Nairobi, June 30 -- Many organisations still treat communications as a function that explains decisions rather than helps shape them. Teams are brought in once the strategy is set, the policy approved, or the programme designed. At that point, communications becomes a finishing service, not a strategic one.

By then, the opportunity to raise stakeholder concerns, test assumptions, or anticipate reactions has often passed. Sometimes, that ends up being costly to an organisation.

Thankfully, that is changing in many organisations globally. A recent Wall Street Journal article showed that communications is moving from a support function to a C-suite seat. Unlike previously when communications professionals were relegated to the periphery, o...