Halloween is approaching, and for communications leaders, the things that go bump in the night aren’t ghosts or goblins. No, what more often fills them with dread are headlines that spiral out of control, AI-written narratives that sound just a little too synthetic, and executive teams that want impact yesterday.
Over the past two months, PublicRelay has hosted roundtable discussions with senior communications leaders across industries. The conversations revealed that while comms professionals may sleep with one eye open, they’re also sharper, more strategic, and more indispensable than ever.
Here’s what’s keeping them up at night.
1. The Nightmare of Reputation Risk
“Reputation protection is the new risk management,” one participant shared. Nearly every conversation returned to this theme and the sense that reputation is no longer an abstract concept but a quantifiable business asset.
For many leaders, the line between crisis and credibility is razor-thin. The news cycle moves at a breakneck pace, and so does misinformation. Whether it’s a data breach, a leadership change, or a public policy issue, the first few hours matter most, with the communications function most often standing as the first line of defense.
Reputation may never sleep. Neither, it seems, do the teams protecting it.
2. The AI Apparition: Trust in the Age of Machines
If there was a clear chill in the air during these discussions, it came from one word: AI.
While many leaders acknowledged its efficiency, several worried about what one called “computers talking to computers”, a process that risks eroding human trust. Others discussed how their organizations are exploring Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) (optimizing for AI-generated summaries and responses) but admitted it’s a landscape currently defined by panic and uncertainty.
One communicator summed it up perfectly: “We’re trying to figure out how to differentiate our human insights from what AI can do. That’s our edge.”
The consensus? AI isn’t replacing the communicator, but it’s forcing a redefinition of what credible, human-centered communication looks like.
3. The Shapeshifting Media Landscape
The days when traditional media was the only game in town are long gone. Yet, many executives still crave that front-page Wall Street Journal coverage. Communications leaders have been juggling a three-headed monster: earned, owned, and paid media, trying desperately to make them play nicely together.
Podcasts and video content have emerged as rising stars, offering direct access to niche audiences. But as one leader shared, “Our first podcast sounded like we were talking to ourselves. We had to learn how to make it a conversation.”
Another leader described a cyber incident where the comms team took control of the narrative by first publishing a transparent internal memo, then a technical blog, and finally an external statement. The approach turned a potential crisis into a case study in responsible crisis mitigation.
The moral of the story is that those who control their own channels hold the flashlight in the dark, cobweb-filled hallways of ‘media’.
4. The Friction Between Functions
For many, the most unsettling shift is internal. Comms teams are increasingly merging with marketing, HR, and even legal. That’s created both collaboration and confusion.
Some noted a trend of Chief Communications Officers reporting into HR. This is a move that sparked anxiety about the perceived value of communications within the organization. “It depends on the CEO,” one leader said. “But no matter where you sit, you have to prove your impact.”
Measurement, once a “nice-to-have,” has become the silver bullet. Teams are tracking not just sentiment and awareness, but how their work drives trust, engagement, and retention, because these are metrics executives can actually take to the boardroom.
5. The Emotional Toll of Leading Through Uncertainty
Communicators are the steady hands in times of chaos, but they’re human, too.
In crisis moments, leaders described relying on “mindfulness” as their anchor. “It starts with a deep breath,” one said. “How we respond impacts how everyone else responds.”
Others spoke of balancing empathy with authority and being vulnerable enough to say ‘I don’t know,’ while confident enough to guide others through ambiguity.
One leader shared a team motto that’s apt for the profession: “Swim like a duck: calm on the surface, paddling furiously below.”
The Final Fright (and Hope): Community
For all the anxieties, there was a shared sense of relief in hearing “you’re not alone.”
Communications leaders today are navigating more volatility than ever, but they’re also finding strength in collaboration with peers, with data, and with their own sense of purpose.
So, what’s keeping communications leaders up at night?
The same thing that keeps them motivated each morning: the knowledge that their words, choices, and instincts shape the reputation of the organizations they serve.
Join one of PublicRelay’s upcoming events to find your own community moment.
