Welcome to the Catalyst Member Spotlight series. Catalyst prioritizes sharing members’ stories to showcase the breadth of the IABC community, connect communicators across the globe and elevate personal stories to inspire fellow members. If you’d like to nominate yourself or a standout colleague to be featured in a spotlight, email the Catalyst editors at catalyst@iabc.com for more information.

Meet IABC member Danielle Phillips, based in the United Kingdom and Ireland chapter. With more than 15 years of experience in the field, Danielle is the founder and principal consultant at Inside Out Communications Consulting. Here, she discusses the importance of collaborative work and how she maintains her confidence in her seat at the executive table. Get to know Danielle below, and connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.

What is the most exciting aspect of your role as a communicator?

It’s being able to help people understand why they come to work every day. It’s joining the dots for them so they understand why projects are important or why initiatives need to be launched. I love that being a communicator can help people find their purpose. That’s so rewarding.

Tell us about a situation or project that made you feel valued as a communicator.

In a previous organization, I led a major project to help staff understand the importance of health and safety in the workplace.

We created a really impactful campaign using current employees from across the globe to share their stories, which had a huge emotional impact on the team. It was so incredibly powerful and really brought home the importance of being safe.

This was the catalyst for a major shift in attitudes toward safety, resulting in a much more aware and engaged workforce and wider community. It was fantastic and made me feel like I was really delivering value. My team also won awards for the work, including a Cannes Film Festival award that we were pretty proud of!

Think back on a time when you, as a communicator, collaborated with another department to bring a project to life. What made this process successful?

My work with clients is almost always based on collaborating with different departments and team members. Collaborative working is the best way to achieve results that will stick. After all, I’m an expert in communication but the client is an expert in their business, so we have to work together to achieve the best outcomes.

The simple trick to make this successful is to really listen to each other. I always try to get to the heart of the problem (I like asking why!) and get to know people on a personal level so you can create a trusted environment for sharing.

What is the best career advice you’ve ever received? Who gave it?

I think one of the most important lessons I received was from an HR director early in my career as a communications manager. She saw me taking a coffee order at an executive meeting and pulled me to one side. She told me that I had earned a seat at the table because people wanted and needed to hear what I had to say, not because of my coffee-making skills.

I was clearly suffering from imposter syndrome, and this was a reminder that I was invited into that room for my insights and expertise, and I ought to use it. This story still helps me today when I have confidence wobbles!

Tell us about a favorite resource that helps you stay connected and informed in the industry.

There are so many great resources out there, including from IABC. I’m currently reading the new book, “The IABC Guide for Practical Business Communication,” which is well worth a look. I really enjoy the work by Gabrielle Dolan, such as “Stories for Work” and “Magnetic Stories.” Being reminded of the power of stories and storytelling in communications is so valuable, and her brilliant books and newsletter keep me sharp with this important skill.

Interested in joining the IABC community to collaborate with professionals like Danielle? Become a member of our global network today.

---