The Human Element: Key Takeaways from the 2025 IABC World Conference
IABC Queensland recently hosted a webinar to recap the 2025 IABC World Conference in Vancouver. Panellists David, Anne, Zora, Mel, and Barbara—all experienced communicators and members of the Australian IABC community—shared their insights, key takeaways, and personal experiences from the event. The discussion revealed a central theme: despite the rise of technology, the human element remains at the heart of effective communication.
Technology and the Human Connection
A major point of discussion was the juxtaposition between advancements in technology, like AI and data analytics, and the enduring importance of human skills. While the conference featured a spotlight session on data, there was an equally strong focus on the "human element" of communications. Some of the key takeaways from our panellists included:
Technology changes, but people don't: Mel noted that no matter what tools communicators use, they must still connect with their audience as human beings.
Data needs courage: Anne highlighted a keynote speech by Neil Hoyne, who argued that data alone doesn't drive decisions; leaders need courage to act on it. This requires communicators to convince leaders to have that courage.
Responsible AI: At the conference, the co-founder of Microsoft AI, Sean Alexander, spoke about the guiding principles for responsible AI and reminded the audience that "if you're not paying for a product, you are the product".
The Communicator as a Strategic Leader
The panellists stressed that communication professionals must step up from being mere enablers to becoming strategic leaders. This means being a trusted advisor and "the immune system for trust" within an organisation.
Executive Presence: A session on executive presence with Theomary Karamanis and Brad Whitworth reminded attendees about the importance of their impact as professionals and coaches to leaders. Tools were shared to help communicators reflect on how they "show up" and coach leaders to be better communicators.
Building Resilience: Zora, an IABC fellow, shared a powerful metaphor from a presenter named Charlotte Otter: “Investing in your reputation proactively is like taking vitamins instead of aspirin". This approach is about building resilience over time.
The Value of In-Person Connections
A significant theme was the power of in-person networking and the unique opportunities a global conference provides, with our panellists meeting and reconnecting with communicators from around the world.
Beyond the conference room: The conference design included longer breaks and dedicated sessions for round table discussions and speed mentoring to facilitate connections. There were also many social events organised by different regional chapters to connect with people outside of the formal sessions.
Finding Common Ground: Anne shared her personal experience of connecting with people from diverse backgrounds, including an orthodox Jew from LA and a self-described Trump supporter from Florida. She noted that these experiences are a powerful reminder that "we can always find something to discuss and agree on," even with those who are different from us.
Cross-Cultural Communication: The importance of understanding different cultural contexts was a key takeaway. One speaker advised to "forget everything you know about corporate comms" when working with First Nations communities.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 IABC World Conference highlighted that while technology is an essential part of the communications toolkit, the core of the profession remains human connection, strategic leadership, and the ability to navigate a complex, polarised world. It reinforced the value of continuous learning and community, whether in person or online. The panellists encouraged members to stay connected and engage with the IABC community, both locally and globally.
Note: This article was created with the help of Google Gemini.
