How to build and demonstrate business acumen
A few days ago, someone asked me: “What does business acumen look like, and how can I demonstrate I have it?”
It’s a fair question. In internal communications, PR and change management, we often tell professionals they need business acumen—but we don’t always define what it means in practice. At True Communications, we help communicators across the UK and Europe connect their work to what really matters in their organisations. Here’s my perspective.
What business acumen means for communicators
For me, business acumen is about understanding enough of your organisation’s context to connect your communication strategy to real business outcomes. That means:
Understanding your organisation’s financials, strategy, goals, and operating environment
Connecting communication activity to measurable business outcomes such as revenue growth, retention, risk reduction or efficiency
Using insight to advise leaders on how communication decisions will help—or hinder—success
Whenever I’ve started a new role, I’ve made it a priority to quickly understand how the organisation makes money and how decisions are made. That knowledge helps you frame your work in business terms (growth, risk, efficiency) and navigate internal politics because you see the pressures and trade-offs influencing leaders.
Practical ways to build your business acumen
Business acumen doesn’t mean becoming an expert in every business unit—although it can be a great foundation if you want to step into roles like Chief of Staff. Here are a few ways to build it:
Ask someone to explain. Some of my best learning came from sitting with subject matter experts and saying: “Can you walk me through how this works?” Genuine curiosity goes a long way.
Read beyond comms. The CEO’s letter in the annual report or listening to investor briefings are invaluable for context.
Spend time with the business. Shadow operational teams, listen to their challenges, and notice the language they use.
Listen in meetings. Even if the topic feels “non-comms,” you’ll often pick up nuggets about priorities, risks, and opportunities.
Demonstrating business acumen
It’s not just about what you know—it’s how you apply it. Communicators can demonstrate business acumen by:
Applying a commercial lens. Ask: how does this work add value, reduce costs, manage risk, or improve the customer/employee experience in ways that matter?
Speaking the language of the business. Move beyond outputs (“we sent an email”) to outcomes (“employees understand the change and are confident to act”).
Why this matters
For communicators, developing business acumen is a game-changer. It builds credibility with leaders, sharpens your strategic impact, and ensures communication is seen not as a “nice to have” but as a driver of organisational performance.
