7:30 a.m.
Continental Breakfast & Networking

8:00 a.m.

Chairperson's Opening Of Day Two & Presentation

Developing A Strategic Business Communication Strategy That Creates Alignment And Delivers Results
In these turbulent times, it is more critical than ever to ensure that employees clearly understand the business strategy, how it relates to the larger marketplace, and what they can do to help achieve results. To ensure that everyone is aligned with the organization’s business priorities, messages need to be clear and focused; leaders and managers should be aligned and engaged in communicating about the strategy; and communication methods must “breakthrough the clutter” to gain employee mindshare.

Through the examples from a variety of best practices and case studies, you will learn how to create breakthrough communications in your organization by:

• Sorting through conflicting organizational messages to develop a clear and compelling message map
• Partnering with your leaders to determine their role and the support you can provide
• Finding the balance between strategic intent and creative execution
• Measuring results, not only of your communications, but of the impact on the business

Chris Gay, Principal
BRIDGE CONSULTING

8:55 a.m.

Engaging Employees And Shifting Corporate Culture Using Micro-Blogging, A Social Networking Site, Email And Video

What if employees had a new way to learn, share and connect? At Disney, in the world of processes, policies and system changes – it was needed desperately. A new approach was launched and employees became connected more than ever. The journey started with a simple newsletter that blossomed into a multi-tier news channel, using micro-blogging, a social networking site, email and video.

Go behind the scenes to explore the creation and growth of Disney’s On The Inside news channel and engagement strategy, and hear about their successes and challenges along the way. See, firsthand, how a vision and a little passion can build employee engagement while changing behavior.

Specifically, you’ll learn from Disney why:

• Adding fun to your guiding principles is key
• A negative reputation can be a plus
• Convincing the critics it can be done with results
• Tactics and resources can be very inexpensive or at no cost
• It’s okay to push corporate boundaries

Christopher Swan, Manager, Training & Communication
THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY

10:05 a.m.



Using Social Media To Streamline Your Organization’s Internal Communications And Unify Its Online Presence

For more than 60 years, Tupperware Brands Corporation has made a difference in the lives of women around the world by offering an independent business opportunity. Today, Tupperware Brands is a portfolio of global direct selling companies, selling premium innovative products across multiple brands and categories through an independent sales force of 2.4 million.

As a truly global organization that now reaches nearly 100 markets around the world, the challenge is to inspire, motivate and communicate with the independent sales contractors who are face-to-face with the consumers. Unlike full-time employees who may speak for the whole company, each salesperson has a unique approach to the business and to word of mouth communication. In this session, you will hear about how the communications team at Tupperware Brands established a social media policy to guide, rather than restrict, its disparate sales force.

Specifically, in this session, you will get an inside look at how Tupperware Brands introduced social media as a means to streamline internal communications and unify the company’s online presence. Leave with the four key steps you will need to know to successfully integrate social media into your internal communications, including:

1. Understanding the existing online presence and perceptions
2. Developing a policy that balances individual freedoms but maintains some control
3. Introducing corporate channels to communicate about new products, initiatives and guidelines
4. Monitoring online communication to ensure adherence to the policies

Elinor Steele, Vice-President, Global Communications & Public Relations
TUPPERWARE BRANDS CORPORATION

10:50 a.m.

What’s Your Real Story? Using A Culture Assessment Process And Story-Based Communications Tools To Engage Your Employees And Build Value For Your Organization

This innovative case study will show how a NASA research center “found its voice,” engaged its technical staff in a more accessible way of talking about the organization, and learned how to tell its real story—all through a cohesive, culture-based process called “Storybranding.”

The NASA Langley Research Center has always done wide-ranging, ground-breaking work in science, exploration and aeronautics—and didn’t have a cohesive, understandable way to talk about what its disparate parts added up to or why its mission was so important. Through Storybranding, the Center was able to define and tell a cohesive story about its far-flung work, and learn how to engage others in the most meaningful and motivating aspects of its mission. This in-depth session will share the process, which integrates internal quantitative and qualitative culture assessment to define an internal storyline with the training, resources and the materials employees need to convey it. You will also learn about the Organizational & Team Culture Indicator, the foundational Storybranding assessment tool that “types” an organization based on the storylines that best define its values, strengths and operating style.

Specifically, you’ll learn about a process to:

• Help your organization understand the storylines that shape its purpose, personality and behavior
• Involve your entire organization in the development of an authentic, inspiring and compelling storyline or brand
• Identify and leverage the cultural strengths most likely to create internal and external communications success
• Increase the resonance and effectiveness of all communications programs

Lelia Vann, Science Director
NASA LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER

Cindy Atlee, Partner
THE STORYBRANDING GROUP

11:35 p.m.

Enabling Employees To Effectively Converse And Collaborate In The Digital Age— And Reap The Benefits For Your Organization

There’s a digital conversation going on right now. All over the globe, individuals are sharing information, expertise, making decisions, building relationships, and more, without even leaving their seats. Sentiment and knowledge are being created around topics that could have a direct impact on your business. Are you out there? Are you part of the conversation? Are your employees? Are your competitors’ employees?!

In today’s digital world, the employee and the relationships and conversations that employee has in the digital space, is defining the brand. Because of this, we need to ensure that our employees have the tools they need to reach out so that they can effectively participate in it: from conversing about topics they are experts in, to relationship building, to globally collaborating on projects with other employees, partners, clients, peers, and the general public. The more digitally active your employees are both inside and outside your company, the more current, credible and responsive your company will be viewed.

Using examples from IBM, you will learn lessons on how to:

• Enable employees to build and share their expertise inside and outside the company
• Generate, aggregate and promote social conversations of interest to your company
• Create a globally collaborative employee culture both internally and externally

Kevin Winterfield, Social Systems and Digital Influence
IBM

12:20 p.m.
Lunch On Your Own— But Not Alone!

Join a group of your colleagues for lunch with an informal discussion facilitated by one of our expert speakers. Take this opportunity to join others in a small, interactive group setting to network and brainstorm solutions to your most pressing internal communications concerns.

1:50 p.m.

Group Exercise: Brainstorm Solutions And New Ideas You Can Use

You asked for it, you got it! Interact and discuss solutions to your internal communications challenges with your fellow attendees and our experienced speakers. You will leave with new tools and hands-on experience and ideas for more successfully applying best practices to your own internal communications and engagement initiatives.

2:20 p.m.

How To Build An Internal Communications Program That Even Naysayers Can Believe In And Participate In— In Just Four Steps And On A Limited Budget

Eurovision, the operating arm of the European Broadcasting Union, is the world leader for distributing content– primarily news and sport video and programs – to the world’s top broadcast and media platforms. Its customers include some of the largest and most demanding media organizations in the world, and its staff are comprised primarily of journalists and engineers -- neither of which is known for its deep-seeded love of marketing!

In terms of internal communications, the company faces a tremendous challenge: convincing naysayers that having a brand position, a business strategy and a communications program is anything but a waste of money! Also, it is important to get them to participate, or, at a minimum, not sabotage the effort.

In this session, you will learn how this organization developed a communications strategy based on market perception and market input, and then how it went about convincing staff to not only go along but to embrace the key messages.

You will leave this session with answers to the following important questions, and lessons on how to apply them to your organization, such as:

• How do you find out what your customers really think? How do you find out what your customers really want?
• How can you take that information and turn it into key messages for your business? For your staff?
• How do you get staff to understand why this is important?
• How can you do all of this without spending millions of dollars?

These results and benefits are genuine tools you can take back to your organization and start using right away. You will walk away with a four-step program for moving from auditing your competitive environment to launching an internal communications program that even naysayers will accept (okay, maybe a bit grudgingly).

Peter Vickers, Head of Marketing, Eurovision Operations Department
EUROPEAN BROADCASTING UNION

Amy Selwyn, Strategy Expert
AMY SELWYN

3:05 p.m.

Afternoon Refreshment & Networking Break

3:20 p.m.

How To Communicate And Implement Your Organization’s New Business Strategy: Turning Employees Into Brand Champions Using The Latest Communication Channels

On any given day, more than half the world’s population sees news from the Associated Press (AP). Founded in 1846, the AP is the world’s oldest and largest newsgathering organization with about 3,700 employees located in more than 300 countries. From its roots as a membership cooperative news agency providing content and services to its member and subscriber news organizations, AP today continues the be viewed as an essential provider of accurate, fast and independent news around the clock.

In recent years, however, the AP has evolved from a traditional news cooperative to a multi-platform provider of a full range of news content for both businesses and consumers. This shift in business strategy needed to be communicated, understood and implemented throughout the organization before it could be communicated externally. In order to internalize the strategy, AP developed a new master-brand program that would be used to engage staff in delivering the strategy through behaviors, procedures and organizational actions. In this session, you will learn how the AP engaged its staff as champions of the brand and drivers of the business strategy.

Specifically, you will get an inside look into best practices and successful tools for:

• Creating a program to engage staff in the brand and business strategy
• Ensuring your staff to see the relevance in their work
• What communications plans and tools are used to educate and involve staff
• How program findings were implemented within the organization
• Using technology and digital platforms to further engage internal stakeholders

Christine Tash, Director of Branding and Design
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Bill Schroeder, Principal
SCHROEDER GROUP

4:05 p.m.

Using Social Media Tools And Other Channels To Communicate More Effectively With Your Employees - - In Just Three Easy Steps

Government agencies are often saddled with bureaucracy, protocols and lots of memos; yet, how much communication is really going on? The Minority Business Development Agency at the U.S Department of Commerce, one of the smallest agencies within the federal government, has found communication amongst their entire agency, less than 100 employees, challenging.

1. Start with a communications audit and ask questions
2. Determine who will lead internal communications efforts within your organization
3. Develop a variety of channels to communicate more effectively

Lahne Mattas-Curry, Public Affairs Specialist
MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY,
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

4:50 p.m.
Chairperson's Recap: Key Takeaways And What To Do When You Get Back To The Office

We'll recap the highlights of the past two days and ask you to share key insights and next steps with the group.

Chris Gay, Principal
BRIDGE CONSULTING