Oxford defines ăd’və-kə-sē as publicly supporting or recommending a particular cause or policy. Webster’s defines it as active support.

Our challenge: define Advocacy in the context of IABC and the communications profession.

The Advocacy Work Group has a few working definitions:

- Raise the profile of the communications profession(al) for business, HR and other publics. Promote greater understanding of effective communication as a critical business tool; highlight its benefits and the results it can achieve.

- Reach out to colleges/universities. Encourage business schools to incorporate communication skills and understanding in MBA and other curricula.

- Speak out (as “the voice” of communications professionals) on relevant issues and topics in such areas as ethics and business news or events.

- Take an active role in addressing social and/or economic issues. Perhaps even adopt one or more causes as IABC programs.

That’s already a broad spectrum, yet it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Our greater challenge will be to assess just how relevant these are to our association and our profession, whether they add value, and how to go about doing them.

But one step at a time. Let’s first focus on defining Advocacy for IABC, its members and the communications profession.

What do you think? Do you agree — or would you define Advocacy differently?

Be heard!

…to the IABC Advocacy Commons. This blog was created to share some of the work currently under way and, more importantly, to hear feedback and ideas about an initiative that could add an important new dimension to IABC and communications.

So what is this all about?

Advocacy is about promoting the communications profession and raising our profile among such audiences as business leaders and organization staffs. It’s also about the role communicators can play in addressing a broad spectrum of professional, ethical, economic and social issues.

The IABC Executive Board created the Advocacy Work Group to research the concept and recommend what the association can and should do.

The Advocacy group’s work is intended to enhance and add value to IABC and the profession. Think of it as an extension of what IABC is all about. IABC already provides a variety of benefits, features and services to communicators worldwide; Advocacy may well be a springboard to making communications an even more integral and valued part of businesses and organizations worldwide. Think Visibility, Vitality and Value.

The Advocacy initiative should reflect the ideas and concerns of IABC members and professional colleagues, not just the thinking of a small group of people. This is your opportunity to have a say, to influence IABC’s direction. It’s your forum to make yourself heard — to debate issues and ideas in a constructive, forward-thinking manner. So please join in the discussion.

It’s all about sharing and listening.

Be heard!