We recognize that there are lot of people out there writing interesting things that our audience might appreciate—some of it so interesting we wish we’d produced ourselves.

ICYMI is a new section we’ve started to focus on stories that appear elsewhere that draw attention to trends and issues that impact communications professionals; research that can inform and inspire PR people; and other interesting content that we think is relevant to the PRovoke Media audience.

Axios’ Eleanor Hawkins has a smart take on CCO succession planning, a topic I don’t hear discussed very often.

The report cites some interesting research including a new report from media monitoring platform, Memo, showing that more and more CCOs are reporting directly to the CEO, and a study by the Observatory on Corporate Reputation suggesting that CCO-plus roles (which we discussed here) now outnumber traditional, one-dimensional CCOs roles—all pointing to a more significant role for CCOs and therefore the increased importance of succession planning.

The article quotes Richard Marshall of Korn/Ferry, who says: "While historically other functions like legal, finance and HR have a more structured mentoring or succession planning program, it's relatively new for [the communications] profession. Some of the top leaders are growing their talent, giving rotational assignments and helping to build out their skill set, but I would say it's more in the nascent stages."

And Hawkins adds: “A contingent of chief communication officers has reached burnout or are nearing retirement, which could free up opportunities for the next generation.”

To which I will add two observations of my own.

First, that the communications function has historically been less “institutionalized: that those Marshall cites (legal, finance, and HR). By which I mean that while leadership of those other functions more or less guarantees the senior executive a role in decision-making and as a trusted advisor to the CEO, incoming CCOs often need to earn that level of respect and influence—to prove themselves and the function before they achieve the trust their predecessor enjoyed.

And second, there remains a sizable gap between what CCOs do—the sheer breadth of a role that may now include culture and values, geopolitics, financial storytelling, crisis and issues and more—and the functional leaders below them, who may have a narrower focus. CCOs need to prepare the next level of professionals with the skills they need to counsel their CEOs on all of these issues, which is why programs such as the Page Society’s Page Up are increasingly important.

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