The Communicator's Four Letter Word
It does not start with an F.
Say “op-ed” to a communicator and watch the eye roll. It’s our four-letter word — and elicits a few more choice words throughout the process of getting it done.
Sure, in theory, it’s the crown jewel of thought leadership. Land that perfect piece in The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times and your message will echo across the land. In reality? It’s a marathon of drafts, rewrites, sign-offs, legal reviews, and praying an editor somewhere decides your take is “timely” enough to bump the other 42 submissions on the same topic.
And even if you make it to print, the shelf life is shorter than a TikTok trend. You’re lucky if anyone remembers it by lunch.
Here’s the thing: op-eds aren’t bad. They’re just not magic. The real value is in the discipline they force — sharpening your argument, stripping out jargon, and getting to the point. That thinking fuels speeches, interviews, panels, and yes, even those LinkedIn posts your boss swears nobody reads.
But let’s be clear: an op-ed is a tactic, not a strategy. It’s the hammer in your toolbox, not the whole toolbox. If it’s your only move, you’re going to be swinging at nails that aren’t there.
So the next time someone says “we need an op-ed,” smile and say: “Sure — but what’s step two?” Because in today’s media world, the op-ed might still have its place, it just doesn’t get the throne.