Aditi Mantri

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JMC 404 Corporate Communication

Dr. K. Rajaram

22 February 2024

Prerequisite skills in Corporate Communication

Effective communication is the lifeblood for any organisation to survive and thrive in the

public domain. It is essentially that management function that creates the structure for the

organization for “establishing and maintaining favourable reputations” across the variety of

stakeholders of the company, be it external or internal. (Cornelissen)

With the growing overlap and interdisciplinarities in industries, the demands in the workplace

are getting more dynamic and the workforce is getting more equipped to entertain them.

Ergo, most organisations are recruiting and training employees with “cross-functional

skills.”1 (Jethwaney)

It is easier to decode the required skill sectors if the functions required are well-defined. Riel

and Fombrun divide the organizational requirements into three cluster sectors. Primarily, the

management communications, which holds the dialogue between the authoritative,

representative figures of the organization held with outward stakeholders such as press

conferences headed by managers. The second is Marketing communication which covers the

presence, popularity, and promotion of the company in the public eye. Lastly, the flow of
1
a statement recorded on behalf of the Reliance Industries Limited.
information inside the firm is clubbed under Organizational Communication which curates

the structure of the organization and makes sure there is no vacuum to invite misinformation

and the mission remains integrated.

In her comprehensive work, Jethwaney interprets corporate communication as an umbrella

function that becomes a group target for various specialists to achieve as a whole. However, it

is possible to outline some broader aspects that cannot be overlooked if one were to mimic

the role of a corporate communication specialist.

Writing: For obvious reasons, language and its usage are crucial to the execution of smooth

corporate communication. When it comes to crisis management, brevity is required whereas

in the areas of marketing, effective storytelling would be a more urgent concern. Voracious

readers with good observational skills can detect the need of the hour and draft the content in

the intended manner. There needs to be constant revisions, editing and proofreading, so after

developing a command over the language in terms of grammar, one needs to be well-

equipped with more critical perspectives on it.

Research: No organization survives in isolation and hence constant and targeted research

about the market as well as the competitors in the market becomes a must for corporate

communication. Most decisions of the organizations are primarily based on this function. A

thorough research will define the requirements of the stakeholders involved and how their

experiences can be improved. The development of the tendency of an equipped researcher

helps in studying the state of the company better as they will go beyond the superficial

performative figures.

Adaptability and Crisis Management: An efficient communication specialist understands

the dynamism and volatility of the markets and acts on command to get ahead of the

situation. They need to have a plurality in their vision to envision the crisis scenarios and be
prepared in advance. Delivering messages on time and tracking deadlines is instrumental in

meeting the shared goals of the organization. Stakeholders need to be reassured of the

competence of the company towards their security and sensitivity is to be practised where

required in the deliverance of goods, services and messages.

Data Analytics: Although every organization has a separate base for handling purely

empirical decisions, with the growing demands of the field, every communication specialist

needs to have basic data analysis skills. These assist in providing the figures of digital

impressions, and earned media value as well as uncovering engagement traffic. Processing

data according to the needs of different sectors of an organization is also an aptitude that one

needs to possess to put forth the vision and mission. These data analysis skills are also

instrumental in understanding the most and least effective channels of communication, the

frequency, and the flow of communication in the organization and the degree of adjustment of

decentralization.

Media Relations: This is one of the most vital areas a communication specialist should be

able to handle. This includes projecting a targeted brand image, networking among the local

and global frontiers (depending on the requirements and scale), and building trust for

assistance in crisis. Dealing with media obliges the specialist to be able to “pitch stories,

respond to media inquiries, prepare media kits, organize press conferences, and monitor

media coverage.” This is one of the most sought methods to understand the perception of the

brand image and the most reliable medium to rectify it.

Technological Competence: To meet the needs of the hour, one needs to have the

willingness and the capacity to emulate new roles. In the digital age, adaptability has become

purely survival. Almost all means of transactions, whether economic or social are becoming

intangible, and one cannot function in its absence. Moreover, these intangible methods are the
ones producing the time difference in affirmative action and hence affect one of the primal

resources.

Observational Skills and Emotional Quotient: Different businesses thrive due to the

variety of strategies they put on. And a lot of businesses thrive by adapting to the geopolitical

requirements of the area. A communication specialist needs to be aware of the smallest of

changes in terms of tension internally or upcoming demands externally. To execute the CSR

activities and strategize well with other sectors in the organization, they need to be

empathetic to the needs of the stakeholders. Relationships are a key component of a smooth

functioning firm and one needs to be calm in the face of contingency to deal with emotions of

disappointment and anger.

Presentation and Conduct: A communication specialist needs to be well-versed in non-

verbal languages and expressions as well. These entail the significance of all bodily gestures,

respectful conduct, and decorum in the association as well as outside. Formal systems are

required to keep in check that employees feel secure under the law of the land, and that

something is binding on any unprofessional behaviour.

Along with this, a communication specialist needs to be charming in their approach and

agreeable in their ideology to attract as much traction as required. Presentability goes a long

way in decoding this traction.

“What Are the Top PR Skills for Effective Corporate Communication?” www.linkedin.com,

29 Nov. 2023, www.linkedin.com/advice/3/what-top-pr-skills-effective-corporate-

jwhyc.

Cornelissen, Joep P. Corporate Communication: A Guide to Theory and Practice, 4th ed.,

SAGE Publications Ltd, 2014.

Jethwaney, Jaishri. Corporate Communication: Concepts and Practice, 3rd ed., Routledge

Publications, 2024.

Kaushik, Apeksha. “5 Top Skills for Corporate Communications Specialist.” TimesJobs.com,

5 Sept. 2014, content.timesjobs.com/5-top-skills-for-corporate-communications-

specialist/articleshow/57923493.cms. Accessed 21 Feb. 2024.

Riel, Cees van & Fombrun, Charles J. Essentials of Corporate Communication:

Implementing Practices for Effective Reputation Management, Routledge, 2004.

Wolfson, Adhikary, Ryan, et al. “13 Must-Have Skills You Need to Succeed in the

Communications Industry.” Forbes, 28 June 2019,

www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2019/06/28/13-must-have-skills-

you-need-to-succeed-in-the-communications-industry/?sh=735ade29cdb3.