5 Lessons for Leading a Solo Communications Shop

When we discuss leadership, we often think of directing a team. Although solo PR practitioners do not have direct reports, they lead the communications function for their department or organization. 

Like many PR pros, I’ve led solo communications shops. Here are five key insights to help you succeed as you lead a team of one. 

1. Manage your time wisely.

You’re one person; your time is precious. Staying organized will help maximize your time. Efficient calendar management provides structure in your day, keeping you and your projects on track. 

Block off time on your calendar to work on specific assignments. I like to reserve Friday mornings to schedule social media content for the upcoming week. Managing your time leads to better planning. 

2. Think ahead.

Forecasting permits you to organize your work and manage your time. Content calendars allow you to thoughtfully develop theme buckets and get you into a steady rhythm of deploying content. Use calendar or planning tools on social media and email marketing platforms to schedule content deployment. 

Planning also helps to manage the unexpected. When breaking news or a new project pops up, you’ll have the flexibility to manage it. When I received the news of a major university leadership change, I quickly pivoted, paused scheduled communications, developed messaging and deployed content. 

3. Prioritize your work.

You can’t do everything all at once. While we like to think multitasking will help us do more, it is more efficient to focus on one assignment at a time. 

There are many ways to prioritize your work. Is the assignment time-sensitive? Is there a short-term or long-term deadline? What is the project’s degree of difficulty? Choose a prioritization technique that best works for you.

4. Connect with other communicators.

While you may be a one-person team, relationships matter. Establish and maintain a strong relationship with those in leadership. Clear expectations and goal setting are key to your success. 

During your 1-on-1 meetings with your direct lead, provide updates, share your wins, ideas and upcoming projects, and communicate concerns (if any). If you’re at a large organization, then get to know your colleagues! 

There are other communicators in different departments. I enjoy grabbing a coffee or having a lunch date to connect with colleagues. Be a resource for each other. Having a sounding board to discuss an upcoming blog article or another set of eyes to review an op-ed is helpful.

5. Refine your skills.

You’re a skilled communicator. You can easily switch from crafting talking points for the CEO to collaborating with graphic designers for an event invitation and planning an email marketing campaign. Keep your skills sharp. Lifelong learning isn’t a buzzword; it’s a practice. Stay curious and seek out opportunities to learn more about your craft. Reading articles, listening to podcasts, attending a workshop/webinar, or completing a certificate or degree program are some ways you can refine your skills. 

Every year, I develop a professional development plan and identify lifelong learning opportunities as part of my performance goals.

Leading is more than directing a team. Solo practitioners are multifaceted communicators in a unique leadership position. By managing their time wisely, thinking ahead, prioritizing assignments, connecting with colleagues and refining their skills, these experts can easily navigate assorted assignments throughout the day to provide strategic approaches to communication challenges.