I’m Michelle, a Finance Business Analyst and first time Comms Hero.
Not what you were expecting, am I right?
Being a complete outsider, I wanted to share my thoughts on why I am proud to get involved in the hope that it will encourage more people like me to take a leap of faith!
Like many people, I’d been following @CommsHero and @WeAreResource on Twitter and marvelled at the quirky swag, Krispy Kremes and t-shirts so exclusive, everyone in the Twittersphere wants one. Intrigued by what I saw, I was determined to find out what it was all about. Turns out that IRL, these folks are just as fun and engaging as their timelines and their perspective on what it means to be a Comms Hero is a refreshing break from the old worn path many companies still tread because ‘things have always been done this way’. Its not just an idea – it’s a brilliant community of like minded people who all love the industry and want to lead innovation and embrace new ways of thinking, communicating with not just their customers, but also their peers from within the sector.
I know many of you are probably thinking that you have to work in PR, marketing or communications to be involved. Turns out you most definitely don’t – if you have an inquisitive mind and passion for trying out new ideas, you will be welcomed with open arms. At a time where the sector is facing new, unprecedented challenges, everyone is encouraging us to embrace the chaos and use it as an opportunity to improve existing working practices or try something different. Its understandable that this may be a bit unsettling to some, but what better way to move out of your comfort zone than with a group of people who are all doing the same thing?
My first event was Dare to Fail, recently held in Cardiff. It was a great place to make new contacts, share ideas and add to the growing community but best of all, they gave me the confidence to really think about and action improvements to my organisations’ service and encourage more people to engage with the wider world via social media. Being in Finance, I thought I would have nothing to contribute but it turns out that everyone has a voice and even the smallest of suggestions could turn into something spectacular if you are talking about it with the right people.
The content of their events are brilliant too and here’s best part – even the speakers and Chair are not afraid to talk about their experiences, good or bad, and share about what they learnt from it and how they haven’t let it define them. There is something about this that is really empowering – all to often, people are criticised for making mistakes or doing something that just doesn’t work out the way you’d hoped, but here, it is celebrated for being brave enough to take that step and try, learning all the while. You don’t need to be in communications to relate to that.
So my dare to you is to take the leap and start your Comms Hero journey – trust me, this is one thing you won’t fail on.
(P.S. despite appearances, a love of unicorns is not essential!)
Michelle Butler – Alliance Homes Group