By Laurie Hurley MacKenzie, Founder, LHM Partners

Having led communications functions at high-growth companies and advised clients through periods of change, I’ve seen just how important the basics can be.

As senior communications veterans, we have all experienced what happens when content creation, review, and approval processes lack structure, often leading to issues with version control, confusion, and ultimately delays. What often separates an effective communications team from one that improvises are clear, well-defined protocols that are widely understood.

When it is unclear who should provide input, there too many people involved, or the team is getting conflicting or vague feedback, the process can get derailed. This focus on the “how” vs the “what” not only slows things down but can also lead to frustration across the team, leaving the message as an afterthought. Even with great content and sound strategy, poor execution leaves a lasting impression. Fortunately, this is avoidable.

It is easy to focus on big priorities like implementing AI tools or launching a brand refresh. But without a documented, shared understanding of how work flows, teams risk undermining their own efforts. Clear processes for content development and approvals are not just nice to have; they are essential. They bring order, reduce friction, and help everyone deliver their best work. Putting these protocols in place, or improving what already exists, can be one of the simplest and most impactful steps a team can take can be an easy win. Instead, this has become an area of growing opportunity.

This is where fractional comms leaders come in to help establish processes. This is especially needed when the volume of communications increases, for example companies that are growing rapidly or undergoing leadership and other changes. A once intuitive and organic process can become increasingly complex quickly.

While it may seem basic, implementing a strong communications protocol can become a cornerstone for an effective communications team. Each organization’s approach will be slightly different, yet a few basic steps can increase agility, speed, and success.

Here are some insights that I’ve found useful, but I would love to hear about other ideas and experiences:

    • Continue to assess the current processes in place and identify what works and what doesn’t for a particular organization. There is always room for improvement.
    • A classic way to make these protocols more impactful is to apply traditional decision rights theory – known as RACI, where R=responsible, A=accountable, C=consulted, and I=informed. Best practices like this one help define roles in creating content, reviewing for accuracy and compliance, and providing final approval.
    • When using collaborative review tools, set “rules” to prevent reviewers from using the platform to have conversations and provide vague comments.
    • Get leadership buy-in at the start by creating a simple briefing document for communications that includes the objective linked to a business strategy, the key messages to convey, the content experts on the topic, who needs to review and when, and who has final approval.
    • Work to ensure everyone involved is aware of and trained on the protocols and keep them updated on any changes. Also, remember to educate new team members when they join.