Times of crisis have elevated the role of the chief communications officer (CCO)

The role of the CCO has become that of the chief counselor to the CEO as to what should be said, to whom, and how the narrative must remain consistent and value accretive over time. This counsel is more important than ever. The string of social, political, economic, and environmental disruptions of recent times has made it even more critical that CEOs address issues, act in line with their corporate purpose, tell the right story, and engage all their stakeholders. The consequences of getting this wrong can be dramatic. The benefits of getting it right will be rewarding.

The demands on the communication function have increased; the power has grown, but appropriate resourcing might become challenging as cost pressure builds. CCOs must meet the demand by prioritizing the things that matter most in the mid-term to their company. That prioritization must be tailored to their particular situation and the scenarios they are planning for what lies ahead. At the same time, CCOs must prove the business impact and value added by their work, and also make the case for maintaining if not increasing budgets for their team.

For more details, see Organizing Your Corporate Communications Team to Harness Your Newfound Power and Roundtable Report: Priority Issues for Corporate Communications Professionals