A number of clients are looking for directors of communications.

I’ve noticed a recurring theme with several clients recently.  A number are looking for directors of communications.

It struck me today that these are all very senior, strategic posts and each client sees these positions as absolutely critical to the success of their businesses.  They are going to great lengths to get the right person – and one client is now on their third attempt.

Has communications finally grown up as a discipline?

For years, PR professionals used to talk about ‘PR must be in the board room’ – but more often than not it was handled at middle management levels and the range of activities was more about brochures and press releases.

The skills of a good comms director need to be broader now than ever before.  Able to be part of the team developing the business strategy as well as able to manage everything from crisis comms to monitoring and responding to blogs.

I find this all very heartening.  The only difficulty is that there seems to be a shortage of good people to do these jobs.