Perspectives: Why the GCC’s creative evolution matters more than ever

Medill Executive Education at Northwestern University has released its Medill 2026 CCO Monitor Survey Results, “The Medill CCO Monitor: Defining the Competencies of C-Suite Success.”

Conducted between September and November 2025, the survey features responses and insights from 125 senior communications executives from across industries.

Participants shared insights into the modern chief communications officer role, including the importance of being a business leader first, a comms leader second; developing leadership, judgement, and influence; and maintaining curiosity and learning.

Key survey findings include:

• Respondents ranked strategic business thinking and financial acumen (66 per cent), executive presence and ability to counsel C-suite leaders (66 per cent), and mastery of the communications craft (53 per cent) as the three most important skills for success as a CCO.
• Business and financial acumen (24 per cent) and executive presence(24 per cent) were also selected as the top skills CCOs needed to develop on the job most after becoming a senior communications leader, followed by cross-functional leadership; influencing without authority (19 per cent).
• Respondents ranked the same three qualities as the top skills that the senior leaders on their current team need for the CCO role: business and financial acumen (76 per cent), executive presence (64 per cent), and cross-functional leadership (56 per cent).
• In response to the most important professional development experiences for future CCOs, 91 per cent of participants selected working across comms disciplines as the most critical, followed by managing teams (68 per cent) and crisis management (55 per cent).
• AI and automation (66 per cent), growth of misinformation (38 per cent), and political and social polarisation (30 per cent) topped the list of external forces CCOs expect to shape their role over the next three to five years.

Belinda Kelso has joined the team at Swimming Australia as Partnerships Manager. She was at TGI Sport for five and a half years, most recently as Head of Brand Partnerships - Sydney.

Belinda's previous comms roles includes time at the AFL and in the publishing sector. 

In public relations, writing is often described as a foundational skill. Even as the industry evolves and new tools reshape the landscape, strong writing remains one of the clearest indicators of PR talent.

After more than a decade of building and running a communications agency, I have come to see writing is far more than a technical ability – it is one of the clearest reflections of how a communicator thinks.

When reviewing a writing sample, a pitch draft, or even a client email, the evaluation goes beyond grammar or stylistic polish. What matters more is the thinking behind the words – the ability to organise ideas logically, exercise sound judgement, and present information in a way that resonates with the intended audience.

In PR, writing is thinking made visible.

Writing separates strategic communicators from the rest
Communications professionals operate in environments where complexity is the norm. Clients navigate multiple markets, regulatory landscapes, and stakeholder groups, while campaigns seek to balance brand priorities with media narratives and public sentiment. Strong writing helps communicators to cut through that complexity.

The most effective PR professionals are able to take complicated issues and distil them into clear, focused narratives. They understand what information matters most, what audiences need to know, and how to present it in a way that resonates.

Weak writing often reveals the opposite – messages become cluttered, key points are buried, and the intended narrative loses direction. In many cases, this reflects not just a language issue, but a lack of clarity in thinking.

For agencies assessing new talent, writing therefore becomes one of the most reliable indicators of strategic potential.

Writing reveals leadership before a resume does
In hiring decisions, writing samples often reveal far more than a candidate’s technical ability. They provide insight into how someone thinks, processes information, and approaches their work.

A strong writer demonstrates structured thinking. Their arguments flow logically, messages are purposeful, and there is a clear awareness of the intended audience. Effective writing also shows progression – a beginning that frames the issue, a middle that develops the argument, and an ending that brings the message together.

Writing also reveals judgement. Constructive PR writing is not about saying everything, but knowing what matters most. It requires discipline to prioritise key points and the confidence to leave out information that weakens the message.

Candidates who write well often show an instinct for narrative clarity. When that instinct is missing, the signs appear quickly: pitches become overly long, news releases lack a clear hook, and the core message weakens. These patterns often mirror how someone may perform in real client situations, where clarity and judgement are essential.

Writing in the reality of agency work
In agency environments, writing underpins almost every aspect of communications work.

From pitching story angles to journalists, drafting campaign strategies for clients, and developing messaging for corporate announcements, the ability to write clearly and persuasively shapes how ideas are received.

Some of the most critical agency moments rely on writing produced under pressure. A campaign proposal must communicate strategy convincingly. A leadership speech must capture both a company’s vision and the voice of its spokesperson. A crisis statement must be precise, measured and carefully considered.

In each case, the quality of the writing influences how stakeholders interpret the message.

Writing also plays an important role in internal alignment. Campaign briefs, strategy documents and client recommendations depend on clear articulation. When ideas are structured clearly on paper, teams can align more easily and execution becomes more focused.

Communicating vision and strategy
Strong writing is equally important when communicating strategy.

Teams and clients need clarity. When leaders articulate ideas in a structured and coherent way, it becomes easier to align people behind a shared objective.

This is particularly important in PR, where campaigns involve multiple moving parts – media relations, content development, stakeholder engagement, and reputation management. A clearly written strategy provides the framework that holds these elements together.

Leaders who communicate clearly through writing often inspire greater confidence. Their thinking is easier to follow, their recommendations are more persuasive, and their teams have a clearer sense of direction.

Why writing remains fundamental to PR
As the communications landscape continues to evolve, the core challenge of PR remains unchanged: turning complex information into narratives that audiences understand and trust.

Strong writing sits at the centre of that process, revealing how communicators analyse issues, structure ideas, and guide audiences through information.

For agencies assessing talent and developing future leaders, writing remains a clear indicator of strategic maturity. In PR, the strength of an idea ultimately depends on how clearly it can be communicated.

'Perspectives' is a Telum Media submitted article series, where diverse viewpoints spark thought-provoking conversations about the role of PR and communications in today's world. This Perspectives piece was submitted by Yan Lim, Founder and CEO of iOli Communications.

Since establishing the agency in 2015, Yan has advised multinational corporations, international organisations, and government ministries across Asia. Yan is also dedicated to mentoring young professionals and assisting micro-businesses in amplifying their stories through strategic communications.