy all too often isn't redundant but event-saving.
• In conferences with concurrent sessions, you should remember that each member of your audience has made a choice to attend your session.  Treat them with the respect they deserve by choosing to spend time with you.  Give them content that is worthwhile, actionable, and practical.
• Audiences will almost always surprise you with how carefully they are listening.  I have almost never faced a Q&A session where someone will ask you about some detail you mentioned 35 PowerPoint slides ago!
• Communications is something everyone can and should do.  Managing communications is something few can do well.
• The best way to connect with an audience is to know your material and believe in what you are saying.  The second best way is to tell jokes or show cartoons!