5 ways to put communication on the C-suite agenda

Frustrated by relegation to the back burner? Employ these tactics

Many of the communication professionals I know are passionate about what they do. As in any profession, there are people who ended up here and go about their work half-heartedly, simply doing whatever their boss tells them. Then there are people who really believe what they do can make a big impact on their company’s success.

I place myself in the latter category, and so do many of my friends in the business. Through the years, however, I’ve heard even the most passionate communicators sing a familiar refrain: “The CEO/president/general manager doesn’t know the untapped potential of what I do. He/she doesn’t understand communication and really doesn’t seem to care.”

I get this frustration. I’ve been there. Fortunately, many of my employers and clients have been believers in the power of strategic communication. Still, a good number of them have not been.

So, how do you get business leaders to pay attention to communication and make it a priority for the organization? Here are five things that can help.