“Communications is an undervalued, lightly regarded discipline in the theory and practice of corporate leadership” writes Walter G. Montgomery in an excellent piece in Knowledge@Wharton, How CEOs Can Adopt a 21st-century Approach to Communication.

He provides six requirements for CEOs needing to increase the strategic focus for communication as a business differentiator:

• Clearly and repeatedly send the message that communication is valued and essential – including as a requirement for career advancement.
• Be scientific about effective communication – new advances in data science and cognitive studies should form a part of effective communication design.
• View the communication environment holistically and assess it as such – it isn’t outsourced to a comms team.
• Skill build for all with a communication responsibility.
• Make the top communication job a strategic one.
•  Focus tightly on values through communication activity.

Read the full article.