Future-proofing your communications career

With increased importance placed on communications comes the increased expectation to be even more relevant amidst the evolving landscape. A communicator must embody multiple personas to ensure their continued success in the field.

 

What does one write about when addressing an expert community of communications professionals on communications, I wondered to myself when this magazine very kindly invited me to contribute an article. I eventually found the answer to my question – communications professionals would probably be interested in their internal client’s perspective. Having worked with in-house communications professionals at various levels throughout my career, I have become a big fan of the work they do and the value they create, and the respect “bank account” keeps growing. I have seen how they have helped built businesses and managed reputational issues, and how their advice and counsel are sought after by their colleagues.

After reflecting on own my own experience partnering with communications professionals, it became clear to me that the ones who are most successful and who proved themselves invaluable to businesses demonstrate most, if not all, of these five personas: the Collaborator, the Marketer, the Numerati, the Producer and the Thought Leader. In my view, the best communicators are actually business leaders who also happen to be great at communications.

As the communications landscape continues to evolve, from print to digital and now social media, I have also seen how these professionals continue to remain at the top of their game. I hope that identifying these personas can help provide another perspective on how communications professionals can future-proof themselves.