Can you hear us now?: PES working to improve communication [leader's corner]

The Power & Energy Society (PES) Governing Board worked jointly with a consultant in 2012 to perform a communications audit to explore how engineers communicated between PES and members, PES staff and volunteer leaders, and PES volunteer leaders with other volunteer leaders. The consultant did many focus groups and interviews, with more than 100 PES members, volunteer leaders, and staff getting involved in the review. It made recommendations on the top areas for improving communications in the draft final report released to the PES Executive Committee in October 2012. The PES Governing Board reviewed these recommendations and started implementing changes and developing materials and programs to address these concerns. The PES aimed at developing a Web-based support toolbox that provided links and orientations to IEEE and PES resources in an effort to help its volunteer leaders in their activities such as conference calls, marketing of events, and communications.