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personality
Flying high
Whether in a biplane or in her career, this Texas communicator soars
In this issue, we hear from Robin
McCasland, director of Buck
Consultants in Dallas, Texas.
What historical figure do you
most identify with and why?
Amelia Earhart. She went after
something she wanted, and
did it with gusto. She broke
through a number of stereotypes at the time, but I don’t
think that’s why she became
a pilot. She did it for the love
of flying and the adventure of
exploring new destinations. I
used to have a fear of flying,
but several years ago I took
a ride in a biplane (yep, it’s
open-air) to help me get over
the fear. Flying in a biplane is
not like flying in a commercial
airliner. It will set you free! I
understand why Earhart loved
what she did.
Which word or phrase do you
think is overused right now?
I’d like to choose one word, but
like, I don’t know, like, it’s so
hard to, like, just choose one
word…
How would you explain your
profession to a child?
I tell people important things
they need to know about
the place they work, or the
things their bosses give them
www.iabc.com/cw
in exchange for working there.
Sometimes I tell them things
that will make them behave
differently or start something
new.
What did you have to learn
the hard way?
True self-esteem comes from
within ourselves, not from
external validation. (Although
most of us like the external
validation, don’t we?)
What do you sing or hum
when you’re alone?
“The Chipmunk Song.” And I
sing it in that high-pitched
voice, like Alvin the chipmunk.
What talent would you
most like to have?
To be able to fly and avoid the
Dallas road traffic. And OK, it
would also be cool to see what’s
in everyone else’s backyard.
If you could choose another
profession, what would it be?
Is there a book that changed
your perspective on life?
No. But years ago, Rod Hart,
then a new communication
professor at the University of
Texas at Austin, wrote some
comments on one of my term
papers. In essence, he told me
I had quite a career ahead of
me as a writer. Five years after
college, I remembered what he
wrote, which propelled me to
make some important changes
early in my career. From that
day on, my career moved forward in so many wonderful
ways. I had the chance to see
Hart again recently and thank
him. He’s now the dean of the
communication college at UT.
That’s good karma at work!
What’s the best reward
for a job well done?
Money! Seriously, it’s a great
feeling to see positive action
taken as a result of communication I was involved in creating.
I’d like to operate a no-kill
animal shelter on a big, beautiful Texas ranch, for all the
orphaned dogs I could take in.
What is your personal motto?
What movie character would
you like to portray and why?
what’s your personality?
Any female who ever had a
romantic role opposite Robert
Redford. I had a big crush
on him when I was a kid.
Or anyone who has a romantic role opposite Matthew
McConaughey today. Love
that Texas boy!
Robin McCasland: “True
self-esteem comes from within
ourselves, not from external
validation.”
If you’re not having fun, you
shouldn’t be doing it! ●
Complete our questionnaire at
www.iabc.com/cw/personality,
and you could be featured in a
future issue of CW.
Communication World • July–August 2009
47