It takes guts to change the name of an organization that's older than most of its members. Yet that's exactly what the Council of Communication Management did. At the annual Conference, President Becky Healy announced the new name: the Communication Leadership Exchange -- or The Exchange, for short.
 Courage was the big theme that emerged from Conference this year for me. Keynote speaker Cindy Solomon outlined four types of courage and challenged us to apply them personally and as business leaders. Our tour of Zappos' customer service department revealed the goofy bravado that made the start-up an online darling and a juicy take-over target for Amazon. Watching the aerialists in Cirque de Soleil's O illustrated physical daring. Courage in its many forms is exciting.
Many Fortune 500 corporations list courage among their core values -- and they ask their leaders to model what it looks like in action. In my view, the courage required to effect positive change is the most keenly needed in organizations of any size. Where do you find the courage to make change? Share your story of personal or organizational valor with me -- if you dare -- and we'll feature it in our blog, with your permission, of course.
Best,
Jill
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Highlights from The Exchange
It's said that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas -- unless you're talking about a group of business communicators sharing best practices and good times. The fabulous Four Seasons was a delightfully eucalyptus-scented oasis of calm in restless Las Vegas and the site of The Exchange's annual conference. Here are some highlights from this gathering of the "best minds in the business":
Conference kicked off with a field trip to Henderson, Nevada, to tour Zappos' customer service center. Many staid professionals wondered how the company stayed on the right side of the local fire marshal with the abundance of crepe-paper festooning cubicles and memorabilia cluttering hallways. We did enjoy the free ice pops in the cafeteria and had fun posing in Zappos' regalia. Read more about our take on Zappos' culture.
The next day during lunch, the Best Practices session gave participants time to interact with leading professionals who shared case studies and useful tips. Carol Feinberg and Jill Vitiello represented VTLO, Change Communication Experts, with information on the 7 Steps to Communicating Change. Congratulations to Rebecca Weintraub, winner of VTLO's raffle of a Flip camera, now a collector's item. Later that day, lively breakout sessions provided in-depth case studies from Alpha Natural Resources, Juniper Networks and Kaiser Permanente. Attendees assembled at the end of the afternoon to pack caregiver kits with basic first-aid provisions, courtesy of McKesson, bound for World Vision volunteers in Africa.
Conference wrapped up with Cindy Solomon's informative and thought-provoking keynote speech "Creating a Culture of Courage: The New Leadership Challenge." Cindy's research is based on more than 5,000 interviews. She spoke about the four kinds of courage: blind, crisis, role and core -- and how each can be applied appropriately. For a glimpse of Cindy's style, watch this brief video.
The VTLO Website - A Refreshing Change
 The team at Vitiello Communications Group (VTLO) took the plunge and recently revamped our website, www.vtlo.com, to make it more current, more relevant, more fun, and more...VTLO-ish. The new site focuses on our expertise in change communication, and uses water analogies to explain what we do. The idea came about when a client told us, "VTLO is a lifesaver!"
Whether you are treading water, drowning in work, trying to deal with the waves of changes or just want someone to dive in and get started on a project, VTLO can help. The new site provides things you can really use – case studies, tip sheets, free resources and more! It also highlights some of our problem-solving solutions:
Our website reflects who we are, how we help, and what to expect when you partner with us. So go ahead, test the waters! We’d love to have your feedback.
Recent Events
 Adubato Advises Gen Y Journalism Students
On May 12, the New Jersey chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (NJ/IABC) held its spring networking gala and Iris Awards ceremony. Keynote speaker was Steve Adubato, Ph.D., broadcaster, author and Star Ledger columnist. Jill caught up with Steve and asked him how he would advise students entering college as journalism majors. Steve said that in spite of the rise of citizen journalism, there is still a need to train professional journalists, however, he recommended studying all forms of media rather than specializing in one.
 Garden State Go Red Breaks Record
On May 16, the ninth annual Garden State Go Red for Women Luncheon achieved the highest attendance the event had ever recorded with more than 450 participants. Jill Vitiello served on the Committee that broke this record and Vitiello Communications Group was well-represented at the Luncheon. Keynote speaker Joy Bauer, nutrition expert on NBC's Today show, shared practical heart-healthy eating and exercise tips.
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