Why empathy is the most underrated skill in strategic communications

There’s no shortage of advice about content strategy. We spend a lot of time talking about channels, formats, SEO, AI tools and performance metrics. All of those things matter, but after years of working with organizations on messaging and content, I’ve come to believe that one of the most important skills in strategic communications is also one that people often overlook: empathy.

I’m not talking about empathy in the sentimental sense. I mean the ability to genuinely understand how other people see the world: what they care about, what pressures they’re under, what language resonates with them and what they actually need and want.

I tend to think of effective communication as resting on three pillars:

• Empathy

• Strategic thinking

• Strong writing

Most comms professionals focus heavily on the second and third pillars. They think about channel strategy, campaign planning, messaging and execution. They work on becoming stronger writers and storytellers. These are all essential skills.

But without empathy, even good content can fail to land. This is because organizations naturally become inward-looking over time. Internal language starts to feel normal, and priorities that make sense inside the company get projected outward onto audiences who may not share the same assumptions or concerns. That’s how organizations end up with messaging that sounds technically correct but doesn’t really connect.

Which brings us back to empathy. It’s important to note that empathy requires listening. The strongest communicators I know spend a great deal of time paying attention to how people actually speak and what they actually care about. They listen to customers, employees, partners and other stakeholder groups. They’re naturally curious. 

That insight then informs strategy. It shapes which channels make sense, what formats are appropriate, what tone will resonate and which ideas are worth emphasizing. A good strategist understands that not every message belongs on every platform and that effective communication depends heavily on context.

Then, finally, the writing itself matters. Good writing is still an enormous competitive advantage, not because every sentence needs to be brilliant or stylistically unique, but because clear writing reflects clear thinking. It respects the audience’s time.

Of the three pillars, empathy is probably the hardest to teach and the easiest to neglect. Strategy can be learned. Writing skills can improve through practice. But empathy requires curiosity, humility and a willingness to step outside of one’s own assumptions and see another perspective.

The organizations that communicate effectively today are the ones that demonstrate genuine understanding of their audiences’ motivations and challenges. Their messaging feels relevant because it is relevant. The ability to create that genuine connection is one of the best ways organizations can build trust. For comms and marketing leaders, that’s worth paying attention to because trust is becoming one of the few durable advantages brands still have.

As tools and platforms continue to evolve and AI accelerates content production even further, I predict (hope?) that empathy will only become more valuable. We’re entering a moment where many aspects of communication can be enhanced or automated, but the ability to truly understand another person’s perspective still belongs to us. True empathy can be mimicked but it can’t be faked. For now, at least, that distinction still matters.