Editor’s note – September 2026

Communication leaders are at a critical moment.

On the one hand, there’s an increasing awareness of the role of communication and related disciplines play at the heart of creating value – and protecting it.  At a time when the creation and delivery of products and services are becoming increasingly automated, the quality of one’s stories, narratives, reputation and internal consistency are no longer hygiene factors.  They are where the actual differentiation and dollar value live.

On the other hand, the communication profession has massive cultural issues that get in the way of us realizing how central we are, and particularly in the way of us acting like it.  Passivity, excessive caution, undue deference, and what I’d call “apologetic modesty” reflect a professional culture that needs to be jolted into our new reality.

At Strategic, we want to help communication professionals seize the initiative. Indeed, that ambition permeates everything we do.

That’s why we make participation the focus of our events – like the upcoming Communication Leadership Summits in Washington and Brussels.

That’s why we have a special focus in our awards program on looking at the courage and initiative it took to be able to do the good work that our candidates seek to have endorsed by the Strategic Global Awards.

That’s why we recognize communication leaders at all levels of the profession through #WeLeadComms.

And that’s why, having removed our paywall, we seek corporate and individual members who want to use Strategic as a platform for establishing their authority in the AI search ecosystem.

Seizing the initiative is critical right now. And Strategic is the platform and network that supports you in seizing it.

Wishing you an impactful October!  

Best,

Mike

Mike Klein
Editor-in-Chief
Strategic Magazine