6 Ways to Better Communicate Your Strategy

Better Communicate Your Strategy to Improve Strategy Execution
The better you communicate your strategy — especially after you facilitate a strategy retreat — the greater your chances for successful implementation.  Good strategies outline clear and compelling choices about what actions to take and where to play.  Done right, your strategy should provide the underpinning for everything you do.

Are You Investing in Strategy Communication?
While leaders often spend massive amounts of time and energy crafting strategic plans to help their company get to the next level, they rarely invest the same amount of effort to ensure that everyone is on the same page.  According to a survey by IBM, less than one in ten well formulated strategies are effectively executed.  That is why employees want leaders to better communicate your strategy.

Strategy Execution Stumbling Blocks
Our organizational alignment research found that strategic clarity accounts for 31% of the difference between high and low performing companies in terms of:

• Revenue growth.
• Profitability.
• Customer satisfaction.
• Leadership effectiveness.
• Employee engagement.

A lack of strategic clarity creates gaps between strategy design and strategy execution.  When we survey employees, they tell us that few leaders are able to clearly articulate the strategy in a way that is understood, agreed-upon, and believed in.

6 Ways to Better Communicate Your Strategy
Research by Kaplan & Norton shows that organizations with clearly communicated strategies outperform their peers, with employees demonstrating higher engagement, alignment, and accountability. Yet many executives struggle with translating important strategies into actionable, understandable messages.  Here are six ways to ensure your strategy resonates and drives action from our leadership action learning programs:

1. Actively Involve Employees from the Start
   It’s human nature. Employees are much more apt to sign on for a strategy that includes their input.  Strategies should not be crafted just by the leadership.  After all, employees are the ones who have to translate goals into action steps.

   They and their teams have a unique perspective that should be understood and actively included in the strategy design process.

2. Consistently Educate
   You can’t expect employees to understand the rationale for a major shift in strategy unless you keep them in the loop every step of the way regarding what you are trying to do, why you are doing it, and how you expect them to pull it off.  Give employees the context and data that they need in order to implement and buy into your strategic vision for success.  The more transparent you can be in sharing information, the closer employees will be to supporting you.
3. Inspire Meaning
   Try to express the strategy in a way that focuses on a grander purpose rather than simply making money. Employees will be more engaged when they feel that what they do has a worthwhile objective.  Articulate the strategy in a way that is meaningful to the company, your employees, and the people you serve.

   A strategy inspires meaning when it connects the organization’s goals to a higher purpose that resonates emotionally and ethically with employees and stakeholders. Instead of being purely operational (e.g., increase market share by 15%), it frames success as making a tangible difference in the world.

   For example, Patagonia’s strategic focus on environmental responsibility and activism inspires meaning.  The company exists to use their business to protect nature and encourage a responsible relationship between people and the planet.

4. Keep It Simple and Relevant
   Employees don’t need lofty concepts; they need clarity. Use simple, clear, direct language that connects strategic objectives to day-to-day work.  No “corporate speak” allowed.  Describe the company’s core purpose and strategic goals in terms that make sense to employees on the front lines.  That’s where the real work gets done.

   For example, instead of saying, “We will leverage core competencies to achieve market penetration,” say, “We will focus on what we do best to grow in markets where our customers need us most.”

   Simplifying language reduces confusion and increases the likelihood of behavioral alignment.

5. Encourage Two-Way Dialogue and Feedback
   Communication is not a one-way street. Engaging in discussions about the strategy encourages employee ownership and uncovers potential misunderstandings. Open forums, Q&A sessions, and feedback loops allow employees to voice concerns, ask questions, and offer insights.

   The objective is to ensure that employees feel that their perspectives matter thereby increasing employee commitment to the plan.  The strategies that succeed are constructively debated, modeled, and reinforced. Leaders and senior managers need to repeat the message often, stay available for questions, and address issues as they arise.  Keep a strong pulse on what is working and what is not working as you move forward.

6. Reinforce Strategy Through Leadership Behavior
   We know from organizational culture assessment data that employees watch leaders closely. Strategy communication is most effective when leaders consistently model behaviors aligned with strategic priorities. Leaders who reference strategic objectives in meetings, recognize actions that support the strategy, and demonstrate commitment themselves help embed the strategy into organizational culture.

   Behavioral reinforcement transforms abstract statements into observable, actionable behaviors that resonate throughout the organization..

The Bottom Line
We know from our leadership simulation assessment data that the better you communicate your strategy, the better your chances for success.  Communicating strategy effectively is not about sending more emails or hosting additional meetings. It’s about translating complex plans into clear, relatable, and actionable messages.

To learn more about how to better communicate your strategy, download 3 Big Mistakes to Avoid When Cascading Your Corporate Strategy