Inner Strength Communication and SummersDirect Conference & Events have come together to present this event for internal communications professionals from across Canada.
Video courtesy of arc + crown media.
Inner Strength Communication uses its expertise in Internal Communication, Change Management and Branding to enable, engage and empower employees and internal stakeholders to deliver business results from the inside out.
With a lofty vision…that organizations and leaders see strategic internal communication as integral to business success. That’s why they are committed to helping communication and business professionals to step up their game; bring strategic communication solutions to the boardroom; and earn their seat at the table.
SummersDirect Conference & Events is a conference planning company that sets itself apart from the rest with a focus on customer service and value. With over a dozen years of providing quality conference programming to communications professionals across Canada.
SummersDirect events deliver:
Courtyard by Marriott Toronto Downtown
475 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M4Y 1X7
Conference rate of $249. For reservations please call 1.800.847.5075 or 1-416-924-0611 or click here for Room Reservations. Please identify yourself as being with the 2nd Annual Strategic internal Communications Conference (CKVC) group when making or amending the reservation. Prices are guaranteed until Friday, Thursday, October 24, 2019 within our room block. Please note the room block may sell-out so book soon.
Thank you to our generous sponsors:
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Silver Sponsor |
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Coffee Break Sponsor |
Communication Management Professional (CMP) and Strategic Communication Management Professional (SCMP) Certification exams will be available to write on Sunday, November 24, 2019.
Registration is free and you don’t need to attend the conference (but it’s a good option to add on…)
More about Global Communication Certification by IABC + to apply to write the exam.
** Applications to write the exam must be submitted at least 30 days in advance of the exam date. **
8:00 – 8:30 a.m. REGISTRATION AND CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
8:30 – 8:45 a.m. WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR
Priya Bates, ABC, MC, CMP, IABC Fellow, President, Inner Strength Communication Inc.
8:45 – 9:45 a.m. KEYNOTE: Integrating Ethics: Walking the Walk Makes it Easy to Talk the Talk
Reid Blackman, Ph.D. Founder and CEO of Virtue, an ethics consultancy
Compliance is about ensuring the dog doesn’t jump on the couch when you’re not looking. It’s ultimately about controlling behavior. Ethics, on the other hand, essentially involves mutual respect and understanding. It’s ultimately about treating people well so they can live up to their potential. In this keynote we explore a three step process for creating and communicating the ethical standards of an organization. We’ll talk about, with reference to a particular case study:
Once these 3 goals are met, communicating the ethical constitution of your organization to your staff and other stakeholders will come naturally.
9:45 – 10:00 a.m. NETWORKING REFRESHMENT BREAK + TRADESHOW
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. How HR & Internal Comms Work Together To Drive Strategy And Culture
Jason Anthoine, Managing Founder, Audacity
Erika Migliaccio, Managing Founder, Upstream HR Strategie
Over the years, HR has only been transactional—not relational. How do we get over the transactional-focus hump to instead focus on building a real relationship with our workforce?
This is a symptom of a larger issue. HR as a function has been in “transformation” mode for 20+ years, unable to break through this cycle of always delivering the critical task at hand, and unable to provide the strategy leaders need to support larger business goals.
During this lively session, you’ll learn the best steps to transform through an HR and IC partnership. You’ll learn the tools to build your own table instead of waiting to get invited to that “other” one:
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Engaging McDonald’s Canada internal audiences in a brand transformation
Fara Alimohamed, Senior Manager, Internal Communications, McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited
David Ford, Senior Manager, Leadership Communications, McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited
Kelly Rockliff, Director of Cool, Whirl Inc
The McDonald’s Canada business has never been stronger. From burgers to java, to the introduction of kiosks and McDelivery, our brand continues to stay relevant to Canadians and connect with them in many meaningful ways. Similarly, the brand has also evolved to meet the needs of its diverse internal audiences made up of 100,000 people from coast to coast, including Franchisees, Restaurant Managers, Corporate Staff and Crew.
Join Fara Alimohamed, Senior Manager of Internal Communications at McDonald’s Canada, as she explores real and tangible ways to engage internal audiences to be ambassadors for a brand.
This session will share real-life examples, strategies and learnings from successful initiatives and varied award-winning programs that demonstrates how McDonald’s Canada “Thinks Forward” to engage its diverse audiences.
You’ll learn how McDonald’s:
In addition, you’ll learn more about the company’s focus on digital communications and how it’s become integral to connecting with employees meaningfully, when and where they engage most: online. Fara will share examples from the launch of ourlounge, an online platform customized for Crew, with content designed to inform, engage and inspire.
12:00 – 12:45 p.m. NETWORKING LUNCHEON + TRADESHOW
12:45 – 1:45 p.m. Live the Values: The Grassroots Effort to Lead the Discussion on Mental Health at Capital One
Vincent Kam, Program & Technology Process Management and 1 in 5 Committee on Mental Health Co-Lead
Elysse Buchalter, Brand & Partner Management and 1 in 5 Committee on Mental Health Co-Lead
Capital One
Many organizations approach difficult topics such as mental health and mental illness with trepidation. In person sessions hosted by a professional instructor, computer based training, or email blasts are standard ways that organizations engage their employees with middling success. How do we dive deeper and have more meaningful conversations on these topics? How do we empower motivated individuals who have lived through these issues in silence to speak up, and conversely, how do we discourage or impede their efforts?
This is the story of how a group of passionate volunteers is leading the discussion on mental health and mental illness to strengthen the culture and live the values at Capital One. We will discuss our cultural ecosystem, the journey, and the successes and failures in opening and continuing the dialogue on this important, but fraught, topic.
1:45 – 2:45 p.m. Transform your front-line operations by improving your intranet
Blaine Kyllo, Senior Srategist, Content Strategy Inc.
How improving the intranet for a regional utility company has reduced call times for front-line staff and will save of hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.
Customer service representatives (CSRs) can make or break the experience for customers, which can have a direct impact on the success of a business. Improving the intranet that supports those front-line workers helps them to operate faster, more accurately, and with more confidence. It can also impact the bottom line.
In this case study, learn how a regional government utility company transformed an aging, cluttered information repository into a sleek, modern knowledge center, and how shaving seconds from phone calls will save the business hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.
2:45 – 3:00 p.m. REFRESHMENT BREAK + TRADESHOW
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. KEYNOTE: From Order-Taker to Oracle
Sonia Fiorenza, VP, Comms & Engagement Strategies, SocialChorus
Internal communications is in transition. With new technology, changes in the workplace, and higher expectations from employees, communicators are more than just content creators. They’re taking on the role of strategists and trusted advisors to leadership, because employee communications is at the core of all business initiatives. All this change means communications professionals must embrace an inevitable communications transformation, or risk becoming order-takers.
In this session, you’ll learn:
4:00 – 5:30 p.m. COCKTAIL RECEPTION + TRADESHOW
5:30 p.m. CONFERENCE CONCLUDES FOR THE DAY
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Registration and continental breakfast
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. KEYNOTE: Why Storytelling Matters
Mike Leon, Managing Director, Brand Heroes Inc.
Brands are built on the stories we create, participate in and tell. These stories can have proven impact on employee retention, change management, learning and development and everything in between. This interactive session will explore the latest tips and trends in storytelling.
10:00 – 10:15 a.m. NETWORKING REFRESHMENT BREAK
10:15 – 11:15 a.m. Transforming Internal Communications for a Changing Audience
Audrey Holt, APR, Senior Communications Advisor, City of Mississaug
Keisha McIntosh-Siung, Senior Communications Advisor, City of Mississauga
The City of Mississauga understands that employee communication needs are changing and is finding new ways to better connect with and engage staff in the ways that work for them. Through an extensive employee communications audit, research into internal tools and an open mind, we are introducing tools and technology to support employee needs. We will share our success as we are transforming internal communications at the City of Mississauga.
Key takeaways:
1. Learn how to communicate with employees in the ways they want
2. Learn about different employee audiences and how to write targeted communications for each.
3. Be inspired to continuously improve and adapt to new tools to reach your audience
11:15 – 12:15 p.m. Cultivating A Transformation-Ready Workplace Culture
Sheri Morgan, ABC, Director of Communications, PepsiCo Foods Canada
In early 2015, PepsiCo Foods Canada (PFC) had reached a milestone in its 40 years of operations. The Canadian consumer, customer and industry landscapes were changing fast and the company’s Executive Committee laid out a new 2020 strategic plan to address the growth opportunities ahead. Against the backdrop of this new plan and significant transformation agenda, and a newly-appointed President, PFC Communications seized the opportunity to lead an organizational culture change which was critical for the company’s long-term success. The result was a multi-year communications strategy which both engaged employees and transformed the culture to embrace transformation and growth.
In this session, full of practical examples and lessons learned, you’ll hear about how:
12:15 – 1:15 p.m. NETWORKING LUNCHEON
1:15 – 3:15 p.m. LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® – Unleashing your Leadership Superpower
Darcy Roberts, ACC, Career Transition Coach, Certified Facilitator of Lego Serious Play
This will be an interactive, hands-on session using a facilitated LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® approach. Come learn more about yourself and your colleagues as we explore our strengths (our leadership superpowers!) and what’s possible for ourselves and our organizations through the magic of a LEGO SERIOUS PLAY session.
By the end of our afternoon session together you will:
3:15 – 3:30 p.m. NETWORKING REFRESHMENT BREAK
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. KEYNOTE: Crushing Corporate Video Content
Cyrus Mavalwala, ABC, MC, Founding Partner, Advantis Communications
Because your employees live in a digital world, they have shorter attention spans and they’ve grown to expect quality, choice and interactivity to drive more value out of the content they choose to consume. While video storytelling has become a key part of our jobs, few communication professionals have been formally trained to do this strategically.
Research, best practices and stories from the trenches of video production will give attendees rich insights into:
4:30 p.m. CHAIR’S CLOSING REMARKS AND CONFERENCE CONCLUDES
8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Workshop A:
Become the strategic internal communication advisor organizations need and value
Priya Bates, ABC, MC, SCMP, IABC Fellow – President, Inner Strength Communication Inc.
For years, internal communication professionals have dreamed of having a seat at the executive table. They no longer want to simply take orders, but instead collaborate with leaders on strategies and decisions that impact an organization’s success. During this session, Priya Bates will show you how use the Inner Strength i5 framework – Implement, Interact, Integrate, Influence and Impact – to gain respect and earn that seat.
At the end of this session, you will:
This workshop is perfect for:
12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Workshop B: What the C-Suite Wants from Internal Comms: Reduce Noise, Demonstrate Impact
Mike Klein, Principal, Changing The Terms
This two-part workshop is designed to provide internal comms pros insight and tools to meet the needs of business leaders – to reduce the noise in the business and to demonstrate the impact of communication and other organizational initiatives in an increasingly global and competitive environment.
Part 1 looks at reducing noise: not just reducing loudness and quantities, but by making sure that communication engages the right people in the right ways. Think “internal influence”. Rethink “ambassadors, influencers, advocates and followers.”
Part 2 looks at internal comms measurement – measuring impact, measuring value, and engaging stakeholders to assign values and priorities rather than to simply make orders.
A few seats available for Wednesday Nov 27, afternoon workshop.
| Early Bird Rate | Regular Rate | |
| Post-conference Workshop Only (Nov. 27, 2019) – Afternoon Only – Limited seating available | $499.00 | $549.00 |
Substitution of delegates is permissible without prior notification. Refunds will be given for cancellations received in writing no later than 10 days prior to the conference date subject to an administration fee of $200 plus $26 for HST. After this time, you are liable for the full registration fee even if you do not attend the conference. If you register during this 10 day period, you are also liable for the full fee. SummersDirect Inc. reserves the right to change program date, meeting place or content without further notice and assumes no liability for these changes.
