Author

Megan Neher

Bee Herd Starts Buzzing

It’s exciting to be starting the presidency of this year’s KC/IABC board of directors. I kind of feel like we’re starting a blank slate – or in today’s vocabulary: a blank white board. Not to say this board isn’t experienced because many of these folks are returning board members and talented leaders, thank goodness. But we’re still kicking the year off with lots of new ideas and innovative thinking.

It’s a little scary. In fact, I have a secret phobia. I’m terrified that someday I’ll be sitting in a meeting and someone will ask me to come to the whiteboard as the “scribe.” My nightmare is that the group will shout out difficult to spell words – like accommodate, idiosyncrasy, millennium, unanimous or Massachusetts (yes, I had to look these up),  and I will scramble to use my worst handwriting to ensure no one knows I can’t spell!

As we kick off the new board year, the power of the team of board members and the membership as a whole will be to rely on our individual strengths giving those of us “poor spellers” a chance to shine in other areas, while the champion spelling bee winners can take the lead in their area of excellence. There’s no stopping the power of a bee herd!

Now, as the new president I start the year knowing that “nothing is more beautiful than potential.” Please know I’m open to all suggestions, as is our board, so please keep ‘em coming. We all love to Be Heard!

Just in case you were wondering, here’s a list of some famous poor spellers in history. My heroes… uh, I mean, heros… whatever!

Hans Christian Andersen

Albert Einstein

Dan Rather

Gandhi

 

Elevated Journalism

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My husband and I have been grieving the loss of Tim Russert. We are almost disciples of Meet the Press, and I never miss the Today Show where he was a regular political analyst.

There are a million reasons the show resonated with me. As a former journalist, I loved seeing the integrity of journalism on this show. Even though I didn’t know him personally, I felt connected to Tim Russet because he was a personable, likeable person who was fair, tough, friendly and intelligent.

But what links us, and what I think I love the most was his unquenchable curiosity. This is something I’ve been teasingly criticized by my friends from time to time. Some say I have an intensive inquisitive nature. And, probably why I was drawn to journalism.

As a side note, I was thrilled to have the pleasure of seeing the handsome Tom Brokaw doing Meet the Press today. As my all-time favorite TV journalist and someone I’ve seen speak in person several years ago, it is always an honor to see his professionalism and incredible skills in communication leading the eulogy for Tim. Although his voice broke-up once during his remarks, he was able to lead his typically flawless and mostly spontaneous poignant memorial.

When I stop by the NBC headquarters for the IABC (International Association of Business Communicators) conference this Sunday night for the registration at 30 Rock, I will give a silent prayer to the man that inspired me to continue my curiosity in life. Thank you Tim Russert.