To ABC or Not, That is the Question
A couple of weeks ago we started talking about accreditation on Twitter (at least, I did). I serve on IABC’s Accreditation Council so, clearly, think it’s a good thing. I was curious about what others thought, so I asked my networks why they had pursued, or were pursuing, accreditation, and what value they derived from it.
What’s the Value of Accreditation?
The response overwhelmed me, not just by how many there were, but by how strongly people feel about accreditation.
There were a few recurring themes: curiosity as to whether one “measured up,” validation of one’s approach to communications, and value in staying involved with process by being a mentor or grader. On LinkedIn, Mary Hills, ABC, who’s director of marketing for the Council said:
Filed under Career, Communication, Public Relations, Shonali Burke | Tags: accreditation, amy mengel, bill spaniel, communications, dora smith, education, iabc, jason king, jotw, mary hills, maureen ryan, mba, ned lundquist, pr, Public Relations, Shel Holtz, sue johnston, Training | Comments (26)What Makes a Mentor?
About a month ago, I saw a tweet from Shel Holtz, ABC, that piqued my curiosity:
Not one to bridle said curiosity, I followed the link Shel provided and immediately signed up for the Mentorship Connection. Again, almost immediately, I was told (via e-mail) that I had been matched with a willing mentee: Nick Lucido – and now it was up to the two of us to connect and figure out how I could help Nick move towards his PR career goals.
What Nick and I have in common are a passion for smart PR and the desire to give back to the broader PR community by being actively involved in it. Thanks to the similarity in our natures, it took the two of us almost a month to speak via telephone this past Friday (though we’ve been corresponding via e-mail and Twitter since we were put in touch). I was struck by his drive and conviction – how many of us knew while still in high school that PR was our chosen path? – but most of all, by his willingness to extend himself along paths unknown.
What Makes a Mentor?
About a week after I saw Shel’s tweet, Kami Huyse wrote an insightful post on why mentors are vital to the development of one’s career. I’ve had many friends, colleagues and supporters who have helped me over the years, and I hope there will be many more.
Filed under Career, Public Relations, Shonali Burke | Tags: Career, charles zukow, john mason, kami huyse, katie paine, Measurement, mentoring, mentorship connection, nick lucido, pr, Public Relations, Shel Holtz | Comments (19)
