Drawing the Line: What Communications Is — And Isn’t

Note: Recently featured in Catalyst, the flagship publication of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), this article argues that communications teams should clearly define and defend their strategic role. As a board member of the IABC DC Metro chapter, I’m proud to share the latest ideas and best practices driving excellence in communications.

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Drawing the Line: What Communications Is — And Isn’t
By Tanya Pikula

Most communications professionals know the feeling: you’re looped in late, after the decisions are made, the strategy is set, and now it’s time for a press release, a slide deck, and a social plan. We’ve long advocated for earlier involvement, and rightly so. Our work shapes how something is understood and received, which means we need a seat at the table from the start.

But just as importantly, we need to be clear about what communications doesn’t own.

We are responsible for the corporate voice and channels. And while we can support more individual or program-specific content, we do so as strategic partners, not as owners. When those boundaries blur, roles get distorted, expectations drift, and the work suffers on all sides.

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