News from the FIR Blog

Episode 132 of IABC’s Circle of Fellows examines what the newly released Reimagining Tomorrow 2026 report from the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management means for the profession. The report surveyed 536 communication professionals across six global regions and found a profession that has embraced AI in practice but not yet claimed AI governance in leadership: 95.9% of organizations now permit AI, yet only 8.6% have communication professionals leading the formal governance structure. One in four organizations discloses AI use to no one at all.

Joining moderator Shel Holtz are Bonnie Caver and Adrian Cropley OAM, both Global Alliance board directors and the research partners behind the survey, along with Theomary Karamanis and Mike Klein. Together, they dig into what the data means for the profession, what it will take to move from adoption to accountability, and what it takes to be a leader in the AI era.
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Circle of Fellows will depart from the discussion of communication issues, as we do once each year, to introduce IABC’s newest Fellows. Five new communicators join the Fellows community in 2026, spanning the globe from Canada (from which three of our Fellows hail) to South Africa and Australia.

To accommodate time zones, two Circle of Fellows episodes will air on June 25. Part 1, at noon EDT, will feature Brad Whitworth moderating a discussion with André Oberholzer, SCMP, FCSCE, Cyrus Mavalwala, IABC Fellow, ABC, MC, and Diana Degan, IABC Fellow, ABC, CAAP, BAAJ. Then, at 6 p.m. EDT, Shel Holtz will host a conversation with Catherine Ducharme, IABC Fellow, PCC, CLC, and Sia Papageorgiou, IABC Fellow, FRSA, FCSCE, SCMP.

Join the discussion by watching the live streams on YouTube, where you can share observations and ask questions. If you are unable to join us live, you’ll have access to a video replay on YouTube, or the audio podcasts here on the FIR Podcast Network.
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In the second of our special Circle of Fellows discussions, Brad Whitworth will moderate a panel to discuss the remaining three chapters of the book, “The 7 Cs of the New Communication Compass.” The book’s author and editor, Dianne Chase, will join Brad, along with the IABC Fellows who authored the three chapters: Zora Artis,… Continue Reading →

The next two “Circle of Fellows” episodes will offer something different from our panels of the last several years. We welcome Dianne Chase, a veteran communicator and former IABC chair, to the discussion. While Dianne is not a Fellow, she did recruit six Fellows to write all but one of the chapters for her new book, The 7Cs of the New Communication Compass. (Dianne wrote the seventh chapter.)

The book, which has five stars on Amazon, “offers both a guiding framework and a practical roadmap for mastering strategic communication in complex environments,” according to its description. “If you are a leader, manager, educator, public official, influencer, or anyone striving to make an impact, this book is an essential and thought-provoking read. It distills communication excellence to foster collaborative results and organizational effectiveness.”

The book’s Cs include Collaboration, Connection, Compassion, Cohesion, Community, Congruency, and Calibration.

For the first of these conversations, Dianne will join Shel Holtz, Ginger Homan, Jane Mitchell, and Brad Whitworth to discuss Connection (Brad’s chapter), Compassion (Dianne’s chapter), Congruency (Jane’s chapter), and Calibration (Ginger’s chapter).

Join us for this very different “Circle” at noon EDT on Thursday, April 23. Participants in the live stream can ask questions and share comments, observations, and experiences, and become part of the discussion. If you’re not able to join us, you can listen to the audio podcast later or watch the YouTube replay.
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The days when a crisis communicator could simply reach for a dusty binder and follow a pre-scripted, linear checklist are gone — and they aren’t coming back. In the “good old days,” a crisis was often a contained event with a predictable lifecycle; crisis teams could address them by checking off items on a checklist. Today, we face the era of the polycrisis, where economic instability, geopolitical friction, and a 24/7 social media cycle collide to create a torrent of simultaneous challenges. This new reality has effectively obliterated the traditional news cycle, replacing it with an always-on environment where a single viral post can tarnish a brand before leadership even knows there is a problem.

Thriving in this volatile landscape requires a move away from rigid manuals toward a more fluid, strategic approach. Rather than a step-by-step rulebook, modern practitioners need logical scaffolding — a flexible framework of principles and values that provides a foundation for action while allowing for real-time adaptability. It is about preparation, not just prescription. As the boundaries between internal and external perception continue to erode, the ability to maintain transparency and connection through these multifaceted disruptions is no longer a luxury; it is table stakes for organizational survival.

On Thursday, March 26, four Fellows of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) will present a livestream on Communicating in the Era of the Polycrisis. Please join us for this hour-long conversation and participate with your questions, observations, and experiences. If you can’t make it for the real-time panel, you’ll be able to watch the video replay or listen to the audio podcast.
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The communication profession is currently weathering a perfect storm of tectonic shifts, from the promises of AI to the messy realities of hybrid work, and we are languishing in denial if we think traditional, one-way “career advice” will save us. In the January 2026 Circle of Fellows, our panel will move beyond the clichés to examine mentoring as a pragmatic, strategic tool for institutional knowledge transfer and professional resilience.

High-impact mentoring fosters the “trusted advisor” mindset, helping practitioners navigate the minefield of ethical leadership while bridging the gap between academic theory and high-stakes business execution. Whether you’re a senior leader looking to cultivate the next generation of strategic thinkers or a rising professional seeking to future-proof your career, this episode provides actionable frameworks for building the kind of meaningful, two-way developmental relationships that drive both individual growth and organizational success.

The panel will kick off at noon EST on Thursday, January 22. Join us for the livestream and participate in the conversation with your questions, observations, and experiences. If you can’t make it for the real-time panel, you’ll be able to watch the video replay or listen to the audio podcast.
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The communication profession stands at a pivotal moment. Artificial intelligence is transforming how we create and distribute content. Trust in institutions continues to erode while employees demand authenticity and transparency. The hybrid workplace has permanently altered how we reach our audiences. And the pace of change shows no signs of slowing.

In this environment, what does it mean to be a communication professional? More specifically, what will it mean in 2026 and the years that follow?

The December Circle of Fellows panel will tackle these questions head-on, bringing together four IABC Fellows to share their perspectives on where our profession is headed and what opportunities await those prepared to seize them.

The conversation will explore several interconnected themes. We’ll examine the evolving role of the communication professional as a trusted advisor; the new capabilities and mindsets that will distinguish the communication leaders who thrive from those who struggle to keep pace; the practical challenge of coaching executives to communicate with empathy and impact;  the skills the next generation of communicators should be developing now;  and how we can maintain professional standards and ethical practice when the tools and channels keep shifting beneath our feet.

The session is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 18. You’ll be able to participate in the conversation with questions, comments, experiences, and observations. If you’re unable to join the live discussion, you can catch the video replay or listen to the audio podcast afterward.

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