It’s Time to Think AND Do

by Krista Haley, Senior Vice President

by Krista Haley, Senior Vice President

The great recession thinned the ranks of most corporate communications departments. Those professionals remaining have to wear many hats.

The communications executive who just wants to participate in strategic communications planning and delegate the implementation of those plans to someone else will soon find him or herself out of a job, replaced by someone who has the same strategic thinking ability but who also wants to hustle, will do whatever it takes to get the job done, and can get down in the tactical trenches.

Even though the recession is largely behind us, gone are the days of the strategy-only or management-only role in the communications department, and they are unlikely to return. And with the rapid pace of change in today’s communications arena, understanding the tactical implementation end of the spectrum is vital. A senior communications professional cannot rely on staff to understand how to utilize the latest channels to the company’s best advantage.

Nowadays, senior-level positions often come with few, and sometimes no, direct reports. Staff management—especially development and mentoring of junior staff—is still a highly desirable skill. It just can’t come at the expense of getting one’s hands dirty.