The Spirit of 'Ubuntu'

When the author began her term as the chair of IABC one year ago, she knew that they were in a rebuilding phase, but she also knew that they were already had a firm foundation laid by their predecessors on the executive board and their dedicated staff. The report noted that IABC exercises best practices in financial management and reporting systems. They have also made advances in their efforts to provide advocacy for the profession, in building relationships with business and other professional associations and in adding to the value of their programmes and services to members. They have made a great strides by focusing on critical success measures as defined by their strategic plan: the core customer, IABC's valued membership, financial health and stability, the business— sustainable and sound systems and processes. At the beginning of her term, she told the membership that her hope was to see the association move forward in what they were in South Africa call the spirit of" ubuntu," meaning that together they can achieve more than they can individually.