I just got off a Zoom call with someone in our industry who has a wonderfully-thriving community of internal communicators. We talked about who we're targeting, what kinds of ideas we've got for next year, what we're charging, and more.

At this point you might be thinking, "that's weird, Kristin. Isn't that group considered competition for ICology?"

What competition?

ICology does not have competition because no one is doing what ICology is doing in the way that I am doing it. AND - no one is doing what she's doing in her community in the way that she's doing it.

Our industry doesn't need to be competitive with itself. We do a disservice every time we are focused on what our perceived competition is doing that is taking business away from us. It is a mindset of lack and it is helping no one.

Community over competition.

We live this phrase every day. No one is doing what we're doing, and we're not doing what other people are doing. There is room for an infinite number of communities, associations, events, and people doing really cool things in our industry.

There is room for all of us.

I was at an event last week in Phoenix that was put on by Firstup. The conference was called Attune, and I was there as a partner and a sponsor. At one point during the event, they held a breakfast for all of the partners who work with Firstup. Many people in that room were objectively competitors, and yet we were all able to have a healthy discussion about what our goals are, where the industry is headed, and what the technology looks like for our customers and in my case, our members.

Let’s stop judging and start helping. Find your people and lift them up.

Community over competition, always.

~ Kristin