New Communications Director? Tips for how to thrive.
Written by KATIE TEST DAVIS
So you just landed a job as a communications director. Welcome to the big leagues, my friend!
Whether you earned an internal promotion or you’re new to the organization, as someone who has stood in your shoes multiple times over the years, I’ve got a few tips to help you make the most out of your new role.
LISTEN AND SEEK TO UNDERSTAND
Here’s your centering thought: “Smart people came before me, and things are the way they are for a reason.” As you onboard, your first job in your new role is to listen well and ask great questions. Seek to understand – not necessarily the minute details, those can come later – but attempt to find your place in the big picture.
If you go in with a mindset of “things are the way they are for a reason,” you discover that your mission is to figure out what that reason is. You may discover that things have been tried and failed, or that your idea has already been tested. You may find that the area is overlooked and there’s an opportunity there. Regardless, the first step is seeking to understand. Do this by:
Asking your new colleagues and peers to coffee. Divide your time between the personal getting to know you plus seeking to understand what came before you. Try to determine how your internal partners in other departments view the role of communications at the organization so you know where you’re starting.
Reading old files and documents. Spend the time reading foundational documents, such as previous annual reports, communications plans and news clips. Build up your historical knowledge base. I even enjoy just browsing around shared drives, clicking on what looks interesting. You can learn a ton that way!
If possible, chat with the person who held the role previously. Ask for their advice on what you should prioritize and where leaderships’ focus will likely be (and figure out where the potential traps are)! Also ask what they wish they knew when they were just starting the role.
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SET YOUR GOALS
If your organization is the one in a million that onboards you with 30/60/90 day goals, you’re in good hands. If you are like the rest of us who have been thrust into the deep blue and asked to swim, setting your own 30/60/90 goals should be your first step. Those goals should include outputs, but also things like knowledge building and creating relationships. Some sample goals we’ve used in the past are:
Doing a deep dive into Mailchimp and getting to know our newsletter statistics with the goal to own the process in 60 days.
Create internal and external crisis response protocol and rubric (hey, we have resources for that!)
Complete an audit of the organization’s social media presence and present recommendations.
MAKE A PLAN
You’ll need an overall communications plan (typically either created or refreshed annually) that is directly aligned to the organization’s overall goals. Think advocacy goals, fundraising, thought leadership and more. Include choosing the right target audiences to make your vision a reality, clarity on your organization’s messaging (and if anything needs to be revisited or updated), a list of priority tactics and how you’ll measure success in your plan.
Onboarding is an exciting time where you’re balancing doing with learning. Continue asking great questions, building those relationships with your internal stakeholders, and giving and getting actionable feedback.
It’s worth taking the time to plan out your onboarding experience to make sure you know what success looks like, and how it’s measured.
You’ll be great, I just know it!
