When “Communication Issues” Aren’t Actually Our Problem

When someone comes to you and says, “We have a communication problem.” And then they describe how teams aren’t talking to each other, or there’s confusion about priorities, or the culture feels disconnected… is that really a corporate communications problem?

No, it’s not! That’s an organizational design problem, or a leadership problem, or a culture problem wearing a communications costume. And we need to get better at making that distinction clear.

Our role in corporate affairs is about strategic narrative, reputation management, stakeholder engagement. We’re not therapists fixing dysfunctional team dynamics, although sometimes it feels that way. We’re not translators because leaders can’t articulate their vision. Those are real problems, absolutely, but they’re not our problems to solve.

What we can do is hold up a mirror and say: “The issue you’re describing isn’t about messaging or channels. It’s about something deeper in how your organization operates.” And then we can point them to the right resources – whether that’s HR, organizational development, leadership coaching, whatever it might be.

The clearer we are about what corporate affairs actually does – and doesn’t do – the more valuable we become. Because when we try to be everything to everyone, we end up being nothing particularly well to anyone.

How do you handle these situations? How do you redirect without seeming unhelpful? Because maintaining these boundaries is crucial to preserving our strategic value.