Communicators: It's Time to Step Up and Lead
April 10, 2025
By: Scott Westcott
Communicators are first responders – and essential workers.
We’ve always been on the front lines for our organizations, sniffing out the stories that matter, turning conference-room jargon into accessible prose, and spotting potential reputational risks before they become crisis.
We know when to raise our organization’s voice and when to make a tactical retreat. And we insist that before we issue a news release, it must have one essential ingredient — news.
We are skilled at all these things and more. And now it’s especially important for communications pros to flex our muscles, make our voices heard, and take a leading role in helping our organizations navigate relentless chaos.
Many communications pros keep a low profile within their organizations.
Some of this is because many of our colleagues don’t recognize our value, nor do they understand the critical role we play in helping achieve our missions. In other instances, it’s because it’s more comfortable to work under the radar and elevate the voices of others.
But we must now be willing to play a different role. We have entered a tumultuous time in which communications, storytelling, and strategic advice are central to our organizations’ future success — and quite possibly, our survival.
Here’s a three-step playbook for meeting the moment.
If you see something say something
We have our ears to the ground and a keen awareness of the vibe among fellow employees and key stakeholders. We make a living spotting potential communications and reputational sinkholes.
The time is now to vocalize these insights and offer plans to address them swiftly and effectively. We can’t make leaders and others take our advice, but we can offer it without reservation or apology.
Push back – for everyone’s sake
Brace yourself for the next time that someone rushes up to you with a sentence that starts with “We need a… ”.
They may finish that sentence with a request for a news release, a statement, an op-ed, or a blogpost. And they may well be making a smart recommendation. But it could also be a colossal waste of time – when there is no time to waste.
Make your case clearly on what the right move is and why. Be prepared to defend your position and or offer up alternatives that will be more efficient and effective.
Advocate for innovation – and resources to support it
The ways in which people consume news and information are changing rapidly. In turn, we must be adapting and innovating at an equally rapid pace to continue to advance our missions.
But we cannot innovate by simply piling more work on our already-stressed teams. When you’re promoting new ideas or getting smart requests from elsewhere in your organization, make it clear what it’s going to cost to get it done right.
After all, you get what you pay for. And building a communications function that advances your organization and gives you a competitive edge, comes with a cost.
The back bench no longer cuts it – for you or your organization. You’re in the starting lineup. Time to step up to the plate and deliver.
