ComNet15: Many HCC "Hot Topics" in Practice

For nearly 40 years, Hershey Cause has “evangelized” the use of strategic communications by the social sector, starting in the c-suite and spreading across an organization’s activities. Earlier this month I attended the ComNet15 Conference in San Diego, and was inspired to see that several tenets HCC has been on the forefront of promoting over the years are becoming widely accepted “best practice” for nonprofits, foundations and others in the social impact space.

The Communications Network is a membership association for communications professionals in the social sector. It’s a community of people who are dedicated to using innovative and effective communication programs to advance causes, improve lives and deliver social change — and that is never more apparent than at the Network’s annual conference.

Communications starts at the top.

ComNet15’s CEO Roundtable was an opportunity to hear from some of the top leaders in public and private philanthropy and how they take strategic communications seriously. Here are just a few notable quotes from the discussion (full transcript available here):

“When I think about what my role is at the foundation, it’s communication.”

-Judy Belk, California Wellness Foundation

“Our field can be technocratic…there’s another part of you that is a poet and an artist and a storyteller, and what I really want to urge you to do is be that.”

-Grant Oliphant, The Heinz Endowments

“…you can have all the best information and data, who cares? Who uses it? How does it get in the hands of places where people will do something and take an action that is different than they would have taken if they hadn’t?”

-Dr. Sandra Hernandez, California HealthCare Foundation

“…communications is no sport for the short winded…you need to stick with issues if you’re really trying to make social change…”

-Matt James, Next Generation

“When I think about communications and trying to achieve influence from the standpoint of what we can contribute to the conversation, I think, ‘How do you bring all of that together in a strategic and playful way, in a synergistic way, so you really, really grow the network?’”

-Patrick McCarthy, The Annie E. Casey Foundation

HCC has always advanced the message that strategic communications starts at the top, encouraging CEOs and executive directors to incorporate communications into every aspect of operations. It was energizing to hear this philosophy accepted and practiced across these leading organizations.

Messages matter. They can heal or hurt.

“You can’t be risk averse if you’re serious about making a difference,” said keynote speaker and esteemed civil rights activist Clarence B. Jones (who also happens to be the former personal counsel, advisor, draft speech writer and close friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.). Foundations have long heard – and many have heeded – the call to be bold in their grantmaking, which is nothing new when it comes to advice about using private wealth for the public good. But what struck me about Dr. Jones’ remarks was how poignant they were when delivered through the lens of a conversation about social justice, and against the backdrop of racial tensions making headlines today. It was a clear and humbling reminder that context matters when delivering a message, and the messenger matters. I’ve never felt a room swell with such support for a call to action before. Thanks to Dr. Jones, I expect we’ll be seeing a whole lot more organizations taking risks to advance their causes in the coming year.

Communications isn’t just for “communicators.”

I remember the very first Communications Network Conference I attended five years ago, where one of the breakout sessions felt more like a therapy session. Savvy, strategic communicators shared that they pined for a seat at the table and wished for better collaboration with programs staff. This year, I saw solutions in action. Marc Moorghen, communications director at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, not only brought his communications team to the conference, but a member of the programs staff, too. That kind of move underscores that everyone in an organization is a communicator, and that inviting colleagues in other departments to join our table sets the tone for partnership, learning and better results.

Build relationships like you build a sandcastle: barefoot and fearless.

How many times have you shown up at a networking event either scared into shyness by the formality and pressure of this age-old professional ritual, or just plain old resentful because you’d rather be binge-watching Netflix in your pajamas? Neither of those issues were at play for the hundreds of people who attended the conference’s opening night reception. The playful beachside location (yes, people really did take their shoes off), KCRW playlist and spectacular sunset seemed to put everyone at ease and take the “work” out of networking. I relished the opportunity to connect with former colleagues, strike up conversations with complete strangers over the food truck fare and simply take a moment to breathe in the ocean air and feel like myself. No matter where I am for that next networking event, I know that being in the moment and embracing whatever is special about the venue or group will help me create authentic connections and make the most of the opportunity.

ComNet15 is a landmark event for those who believe in the power of communications in the social sector, and we are proud to be part of the vanguard espousing these principles every day of the year.

ComNet15: Many HCC “Hot Topics” in Practice