From IC Expert to People-First (and why that’s so scary!)

Lee Smith

Minutes
6th November 2025
Employee Experience
People-First
Internal Communication
If you’ve worked in internal communication for any length of time, you’ll recognise the old power dynamic.

Expertise. Mastery. Being the one in the room who knew — the channel specialist, the message crafter, the person who could polish the CEO’s words and rescue the last-minute launch with sheer skill and speed.

For years, expertise was our armour. Our proof. Our seat at the table.

But the world has changed, and so has our work.

AI is rapidly reshaping what “expertise” looks like. Employees expect transparency, voice, and involvement. And leaders need IC partners who can help them design culture and experience, not just cascade messages.

We’re moving from expert to enabler. From authority figure to people-first facilitator. From telling to co-creating. From being the answer to helping others discover it.

And if we’re honest? That shift is exhilarating, and terrifying.

Why this transition feels uncomfortable

Giving up the safety of “I know the answer” means:

  • Stepping into ambiguity
  • Admitting we don’t always know best
  • Inviting employees into the conversation — and staying open to what comes back
  • Holding space, not holding the mic
  • Showing up with curiosity, not certainty

It means redefining what value looks like.

Not: “I wrote the strategy.” But: “I helped the business make better decisions because we listened, learned, and created the solution together.”

That’s harder to measure. It asks more of us. And it requires different muscles: empathy, curiosity, resilience, creativity, influence and courage.

But this is the future of our field - not because it’s fashionable, but because the work demands it.

In Track 2 of The Stuck Record podcast…

We dive into this shift head-on:

  • Why so many communicators feel stuck between “old expectations” and “new realities”
  • The emotional side of moving from expert-led to co-created practice
  • The fear of losing authority or relevance
  • The six human strengths that set the future-ready communicator apart

We also share some personal stories — the moments we had to let go of being “the expert” and lean into being a guide, collaborator, and catalyst instead.

And of course… a little Emma and Lee humour. Because changing the record shouldn’t be gloomy — it should feel inspiring, energising, and deeply human.

Tune in & change the record with us!

Track 2 is live now — From Expert to People-First (and Why That’s So Scary)

Listen wherever you get your podcasts — and if it speaks to you, share it with someone who needs to hear it too. Because this isn’t about losing expertise. It’s about gaining influence, impact, and humanity in a world that desperately needs it.

Let’s move from “best practice” to better questions. From “owning the comms” to shaping the culture. From expert to people-first. And yes — it might be scary. But brave work always is.