The Strategy Imperative – Clarity in Communication
Great leaders make decisions, set priorities, and chart a clear path toward a concrete goal.
In Part 1 of this series, we described the importance of communication in implementing strategy. In this post, we get into the “how.”
A leadership team has worked together to establish its vision and strategy. A critical process to set the foundation for how an organization will “win.”
Now comes an equally critical task for leaders – translating the vision and strategy into action.
At this point, the great work is just beginning. Plenty of planning will guide the actions that will fulfill the strategy. This may happen across many units in the organization. But all must be guided by the same strategy. How?
Start by writing it down. Not in a 50-slide deck, 2,000-word email, or hours-long town halls. Get it down to one page. How is the organization going to WIN?
Avoid complexity, embrace simplicity, leverage repetition and resonant words.
Example:
Amazon is guided by four principles:
- customer obsession rather than competitor focus
- passion for invention
- commitment to operational excellence
- long-term thinking
We strive to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, Earth’s best employer, and Earth’s safest place to work.
Amazon also publishes 16 guiding principles and various goals for various business units, but it all boils down to that indisputable strategic focus. That is how they win. That’s what everyone knows.
The same rules for communicating strategy apply to every organization, regardless of size.
“Without credible communication, and a lot of it, the hearts and minds of the troops are never captured.”
– John P. Kotter, Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail, Harvard Business Review
Follow these rules for execution:
- Clarity – make complex ideas simple, use plain language.
- Repetition – use the 7x rule – it doesn’t sink in until it’s heard at least seven times. Create a drumbeat of purpose, alignment, and execution.
- Multi-media – leverage multiple media to engage every stakeholder (text, graphics, video, etc.)
- Multi-platform – leverage multiple channels to reach every stakeholder (email, town halls, intranet, Slack, posters, social media, events, etc.)
- Ownership – make accountability clear; everyone knows their role in securing success.
- Saturation – every division, team, and individual knows and believes the plan. No gaps.
- Middle managers are critical! Their clarity and engagement drives everything.
- Monitoring – measure progress; if it’s not happening, be rigorous in follow up
- Updates – provide clear reports on a regular basis
- Recognition – celebrate wins, tell the stories
- Feedback – maintain a channel to monitor, record, and respond
Leaders will share different strategy formats with various levels of the organization. Senior leaders get into the details, middle managers have significant context, and the rest of the troops get a streamlined version. But to be clear – people will only align around priorities that are consistent, precise, and repeated.
Have a detailed, intentional communications plan for every level and every stakeholder. The plan includes audience, content, platform, calendar, and monitoring.
In conclusion, communication is as important as strategy. Make it part of your execution to ensure alignment and success.
Contact us to discuss your strategy and ways to craft winning communications.
“People will align around shared goals, visions and priorities when they are expressed simply, concisely, and consistently.”
– Carmine Gallo, The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman