Does anyone actually read what Bill Quirke says?

I was just reading Lee Smith's commentary on the SCM summit.  Sounds like an interesting session.

In particular I wish I had been there to hear Bill Quirke. He's always good value but Lee's commentry reminded me that although Bill is great at expressing quite complex ideas in very simple terms he is often seriously misunderstood - probably because people never buy his book and actually read it.

Lee reports Bill as warning IC people to make sure some basics are looked after.  Keep the channels and systems working he says.

What amazes me is that he needs to say it at all - but it does need saying.

Pick up a copy of Strategic Communications Management and you could be forgiven for thinking that the only respectable thing an IC person could do is attend big beardy-strokey meetings.  And whenever there's a useful discussion on the web about how to handle a practical issue a pseudo-guru always weighs in and starts ranting about 'low value' work.

It seems that many people think that looking after the basic operation of the IC function is less important than barging into top meetings.  How did they they ever think this wasn't rubbish?

If you can't deliver on basic processes, or have channels that work and an intelligence machine no one is going to take you seriously.

And one of the reasons why people get it wrong?  I think actually it's based on a fundamental misunderstanding of Bill's own work.

I've had people show me that escalator model which takes IC roles from 'Distributor', through 'crafter and drafter' up to consultant and advisor.  And they say that they want to move up to become a great advisor and not get 'bogged down crafting and drafting'.

Bill doesn't say the only goal of an internal communicator is to become a guru.  In fact he talks at lengths about managing processes, of sorting out air traffic control and thinking about the better design and presentation of information.

Far be it from me to help sell Bill's books but I wish people would actually read them when they've bought a copy.  But if you're in London in early November, Bill is speaking at an event for the CIPR...

Liam

Comments

[Marc Wright]

There is a real danger of Bill becoming the UK's TJ Larkin, but then who ever became a prophet in their own land?
If you don't know Bill then read his profile here:

http://www.simply-communicate.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=865