The IABC Handbook of Organizational Communication: A Guide to Internal Communication, Public Relations, Marketing, and Leadership

A Communicator's Portfolio of Skills

Which skills should a corporate communicator bring to her or his role? We are aware of the need for the critical ability to strategically analyze an organization and recognize areas in which more effective communication is needed. But the communicator's tool kit must contain many other skills.

A corporate communicator must have basic communication skills—that is, be able to write and speak well. Yet too many senior-level communicators may be effective on a strategic level yet freeze when making a speech or attempting to write a well-crafted sentence. Because communicators never know which aspect of communication they may need to address, a repertoire of basic skills is essential:

• Writing and editing. The ...