What is outstanding business communication research?

About a year ago, I posted Kitty, ABC, and beautiful locations when I learned that the Association for Business Communication (ABC) chose me as the winner of the Kitty O. Locker Outstanding Researcher Award. I’ve just returned from New Orleans where I attended the ABC’s annual convention and had the privilege of addressing the convention audience in a plenary address titled “What is outstanding business communication research?”

My basic message — after thanking some terrific colleagues and a little self-indulgent reflection on my prior research — was that I don’t think anybody’s research is outstanding unless it has an impact in the REAL world. That means practice. Or teaching. Both rely heavily on platitudes rather than providing advice grounded in business communication research.

So, while I’m honored to receive the Outstanding Researcher Award because it signals I’ve had an impact among other researchers, I still have work to do . . . Here is a recording of my remarks for those of you who might be interested!