For more information about ABC accreditation, contact Dr. Michael Turney, ABC, at turney@nku.edu or 859-572-6394.
Can you say A - B - C? – Are you ready to be an ABC?
If you remember how accomplished you felt the first time you said your ABCs all the way through without any hints from your parents or a teacher, you’ll have some idea of how good it will feel to earn ABC (Accredited Business Communicator) status from IABC. You’ll once again have shown the world, and yourself, that you’re one of the smart kids and have really got your act together.
This time, however, having your act together will be more than rote recitation of the 26 letters of the alphabet. It will be demonstrating your competence as a communication professional by thoughtfully analyzing a variety of communication situations and applying appropriate concepts, tactics and tools ranging from action verbs (A) to ZIP code segmentation (Z).
Earning ABC accreditation will require submitting a portfolio of two examples of your best work, taking a four-hour written exam in which you apply your professional expertise and ethical judgment to hypothetical situations about typical communication situations, and presenting a 7 to10 minute oral response to a hypothetical, near-crisis situation.
If you’ve been a professional communicator for at least five years and feel confident in handling the challenges of the work-a-day world, you may be ready to apply for accreditation. It’s an opportunity for reflection and self-assessment, as well as a chance to see how your skills and knowledge match today’s state of the art communication practices.
If you’re successful in becoming an Accredited Business Communicator, you’ll join the roughly 700 people worldwide, including five in Greater Cincinnati, who have earned this distinction.
You’ll find additional information and the IABC accreditation application form on the Web at <www.iabc.com/abc>. You’ll also find announcements of the special incentives and prizes available to those who apply for accreditation during October, IABC’s officially designated “Accreditation Month.”
If you’re looking for local information and assistance with accreditation, IABC/Greater Cincinnati Chapter has six other members who have formed a mutual support, study group and are currently working towards accreditation. Two are just about to submit their portfolios. Three are in earlier stages of drafting their portfolios, and one just joined the group last month. You’re welcome to join them.
The local accreditation support group has typically met once a month to discuss and review one another’s portfolios, and they expect to continue this schedule as they begin studying and practicing for the written and oral exams.
For more information about ABC accreditation,
contact Dr. Michael Turney, ABC,
at turney@nku.edu or 859-572-6394.