The latest European Communication Monitor sets a new standard for what communication leadership means inside organisations

Values, talent and coaching are top of the CCO agenda

The European Communication Monitor (ECM) 2025/26 reads more like a strategy manual than a research report. It’s grounded in what’s actually happening inside Europe’s biggest companies.

The big takeaway? High-performance communication functions are leadership and management disciplines. And the teams getting it right aren’t waiting for permission.

Why this research matters

This is one of the most rigorous academic studies in our field, led by researchers from six European universities and coordinated by EUPRERA, the European Public Relations Education and Research Association.

This year, the team interviewed 30 Chief Communication Officers (CCOs) from Europe’s top 300 companies, including Allianz, Bayer, L’Oréal, Generali, Inditex, Heineken, and WPP.

The interviews are deep, structured and qualitative with the practitioners defining how communication shapes leadership, strategy and culture in the largest organisations.

The result is a longitudinal, evidence-based insight into how the communicator's role is evolving at the highest level.

Disclosure: Professor Ralph Tench, one of the lead authors of the ECM, is one of my PhD supervisors.

1. Values as strategy

Values are core to strategy, culture and stakeholder trust.

The best communicators aren’t pushing brand narratives. They’re building credibility by embedding values into operational decisions across procurement and policy, leadership, and tone of voice.

It’s not just about what you say, but how you behave, especially under pressure. Values serve as a social contract between business and society, and younger generations, especially Gen Z, are calling that contract into question.

Communication teams are being asked to mediate value pluralism across markets, channels and generations. That requires clarity, contextual awareness and a rejection of performative communication.

2. Talent is the new battleground

The real war for talent is inside your own function.

The research shows that top CCOs are hiring for strategic capability, emotional intelligence and cross-functional influence. They want “A-communicators” who can navigate uncertainty and shape business outcomes.

But that’s not enough. The smart ones are also building cultures that retain and develop talent, particularly across generations.

Millennials and Gen Z bring expectations around impact, flexibility, and visibility. They’re less loyal but more mission-driven. It’s a challenge to lead differently.

The best communication leaders are creating tailored development tracks, ambassador roles, and project-based learning opportunities that make their function attractive to talent.

3. Coaching is a strategic role

The ECM data shows that leading CCOs coach not only their teams but also their CEOs and peers. They create reflective spaces, challenge assumptions, and foster leadership.

This is the professional advisory role of practice. Coaching improves organisational awareness, develops future leaders, and strengthens resilience.

In an environment shaped by ambiguity, culture wars and intergenerational friction, coaching is the glue that holds diverse teams together. And communicators are best placed to deliver it to management.

Stop waiting to be asked

The most revealing quote in the whole report?

“Different age groups in the team create better results. And for me, that‘s part of the diversity and inclusion commitment that the company needs to do in combining it.”

This is a communication leader thinking like a business leader. Talent, inclusion, and purpose are our job.

If you want a seat at the table, act like you belong there. Start with values, invest in talent, and coach with intent. I highly recommend that you download and read the report.

Further reading

This essay was originally posted on my Substack. The Wadds Inc. newsletter is read by more than 5,000 communications and public relations practitioners. We take a slower, critical perspective on the research, evidence and developments shaping the field.