An executive coach’s top 10 tips for communicators to thrive in 2025
This is your moment.
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Mary Olson-Menzel is the founder and CEO of MVP Executive Development and co-founder of Spark Insight Coaching.
The best communications leaders are being asked to do more for their businesses and industries. The world continues to change at a rapid pace and it’s up to you to help build the brand and craft the messages from your employer in an authentic and meaningful way.
Here are the top ways you can ensure you’re staying ahead of the curve and truly thriving in 2025:
- Plan for the unexpected: If the past five years have taught us anything, it’s to plan for the future with contingency plans for the unexpected. As we are doing our strategic planning, make sure there is a plan B and even a plan C.
- Be clear on deliverables and impact: Clarity around roles and responsibilities, healthy boundaries and understanding the impact that your department can provide is essential. Because most communicators are hard working and mission driven, there’s a tendency for more work to get dumped on your team because executives know they can trust you to get it done. Make sure you are clear on what you can do, along with the priorities of the business.
- Focus on what you can control: Rather than taking on too much responsibility, keep your focus and your priorities clear so that you can focus on what’s needed. Make sure you are also creating healthy boundaries for your team too. You want to make sure that they are energized by their work and putting out the best results possible.
- Stay close to the mission: In the midst of chaos, it’s easy to get distracted by whatever might be in front of you. Remember, your company’s mission, vision and values. This means also making sure your priorities are in alignment with the strategic plan of the organization.
- Be the calmest person in the room: Inevitably, communications leaders will find themselves in situations where there will be a lot of emotions flying around. It’s your job to remain calm and take it all in. This way you can help not only calm others, but create alignment and clarity around messaging. By practicing what I call “quiet confidence,” you will continue to build your reputation as a trusted advisor to the C-suite.
- Be respectful, curious and open: It’s important to be able to meet your employees where they are without judgment. The best way to do that is to lean in to the people with diverse backgrounds, opinions and thoughts with respect and curiosity. This way you can be open to their thoughts and ideas and what drives them. Doing this creates an environment of inclusion and learning that encourages people to collaborate and drive success in a more thoughtful and healthy way.
- Lean in to a deeper understanding of your people to find the best way to motivate and inspire them: This builds on # 6, a true “humane leader” listens to their teams and understands that not everyone is motivated by the same things. Understanding the personal needs and the business strengths of each team member is very important, there is not a one size fits all approach to leading. Therefore, knowing what drives and inspires each person on your team will help you get the best out of them,
- Put your own oxygen mask on first: Self care is key. As executives, we are all asked to do so much. It can take a toll on our mental and physical health if we are not careful. Make sure that those healthy boundaries apply to you as well! If you are not in the right mindset or not feeling well, you are not good for yourself or for others. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so please make sure you take time for yourself, meditation, exercise and time with your family and friends.
- Give yourself the space and the grace to figure it out: It’s OK if you don’t have all of the answers. Remember, no one has it all figured out! Admit what you don’t know and surround yourself with people who are able to help you and to amplify your strengths with their own.
- Practice empathetic and humane leadership: Embrace and lean into your natural gifts and surround yourself with people who complement your skillset. Make sure you give yourself and your team the time and the space to think, learn and grow in their roles. Even if you don’t have a budget for professional development, create a mentorship program. Learn from others in your organization. Expand your sphere of influence and your value to the organization with collaboration and cross functional meetings. Understanding what drives other parts of the organization will create more space for learning and big picture thinking.
Remember, you’ve made it through so much in the past few years and 2025 looks like it will be another interesting year of challenges and growth. Embrace these tips to prepare for all the challenges ahead and try to enjoy the ride!