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Today’s business world is characterised by increased globalisation, intense corporate activity – mergers & acquisitions and shorter value-creation cycles – and continuous change. Thanks to real-time digital media we now live in a world with 24-hour news cycles. Companies are under pressure to listen and be responsive to stakeholders around the world, including the corporate and financial press, employees, communities, governments and investors.

While the value of communications remains hard to quantify, recent crises in the financial markets, as well as numerous corporate scandals have repeatedly demonstrated the crucial role that communications can play in deciding a firm’s future. So it is not surprising that international companies are increasingly looking to take a more strategic and structured approach to the communications function. That means drawing up a well thought-out communications plan including key messages and communications platforms. For companies, the core output of the communications role is to effectively support business and create added value. The priority for most multinationals has become to instil a strong proactive approach and institutionalise best-in-class practices with a view to turning communications into a strategic asset.

To meet these demands, Communications Directors must be able to fully understand and navigate between completely different environments – dealing capably with the business world and an increasingly media- and digitally-driven public sphere – as well as mastering different cultures. The increased focus on the communications function calls for a complex and multifaceted profile; one that is perhaps best described as a “bridge-builder.” The skills and experiences described below are essential for both successful Communications Directors and media professionals aspiring to this position.

A bridge-builder between corporate and communications strategy

Today it is essential for companies to formulate a communications strategy that derives from their corporate strategy. In the best-case scenario, the Communications Director is fully integrated into board-level strategic discussions and is thus able to ensure that communications aspects are taken in consideration when corporate strategy is formulated. The supporting communications strategy will invariably cover multiple target groups and communications channels, including external and internal communications, community relations, product communications, lobbying and corporate social responsibility.

The task of the Communications Director is to ensure that the communications strategy is implemented appropriately and that any damage to the company’s reputation as a result of unforeseen events is minimised. But gone are the days of carefully controlled media contact. Today’s audiences are influenced by numerous channels, including internet blogs and online, real-time versions of major publications. The apparent ability of local events to trigger a global crisis puts a significant burden on the shoulders of the Communications Director. A robust crisis communications strategy can only work if it is proactively supported by local communications professionals who identify looming problems and act collectively as an early warning system. Top Communications Directors keep a close watch on many different strands of activity and issues, prioritise and balance their response in real-time, and effectively link various signals to defuse potential crises on a global level. The best performers are perfectly capable of dealing with ambiguity, uncertainty and complexity.

A bridge-builder between the media and top management

The majority of top executives are better at leadership than at public relations. Corporate bosses undoubtedly have an in-depth understanding of their business and excel at presenting results and strategies. Unfortunately, however, they often fall down when it comes to communications that exclude organisational and numerical models, and instead involve making a 30-second statement for the evening news. To cover for this weakness, increasingly Communications Directors must be able to quickly grasp the key dynamics and drivers of the different parts of the business, as well as the impact of external trends and events, and play an active role in the media reporting of corporate life. In short, when it comes to contact with the media, the Communications Director should be on an equal footing with the CEO. And boards do well to encourage executive management to listen to the Communications Director in matters concerning the handling of the media.

A bridge-builder across a global team

Many of today’s Communications Directors head teams of over a hundred staff from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds located across the world. To successfully manage such complexity, Communications Directors need to be able to recruit, manage and motivate high-performance, heterogeneous teams. As several studies have shown, the conflicting dynamics arising in mixed groups can be highly productive and can significantly boost performance. That said, mixed groups that bring together strong portfolios of skills and expertise do require sophisticated team-leadership skills. Key competencies include giving and seeking continuous feedback on style, behaviour and performance, as well as mentoring and coaching team members.

A corporate advocate

The ideal candidate for the post of Communications Director will generally have a background in corporate communications, journalism, PR agencies or, more rarely, a line function in industry. However, regardless of their background, they will need a solid grasp of economics and of how certain factors can affect their specific industry. Good candidates must be in a position to think strategically and not just in terms of reactive, short-term and tactical communications activities. They must have a proven ability to navigate around a complex corporate structure to make things happen. Expertise in crisis communications is also crucial for aspiring Communications Directors; indeed it may be the most important qualification for this post. Experience of handling critical situations, such as stepping in for an unavailable CEO in a crisis, endows candidates with skills that cannot be learned in any other way. Those with a background in journalism in particular tend to perform best in terms of understanding what is going on at a media level, but will have less experience in the role of the corporate advocate who takes a stand for the company’s cause. Moreover, they often lack a strategic perspective and have little or no leadership experience. In fact, our professional experience has shown that – for seasoned journalists in particular – the move to corporate communications can be a tough transition. Candidates from a corporate communications environment are frequently better suited to the new challenge.

The scope of their mission and the skills required to achieve best-in-class performance puts Communications Directors on par with the company’s most senior managers. It positions them as an essential member of the executive decision-making circle, where they provide advice on the media implications. In the best cases – which are rarely publicised – the Communications Director will not only influence how and when decisions are communicated, but may even cause a decision to be revised, if they can convince top management that it cannot be communicated to the target audience without seriously damaging the corporate reputation.

Please note: this article was first published in the international magazine Communication Director (2008) and is republished here with kind permission of the magazine.