Why Communications Belongs at the Leadership Table — Not the Marketing Desk
In many nonprofit organizations, communications sits downstream from leadership decisions.
Strategy is set. Priorities are determined. Budgets are approved. And only then does the communications team step in to “share the message.”
By that point, something is often missing. Direction is unclear. Context is fragmented. Timing is off.
The result isn’t just weaker messaging. It’s organizational consequences.
This isn’t a reflection of leadership capability. Executive leaders are more than capable of considering stakeholders and intent. But communications professionals are uniquely trained to anticipate how messages will be received, interpreted, and acted on across audiences and over time.
When communications strategy is treated as an afterthought, leadership clarity erodes.
Every decision an executive team makes — what to prioritize, what to delay, what to fund, what to measure — is ultimately interpreted through communication. When communications is structurally separated from leadership conversations, those decisions lose coherence as they move through the organization.
What Happens When Communications Isn’t at the Table
When communications leadership is excluded from strategic discussions, patterns begin to emerge:
Strategy gets diluted as it’s translated
Staff receive mixed signals about priorities
Boards and funders sense misalignment, even if they can’t name it
Communications teams are asked to “tell better stories” instead of being given clearer direction
These issues rarely appear on a balance sheet, but they create drag — slowing decision-making, increasing internal friction, and eroding trust over time.
Too often, communications teams are expected to compensate for ambiguity they didn’t create.
Communications as Leadership Infrastructure
When communications leaders are present at the leadership table, they contribute more than messaging expertise. They help surface questions executives may not realize remain unanswered:
What’s the throughline between this decision and our mission?
Who needs to understand this, and what do they need to understand?
What story will this decision tell — whether we intend it or not?
These are not marketing questions. They are leadership questions.
This isn’t about giving the communications team more “power.” It’s about recognizing communications as leadership infrastructure…a function that helps translate strategy into shared understanding.
Structural Alignment Reduces Friction
Nonprofit leaders today are under enormous pressure to do more with less. In that environment, it’s tempting to look for new tools, platforms, or tactics to improve communication.
But one of the most effective ways to reduce friction isn’t another tool. It’s structural alignment.
When communications is integrated into leadership decision-making, organizations don’t just sound clearer; they lead more clearly.
Communications doesn’t belong at the end of the process. It belongs at the table where priorities are set.
Reflection for Leaders
Where does communications sit in your organization, and what does that placement say about how leadership decisions get translated?