The Right Road to IC Success Is Strategic

There are three roles an internal communication (IC) professional can play: strategic, advisory, and supporting. Let’s break those down.

• Strategic—IC takes center stage, setting the vision and driving direction.

• Advisory—IC guides the key players, recommending actions and approaches.

• Supporting—IC waits in the wings to be called out when their help is needed.

As the 2024 Gallagher State of the Sector report notes, IC professionals’ contributions and influence can land in any of those three roles depending on a particular topic. The sweet spot (unsurprisingly) seems to be strategic for two big reasons:  

• Employee Understanding
  Gallagher’s research found that when IC professionals are strategic, employee understanding improves. It makes sense, right? A strategic approach involves setting objectives, planning ahead, and tracking your progress along the way. Focusing on the tactics often means you’re pushing out communications to check an output box rather than thinking about achieving desired outcomes.
  
  

• IC Professional Well-being
  When investigating the well-being of IC professionals, Gallagher discovered that those who identified themselves as playing strategic roles reported higher well-being compared to their advisory and supporting peers. Embracing a more strategic approach appeared to cultivate a stronger sense of purpose, fulfillment, and control, contributing to an overall boost in well-being. These findings resonate with my personal experiences. In instances where communication leaders defined the function as merely ‘helpful’—adopting a ‘speak-when-spoken-to’ approach—I often felt a sense of deflation. This perspective relegated IC to a copy-paste-send purgatory that proved challenging to overcome.

As we navigate the ever-evolving IC landscape, it becomes clear that strategic prowess isn’t just a choice.  It's an essential compass guiding professionals towards effectiveness, understanding, and personal fulfillment. So, whether center stage, advising from the wings, or providing crucial support, let strategic thinking be the guiding light, ensuring impactful communication in every scenario.