Comms pros have also gained a seat at the table in strategic decision making, and that the major obstacle to effective leadership communications is no longer access, according to the 2021 Communications Benchmark Report.

Tony Silber, Editorial Director, Ragan CommunicationsWhat a difference a year makes. Traditionally, communicators have struggled with ready access to the C-suite and in obtaining a seat at the table for strategic decision making. Communicators also dislike last-minute requests as a standard operating method, and they don’t like to be perceived by executive management as order takers.Here’s the good news: That dynamic changed dramatically since the beginning of 2020. Last year, a majority of communicators—33%—said the biggest obstacle to effective leadership communication was access to executives. This year, that number declined to 27%, according to the Communications Leadership Council’s 2021 Benchmark Report.That might be one of the most significant findings in the 2021 Communications Benchmark Report. Couple that with the finding that 26% of more than 700 respondents saying they gained a seat at the table in strategic decision making, and nearly 21% saying the pandemic led to better access to the C-suite, and there’s certainly a silver lining to a truly difficult 2020.Continue reading here...