The rise of the Shadow Communicator: threat or partner?

by Emily Hecker:

Ever discovered someone doing your job… without telling you?

It happened to me. One moment I was leading an internal comms function. The next, I stumbled across a job posting in HR. Half of it sounded like my job. And no one had told me. Cue the confused clicking and jaw-dropping: “Wait, what is this?”

It turns out, I wasn’t alone.

According to the recently released Institute of Internal Communication’s Future of the Profession report, 63% of internal comms professionals say “shadow” communication roles are increasing. And whether you’re in IC, HR, strategy, or operations, that stat should get your attention.

What Is a Shadow Communicator?

A shadow communicator is someone doing communication work—especially internal or employee comms—outside of the formal internal comms function. Sometimes they’re embedded. Sometimes they’re ad hoc. But the defining trait? They operate in parallel, often invisible, to official channels and strategies.

Sometimes it’s well-intentioned:

“The IC team’s swamped. Let’s help them out.”

Other times, it’s more political:

“The IC team is slowing us down. We’ll do it ourselves.”

Both motives are real. I’ve experienced both sides of the coin. And in both cases, the shadow comms emerged without formal alignment—or even awareness.

Why Shadow Comms Exist: The Two Big Drivers

1. “We Want to Help You”
   These are often teams who respect IC, know you’re overloaded, and want to ease the burden. Unfortunately, without coordination, help turns into noise.
2. “You’re Not Doing What We Want”
   These are the teams who bypass IC intentionally, often frustrated by strategic delays or pushback. They want their message out—now—and they’ll go rogue to do it.

I’ve Lived Both Sides

That HR-posted role I mentioned? Turns out the hiring manager wanted a “yes person.” Someone who wouldn’t challenge, question, or (gasp) ask about objectives. The universe had other plans. The external candidate backed out. And the internal hire? Someone I already had great rapport with.

Together, we ignored the politics and built a collaborative, effective model. One that followed the IoIC’s own advice—align, coordinate, and stay strategic. Our managers? Too busy playing politics to notice. That was probably for the best.

Ironically, I’ve also been the shadow communicator. Hired into a team outside IC, my first move was to knock on IC’s door and say, “Hey. Friend, not foe.” It worked—but only because I put in the effort to build trust, define roles clearly, and stay committed to governance and consistency.

What to Do If You Are or Have a Shadow Communicator

Shadow roles aren’t inherently bad. But if you’re in one—or working with one—you’ve got to do the work:

• Start with a conversation.
  Not a turf war.
• Align on what ‘good’ (or ideally, ‘great’) looks like.
  Especially around audiences, channels, and outcomes.
• Co-create governance.
  Yes, it’s a buzzword. But it saves lives (OK, sanity).
• Stay outcome-focused.
  Strategic communication wins. Always.

TL;DR: Don’t Fear the Shadows. Manage Them.

Shadow communication roles are growing. But with the right mindset, they can be a bridge—not a bypass.

So if you spot a shadow communicator lurking near your inbox—or if you are one—take a beat. Then reach out, realign, and remember, we’re all trying to keep this corporate comms circus a little less chaotic.

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Emily Hecker is a US-based internal communication strategist, author, and certified Communication Management Professional (CMP®) with over a decade of experience transforming communication strategies.

Through her coaching and consulting work, she partners with organizations across industries—including publishing, financial services, insurance, retail, and facilities management—to foster connected, engaged, and motivated workplaces. As the author of “Me, Myself, and IC: A Guide to Building Internal Communication as a Team of One,” Emily also empowers solo communication professionals to build strong foundations for success.

She is a Strategic Columnist and a #WeLeadComms honoree.

Written by: Editor