Change is easier if you know what guides you.
Mary Olson-Menzel is the founder and CEO of MVP Executive Development and co-founder of Spark Insight Coaching. She’s also a coach for Ragan’s Communications Leadership Council. Michelle Powers is a fractional chief of staff.
When the winds of organizational change begin to blow, whether it’s a rebrand, a restructuring or a merger, there’s one group of leaders often quietly steering the ship through stormy waters: communications leaders.
Comms leaders are the lantern-bearers in the fog of uncertainty. While other teams may focus on profit margins or technical integration, the communications team ensures clarity, connection and comprehension, both internally and externally. They are the wayfinders for culture, lighting the way when others aren’t even sure where the road begins. When leaders anchor communication in their personal and organizational values, trust deepens. In times of transformation, trust is everything, and communications leaders are at the forefront.
Your job is to become a guiding light that helps the entire organization see clearly. And that light is powered and sustained by the values you hold dear. Here are five core values that help comms leaders stay illuminated from within, no matter how turbulent the environment:
- Clarity
In times of change, ambiguity and confusion can create fear and anxiety. Communication leaders are uniquely equipped to cut through uncertainty with clarity. Like a lighthouse in a storm, clarity guides teams in the right direction.
In the service of clarity, you might ask yourself:
- What is the single most important message people need to hear right now to feel grounded and informed?
- Am I using plain language and framing, or am I unintentionally adding complexity that confuses the message?
- Empathy
A message may be polished, but without empathy, it won’t resonate with your target audience. Communications leaders understand that change triggers intense emotions, which may include loss, fear, hope and anxiety. By being aware of tone, timing and audience sentiment, comms leaders deftly craft messages that feel personal and human. Empathy lights up the pathway to help people exhale.
Questions you can ask to ensure you are coming from a place of empathy may include:
- How might this message land emotionally with different audiences, and have I considered their fears, hopes and questions?
- Am I creating enough space for people to feel seen, heard and acknowledged, even if they don’t agree with the message?
- Integrity
As constant change tests people’s belief in leadership and direction, integrity becomes your spotlight even in the darkest of days. Communications leaders are often the subtle conscience of the C-suite, raising hard questions about transparency and truth. Values-driven communication is more than branding: It is ethical leadership in action.
To ensure you remain rooted in your integrity, you may question:
- Am I being fully transparent, or am I withholding something that could erode trust later?
- Does this communication align with our stated values, and am I willing to push back if it doesn’t?
- Adaptability
Comms leaders must respond in real time, adjusting their channels, cadence and messaging as new developments unfold during times of profound change. Those who lead with adaptability can pivot without losing their message. They understand that the right message yesterday may not be the right one tomorrow.
To assess your capacity for adaptability, ask yourself:
- What has changed in the environment, and how should my messaging shift in response, without losing our core message?
- Am I listening and responding in real time, or relying on outdated assumptions about what people need to hear?
- Purpose
Many communications leaders are sustained by a deep belief in purpose: They hold the view toward the horizon ahead and help others keep going in the same direction.
This “north star” guides internal messaging, brand narrative and employee engagement. Purpose is what allows you to light the way for others. Communication has the opportunity to become a force multiplier when the purpose is clear and concise.
To reconnect your leadership to your purpose, we invite you to ask:
- How does this message connect to our greater purpose and long-term vision, and am I clearly signaling that connection?
- What story am I telling that helps team members feel inspired to be part of this change?
A toast to our unsung comms heroes
Communication leaders may not always get the applause, but they are the reason the path to transformation becomes clear at all. As your organization shifts, remember this: You are lighting the way through change.
And in doing so, you help everyone see the brighter future ahead.
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