The IABC Gold Quills - recognising our top professionals
What does it mean to be a successful communicator? After you've delivered a great piece of work, do you keep a record of it? How can you evaluate your progress in a career that encompasses such a diverse range of disciplines? How do you test your skills and prove your value at the same time?
The answer to all these questions might be the annual IABC Gold Quill awards.
For over 40 years, these awards have been won by outstanding professionals who demonstrate superior abilities to deliver a valued outcome for their stakeholders, and eloquently describe how they did it.
The awards closely follow the IABC Standards of Excellence, requiring entrants to present a high level of competency, knowledge or skill, as well as adhering to codes of conduct and ethical standards. They are reviewed by at least two seasoned evaluators, many of whom have decades of experience in the profession, and have won Gold Quill awards in the past.
Gold Quills 2021
This year, ten evaluators joined the NSW panel of evaluators, which was held virtually on 6th March. It was the first of eleven panels to take place across 8 countries, to evaluate a remarkable 482 entries from around the world.
Our Gold Quill evaluators
The evaluators complete lengthy training, and are typically unable to see entries from their own country, to avoid any potential conflicts of interest. However, they all use an identical rubric - a well-known teaching aid that provides guidance about the benchmarks within each category, to enable consistency of scoring.
After such a challenging 12 months, it was no surprise to see the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on daily lives visibly impacting the entries. The special category for COVID-19 communications was a popular choice, and there was impressive creativity to handle the disruption on display. There were entries trying to rebuild brand reputations, create new product categories, deliver higher revenues, or protect businesses from cyber attacks or competitive threats. There were entries focused on fostering community spirit or supporting colleagues' mental health during lockdowns.
Every single one was fascinating. Regardless of its quality, each entry told a unique story about a team of communicators, working together to make an impact.
The benefits
While there can only ever be a small number of entries that surpass every test and each benchmark we set, it is still an inspiring and immensely rewarding process for evaluators. Indeed, two of our first-time evaluators specifically asked to be invited back next year.
They described how valuable the process had been in helping them think about their own work and compare it to best practices from around the globe.
"It reminded me of the importance of demonstrating how your work truly benefits the client. This wasn't about self-aggrandisement. It wasn't their pet project. It made a real impact on people's lives."
"This is a great way to record your best work for posterity. The structure of the work plan is rigorous and succinct. I will use this in my daily work."
And the award entrants? The results are announced in a couple of months, when entrants find out if they've won a Gold Quill Award of Merit or Award of Excellence. For a select few, the 'Best of the Best' is their prize. Each entrant receives detailed feedback from both evaluators within the multiple areas of assessment, which are graded in alignment with the rubric.
For now, it's time to thank our evaluators for the considerable time and effort they gave to volunteer for the Gold Quill 2021 awards. And for those who entered, we wish you good luck and hope to see your names as award winners, reinforcing your place as valued partners, strategic thinkers, and all-round top communications professionals.
Our thanks to our evaluators and dedicated IABC members:
Rosalie Batistoni
Kirsty Simmonds
Sabrina Muysken
Sandi Shrimski
Romany Rzechowicz
Christine Dvoracek
Meryl David
Joanne Alexander
Kieran McCann
Learn more about the opportunities Gold Quill offers here.