September 2021: collaboration
Contents
The independent view: Are you ready to emerge?
Arlene Amitirigala, our new chair, offers her perspective on how to stay active and engaged as many of us emerge from the restrictions of lockdown after lockdown.
Ready or not? We're not sure.
How ready are PIC members to head back to in-person events to network, collaborate and catch up? Read the results of the PIC survey.
You're not alone: how collaboration Helps build your business
Sue Horner, editor of this month's Buzz, gathers words of wisdom from PIC members on the ways that collaboration has opened doors.
Welcome new members
This month, we welcome Meredith Adolph and Danièle Dufour to our ever-expanding member base.
1.
The independent view
Are you ready to emerge?
By Arlene Amitirigala
On a sunny day in late June, I stood in front of my closet. I had purposefully flung open the doors that had remained closed for the better part of 12 months, yet I was suddenly paralyzed. Apprehension and a hint of panic rose in my chest. “Will anything fit?” “Do I remember how to strut in heels, or anything that’s not house slippers, for that matter?” And finally, the question that summed up everything I was feeling, “How will I emerge?”
In varying degrees, I suspect all of us are dealing with this question of emerging as we grapple with a constantly shifting COVID-19 world.
The word emerge conjures up various images for me — an eel slowly poking upwards through the sand, a butterfly easing forth from a chrysalis or Beyoncé bursting loose from backstage, fans at full blast.
I’m surmising that most of us are far from being Queen Bey right now. We’re more like that eel. Poking through cautiously but cognizant that eventually we will have to venture out there ... if only to get more dinner on the table.
Some of us are readier than others, as evident in the results of our recent PIC survey. We had an almost even split between those who were ready to get together face to face by Q4 2021, and those who preferred to wait until after January 2022.
Of course, there’s no good or bad or right or wrong with this issue. Each of us must make that decision for ourselves. However, whatever our personal state of readiness might be, as professional independent communicators, many of us may be called upon to support clients who are trying to woo employees back into the office or, more likely, create hybrid working environments.
For our own careers, we may be thinking about transitioning out of COVID-19 and unearthing any burgeoning opportunities for independent professionals. What will be the new ways of working and how will we capitalize on them for our benefit?
In my role as the chair of PIC, I see us playing a vital role in supporting each other as we answer these questions and navigate this new state of play. We’ve kept a vibrant organization in place, steered by our past chair, Nkiru Asika, and the brilliant exec team of Judy Irwin, Sharon McMillan, Kathy Lim, Sue Horner and Nancy Miller. Together they embraced innovation and staged virtual professional development sessions along with lively Zoom socials that kept you engaged, connected and learning throughout last year.
Now that restrictions are gradually easing, we are ready to emerge, and I am excited about plans for the year ahead. We aim to continue supporting you, maintaining an active platform for you to deepen your knowledge and skills, sharpen your business acumen and broaden your professional contacts. Our desire is for PIC members to emerge stronger from this COVID-19 pandemic, ready to seize new opportunities.
How can you play a role? There are several ways to stay engaged and active:
- Collaborate, share ideas and support each other.
- Join our PIC exec.
- Contribute to our social media channels — we are active on LinkedIn and Twitter with useful, relevant content.
- Continue to read The Buzz and let our editor know if you’d like to contribute an article.
- Spread the word about PIC and encourage your fellow indies to join.
Finally, remember to join our fall social on September 23 — yes, we are Still Zoomin’ and it’s going to be great. Can’t wait to see you there!
2.
Ready or not?
We're not sure.
While your PIC executive discussed upcoming events last month, we did a quick poll to find out how ready members are to get back to in-person meetups.
With just 13 responses, we can’t make any definitive statements. However, this small glimpse shows that we’re still far from business as usual.
Asked about attending an in-person PIC event, answers such as “not ready yet” and “a long while” (53.8%) slightly edged out “soon” and “as soon as possible” (46.2%). When we do get together, participants expect the list of safety protocols to include masks, social distancing and confirmation of double vaccination.
Several people suggested keeping some virtual events when we move ahead with in-person events. Travel time to get downtown, reluctance to use public transit and a reduced presence in the downtown core all contributed to this idea.
One member hopes that IABC can find a happy medium by creating a hybrid model, where in-person events include a digital component. This would offer the option to watch the presenter online, with networking in-person balanced so those watching at home could network in break-out rooms at the same time. Great idea!
As another member said, “There is pent-up demand, and some conversations are better face to face. With appropriate measures, I look forward to attending in person, when the time is right.”
So do we.
More thoughts? Email Arlene at arlene.amitirigala@gmail.com.
Join the fun of steering PIC
With the new IABC/Toronto year now under way, PIC’s executive is changing. We welcome new chair Arlene Amitirigala, and welcome back Nkiru Asika and Sue Horner. For now, Judy Irwin, Kathy Lim, Sharon McMillan and Nancy Miller are in a temporary advisory role until we transition to new people. Could you be one of those people, either in a sole role or a shared position? Contact Arlene at toronto-sig@iabctoronto.to.
3.
You’re not alone:
how collaboration helps build your business
By Sue Horner
When I sing the praises of joining PIC, new indie communicators often ask, “But aren’t other members my competitors?”
You might think that, but here’s what actually happens. A writer might partner with another writer on a project that’s too much for one person. Or, a graphic designer might partner with a writer whose client needs writing as well as design. Or, a member might outsource a piece of work that requires specific expertise, or recommend another PIC member for a job they can’t take on.
Many PIC members have had this experience. When we launched the PIC Personality feature in our newsletter in 2013, one question we asked was this: “What advice would you give someone new to the independent life?”
Here’s what our members had to say about collaborating with others:
“Even if you are an introvert, stay connected with others and consider being part of a virtual team. You don't necessarily have to be located on site!” — Yvonne Catty, ABC
“It can be really lonely at first so it’s important to get out there and talk to people. Build a network of other independent people. They’re the ones who will prop you up and give you ideas of how to deal with clients or workplace issues.” — Georgie Binks
“Stay connected to your network and supplier base. As an independent, there may be times where you will have to outsource certain deliverables, like video production or photography, or just collaborate with other professionals. It’s important you don’t become stale in your service offering or lose contact with resources within your network.” — Meline Beach
“Remember you aren’t in this alone. Partner with others. Ask for help. Find people to network with, including some outside your profession. Go to conferences, even if it costs you. Remember that if you speak at them, you’ll get in free.” — Sue Johnston, ABC, MC
“Make your business scalable — never turn away work. Don’t just think about how much work you can handle at a personal level, but look at how you can engage others to grow your business.” — Sabita Singh, ABC
“Collaboration is the best way to grow. You build a body of knowledge and work and people begin to take notice of what you’ve produced. It builds credibility. It’s not about competition or getting ahead of one another, it’s about sharing knowledge and producing great collaborative results.” — Sohini Bhattacharya
Create business alliances. For example, maybe you develop websites, and I write blog posts — can we team up to serve clients together?” — Sheila Gregory
“Connect with a community of writers or communications professionals who do similar work — get out there and have a collaborative attitude. The more you get out there, the more you realize your colleagues aren’t really competitors. To a certain extent they are, but mostly you’ll find they will give you work by recommending you. And on the flip side, you’ll find it’s helpful to know of other professional communicators you can recommend to clients and editors.” — Carolyn Morris
What other advice would you add? Email me at getwrite@sympatico.ca if you’d like to share your thoughts with other members.
4.
Welcome new members
Meredith Adolph
Toronto | LinkedIn | meredithadolph@gmail.com
Audience first, digital-led. I help organizations raise awareness, build trust and achieve growth through insightful storytelling and impactful campaigns. Services include:
- Content strategy and development
- Website, email and blog content
- Campaign strategy and project management
- Corporate, employee and change communications
Danièle Dufour | D. Communications
Newmarket | Website | LinkedIn | daniele@dcommunications.ca
D. Communications is a boutique corporate communications firm that helps companies big and small navigate complex situations with simple and effective solutions.
Danièle, D. Communications' founder and principal, is a senior bilingual communications/PR pro whose corporate expertise includes organizational transformation, crisis management, strategy development, M&As, as well as internal/external stakeholder engagement. Her PR accomplishments include leading the creation and deployment of international launches, media events and new ventures.
Changes to the PIC member list due September 27
As a PIC member, you can promote yourself at no charge on the PIC member list on the IABC/Toronto website. Send your updates to PIC’s director of membership, Kathy Lim, at kathy775@gmail.com, by Monday, September 27.
For new profiles, send your:
- name
- company name
- city
- email address
- telephone number (optional)
- website and LinkedIn URLs
- social media accounts
- a brief description of your business
NEW: the word limit for bios has been increased (to 80 words). If you are already on the list, does your listing include your LinkedIn profile? Have you earned an OVATION or Gold Quill award you can brag about?
“3 on 3” now coming in October
Watch for a “3 on 3” on volunteering next month. Our interviewer, Alix Edmiston, ABC, is still recovering from breaking her wrist in a freak accident. Hope you feel better soon, Alix!
See you on social media!
Who we are
Professional Independent Communicators (PIC) is a special interest group of IABC/Toronto. PIC's mission is to support independent IABC/Toronto communicators through professional development, networking and marketing. IABC connects communicators from around the world with the insights, resources and people they need to drive their careers and their professions forward.
The Buzz informs members about upcoming events, shares professional development tips from past meetings and keeps us connected.
Editor: Sue Horner | Designer: Nancy Miller
Executive team
Chair: Arlene Amitirigala | Past Chair: Nkiru Asika | Communications: Nancy Miller | Membership: Kathy Lim | Programming: Judy Irwin, Sharon McMillan | Social Media: Sue Horner |