In the evolving realm of public relations and communications, career paths can often take shape with surprising twists and unexpected turns. Roger Bolton’s journey to the pinnacle of communications leadership is a tale of resilience, adaptability and unwavering commitment, one with valuable takeaways for PR and communications practitioners as they gear up for the year ahead.

Embracing the unexpected path
Starting out his career as a budding news reporter, Roger later moved into the political sphere as a press secretary for a congressman. Over the course of 16 years, he devoted his career to politics and government in Washington, D.C. He then entered the corporate world, taking on various key in-house positions and eventually rising to the role of CEO at Page Society, a global professional association for senior strategic communication leaders. He has been a dedicated member for more than 25 years and formerly served as Chairman.

"My message to young people today is to not worry about where you're going to end up," Roger mused on the progression of his career thus far. "Do your best and add value to where you are now. It's going to be a different world in five, 10, 15, 20 years. You can't imagine what it's going to be. Just find your path as you go."

Leading through communications
As he explored uncharted territories, Roger developed valuable communications skills in each of the roles he undertook, all of which laid the foundations for his strategies in effective communications leadership.

The most important thing for communicators, he said, is to realise that their job is more than a communication piece.

"It’s not just messaging and connecting with stakeholders, although that’s a big piece of it."

Roger reiterated that as communicators, we must go beyond our core role and step up as strategic advisors to the business.

"It’s also about bringing intelligence back from those stakeholders into the enterprise. Have a clue on what you're talking about. Understand the world, the business, and be able to think strategically, so you're adding value."

He also highlighted how important speaking up is when you want to create impactful communications, even in situations where the stakeholders may not be receptive to such efforts.

"Have the EQ skills to be able to be heard and to build an alliance," Roger asserted. "Because as communicators, our jobs are not just to persuade people to think, but also to build true relationships."

Focus areas for the year ahead
Amidst pandemic disruptions, workplace changes and heightened business involvement demands, the role of Chief Communication Officers has become more crucial than before.

In his discussions with senior communicators around the world, Roger has seen how they have secured the coveted seat at the executive table, positioning themselves at the core of critical conversations. However, the challenge then lies in acquiring the necessary skills and capabilities to effectively handle the expanded responsibilities.

"[CCOs] need to do a better job of demonstrating return on investment by using data,” he asserted. “This involves showcasing more than just clicks and sentiment but also highlighting actions, illustrating that their initiatives are effectively leading change in the way people respond."

There is also the necessity for innovation. Roger urges communicators to embrace new technologies without losing sight of the fundamentals that make communications effective. By letting go of lower-level tasks and concentrating on higher-level responsibilities, communicators can free up time to concentrate on more strategic work.

"Utilise AI ethically and effectively - it can handle simpler tasks, giving you more time for strategic work. But don't rely solely on AI," he also cautioned. "Use it for the first draft, then apply strategic thinking to elevate it to the next level. So, focus on skills, resources and maximising AI's return on investment."

Striving for impact
Roger rounded off by sharing his core guiding principle for future communicators: we should not only adapt to change but also strive for indispensability in every professional pursuit.

"Be essential. What do I mean by that? Be that senior strategic advisor," he concluded. "Don't be an order taker down the hall waiting for somebody to tell you to go put out a press release or there's a crisis that can be solved. Be essential to the strategic decision-making within the enterprise."