By Lisa Ryan, Partner, CommsCollectiv In 30 years of recruiting, I have seen searches that transformed organizations and searches that faltered and left businesses exposed at the worst possible moment. Depending on the circumstances, even a short gap in senior communications leadership can be damaging. Securing the right long-term hire and ensuring continuity during the search is critical. Hire for the Future, Not the Past One common mistake is companies hiring for yesterday’s challenges instead [...]

By Sabrina Guttman, Founder & Principal, Sagesse Communications Let's be honest: if you're leading communications right now, you're probably juggling way too much. Expectations keep rising, budgets keep shrinking, and somehow you're supposed to manage reputation, advise leadership, engage employees, and handle whatever crisis pops up next. Agencies can help, but they're not always the right fit – retainers are expensive, account teams turn over constantly, and you often end up managing junior people who [...]

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 [...]

By Rebecca Gonzales, Strategic Advisor for Compliance and Ethics in R&D&I It’s 2025 and AI is everywhere. The technology has grown rampantly with society adopting generative AI at a rate faster than any technology we have seen in our lifetime. Uses of generative AI range from the mundane and expected like writing email and enhancing productivity, to the surprising, mental health and dating. The same is true in business. In McKinsey’s State of AI report [...]

By Aaron Radlet, Former Chief Communications Officer, Hilton and Walgreens Boots Alliance “Chief Non-communicative Officer” may sometimes describe our jobs more accurately. It’s ironic for a role which literally includes the word “Communications” that we often feel like we can’t talk with anyone about what is actually on our minds and matters most to us. The reasons why are all too familiar. We’re busy being there for everyone else, including our CEO, business partners, teams, agencies and [...]

Not every hire is a home run. Some arrive with great resumes and even better interviews, only to quietly unravel under pressure. And while most organizations are slow to act (out of hope, habit, or HR hesitation), the reality is that a bad hire doesn’t just underperform; they unsettle everything. From the first missed deadline to the final exit interview, the clock is ticking… and the cost is compounding. In communications, the wrong leader can [...]