Engagement Inside Expo 2011

We’re excited about CIPR Insides’ first Engagement Expo – a conference and exhibition with a difference.

Delegate Choice.

Choose which discussions you want to join with the flexibility to save time and money.

Participate in thought provoking discussions with leading professionals.

Best Advice.

Discuss your project requirements with leading, independent agencies and consultancies.

Top Venue.

Wellcome Collection is “a free destination for the incurably curious”: a fantastic facility, located opposite Euston Station.

How does it work?

For a modest registration fee you choose which of the sessions you would like to join. 3 in the morning, 3 in the afternoon and a film show over lunch. In between session you can peruse the commercial sponsors’ stands in the adjacent trade show.  If you just want to register for the Trade Show it’s free.

Who’s speaking?

Leading industry figures.

Who’s exhibiting?

Our sponsors include commercial organisations that provide innovative products and services that will help you connect better with employees.

We hope to see you there. You can www.eventbrite.com/event/1471745029?ref=ecount

Engagement in Difficult Times

We really enjoyed the Institute of Business Ethics roundtable on engagement in difficult times.

Edwin Van Vlierberghe, the inspiring Plant Leader at Tower Automotive (a leading vehicle components supplier in Belgium) discussed the role of leadership, dialogue and creative approaches to restoring trust in a time of crisis and restructuring. Edwin instigated a change process based on high involvement, autonomous team working, recognising the diverse contributions of the 30 different nationalities who work within the organisation.

When Towers faced a period of crisis, the high trust culture enabled Edwin to work with union delegates to find ways of avoiding redundancy through the creation of new business activities. Workers at risk of redundancy were also provided with temporary placements in other companies while remaining as employees of Towers Automotive ‐ a strikingly proactive example of ethical employment practice.

All in all, very inspirational. All the theory, working well in practice.

The Engagement Debate Part 2

If you weren’t one of the lucky 80 participants in the Engagement Debate on 15th March, have a look at this short video which gives you a flavour of the discussion. The good news is you can join in for an extended debate at the next big event on 19th April. FULL DETAILS HERE. It promises to be an event with a difference. Where else can you listen to an Olympic coach, an eminent social scientists and a leading trade unionist at one event? Giving you the flexibility of time and budget, come and join in the subjects you are interested in.

Engagement Champion! What’s behind your mask?

Interesting article from Ian Buckingham:

One of the symptoms of a disengaged workforce is a lack of authenticity, they leave their personalities at the workplace door. But if they don’t care enough or are too insecure to be themselves, they’re not going to be fulfilling their potential.

Yet leaders often bang on about “going the extra mile” or “the need for innovation and initiative”.

Engagement is a simple concept which hasn’t really benefitted from the reams written about it. It’s just a term describing a state of focused attention. It’s brought about by a connection between a subject and an “object”. And it usually results in a reaction.

Whether the subject includes colleagues, customers, the community or even shareholders, the aim is usually to bring about a positive reaction through a strong, positive connection. The hope is that this connection will result in additional a effort – like the nirvana of self managing teams.

The problem is, that rather like rubbernecking on the motorway or simply following the crowd, engagement isn’t necessarily the same as having a good time for a long time. It can’t guarantee positive outcomes if the conditions and culture aren’t right. Cynics are usually powerful “engagers”, for example, as most of us can confirm and the bewitching era of “spin” has left a long shadow.

Oddly enough, one technique that works well as an engagement device is the use of the alter ego or avatar. It’s ironic, but creating and then discussing a virtual personae is both liberating and very revealing. Especially within cultures where there’s a fear of criticism or unwillingness to be open (and there are a few about at the moment), it gives people the license to critique as well as praise, whether the “alter ego” is deliberately brand focused or otherwise.

It’s an approach which has worked very well at a range of organisations I’ve been pleased to work with, especially those with reputation issues to address. And anyone who was at Melcrum’s recent SCM conference would have seen the event company Involve use the process also showcased in Brand Champions, to great effect.

So why not try creating your own brand superhero alter ego? Ask yourself, “what are the superpowers I wish I had to get me through the day at work”? Perversely, if you acknowledge that authenticity is at the root of engagement, why not encourage people to don masks, capes and insignia next time you’re working on an engagement intervention?

You might just find out what their true values are and what’s occupying their minds… not to mention what’s filling their tights!

The Engagement Event of the Year

Engage Inside EXPO 2011 seeks to combine really innovative speaker sessions with a small ‘soup to nuts’ trade exhibition.

For example. A lot of talk is given over to what “Generation Y” want from a modern workplace. Instead of reading and theorising about it, why not come along and find out from them in person?

Other examples include:

- What happens when Social Media meets Social Science?
- What’s the connection between sports talent and winning teams within organisations?
- What’s Fathers4Justice got to do with winning hearts and minds inside your organisation?

You only pay for the sessions you want to participate in. Oh, and it’s free to visit the exhibition!

Oh. Did I mention? It’ll be held at the Welcome Trust, Euston. A lovely venue which is extremely accessible by public transport!
If interested, please sign up quickly. Places will go fast.

Full details and to register: www.eventbrite.com/event/1471745029/

Intermedia welcomes Belimo

Intermedia are pleased to welcome Belimo as a new customer. We’ll be helping them with the provision of marketing support and creative expertise to raise awareness of their products within defined markets. Belimo is a listed technology company with a staff of more than 1100 worldwide. They have developed, manufactured and distributed electric actuators for air dampers and valve technology for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems since 1975. With a comprehensive range of products, they have become world leaders in this market.

www.belimo.com

The Growth of Social Media

Just over a year ago we shared the video Social Media Revolution with you. Thirteen months later the video has been followed-up and updated by Socialnomics author Erik Qualman. A few of the new highlights include:

  • More than half of the world’s population is under 30
  • Facebook tops Google for weekly U.S. Internet traffic
  • Ashton Kutcher and Britney Spears have more Twitter followers than the populations of Sweden, Israel, Switzerland, Ireland, Norway and Panama
  • 50% of mobile Internet traffic in the UK is on Facebook
  • During the 4+ minutes it takes to watch the video, more than 100 hours’ worth of video will be uploaded to YouTube
  • Amazon sold more electronic books for the Kindle than physical books on Christmas
  • If you were paid $1 for each posted Wikipedia article, you’d make $1,712.32 per hour.

Congratulations to Breast Cancer Campaign

Hello

We hope that 2011 finds you well and busy. For us January and February have disappeared in a blur of activity. Last year, we asked you to get involved in nominating where to donate money instead of sending you festive trinkets. Thank you all for a staggering response. Several hundred votes later, the overwhelming majority of you opted to get behind supporting the Breast Cancer Campaign. So we’ll be sending the cash off to them shortly.

We’re really looking forward to working with you all over the next year. Ben is keen to draw your attention to one of our enhanced services for 2011 – photography. You can find out more by clicking the following link www.intermediasolutions.com/photography.

In the meantime, James and Mark are offering their annual key account reviews to combine your plans for the year ahead with our ideas. We’ll be in touch to say ‘hi’ but if you want to jump the queue, just give us a call or drop us a line.

Thanks again

Rob & the rest of the Intermedia family

Product photography

Just to whet your appetite…

Click to view more.

Client quotes

Mark’s favourite client quote ever, received today! “I don’t know whether to thank you or kick you.”