How can you communicate your strategic vision to stakeholders through oral communication?

Knowing your audience and their topics of interest may be important, but the message needs to be crafted to the tone and style of the leader. Through my years of experience in drafting briefing memos and talking points for elected officials and executives, it is important for diction to reflect the leader's personality and communication style and to be relatable for the audience.

When communicating your vision ensure that you quantify the impact with #'s or %'s. Numbers tell a story and are the points people retain when hearing an oral presentation.

Tailoring your message to resonate with their interests, concerns, and perspectives enhances engagement and fosters a deeper connection. Recognizing the diverse needs of stakeholders allows you to address specific pain points, making your communication more relevant and impactful. Additionally, adapting your language and approach based on the audience's level of familiarity with the subject ensures clarity and comprehension. Ultimately, by acknowledging and catering to your audience, you not only convey your strategic vision effectively but also build trust and support, fostering a collaborative and successful environment.

Equally important to knowing your audience is knowing your own strengths and weaknesses. That might mean rethinking whether you’re the most suitable leader to deliver the message to the chosen audience. For example, a Chief Technology Officer might not be the right fit to speak to an audience that isn’t tech fluent. Consider your audience’s background, topic familiarity, communications style, broader interests, cultural nuances, and more when determining the most suitable spokesperson for an impactful delivery.

There are some 'universal truths' about people that apply across a broad spectrum of stakeholder groups. Consider the following. People want... 1. Information that is relevant to/for them. 2. To know the impact on themselves and those around them. 3. An opportunity to feel part of the conversation if it is a relevant topic. 4. The presenter of information to do it in a way that is not about them or their ego but speaks to a meaningful purpose. 5. A variety of presentation strategies that will connect with them (e.g. data, stories, personalisation, etc.).

There is no doubt that understanding the purpose of the presentation is important, however I would argue that many of the same principles apply to a myriad of purposes. For example, if you want to inform your audience, you could choose to use facts, data and logic, but how it is used is the most important consideration. A good story that connects your message with the audience will be more effective than a sea of numbers. It can be risky to zero in on one approach to serve one purpose. Use a variety of methods that work, regardless of the purpose, because people are different and so a presentation needs to cover a variety of styles.

In coaching executives, a structure that works well for them is to ensure that five key areas are addressed. Why? Because your audience will be made up of a whole bunch of people listening for different things. Research from the consulting firm, McKinsey, identified five areas, which can be roughly divided in to 20% of your audience will be listening from that lens. 1. Me (how is it relevant for me?) 2. Team (what is the impact/meaning for my team?) 3. Organisation (how does it relate to the organisation?) 4. Customer/Client/Patient (what is the impact?) 5. Community/Society (how does the information / change impact it?). Most managers communicate through the organisational lens, and so should expand to all five areas.

Crafting a compelling strategic vision requires mastering oral communication. Start by distilling your message for clarity, avoiding jargon. Weave the vision into a compelling narrative, utilizing stories for impact. Foster two-way communication, encouraging stakeholder input. Enhance understanding with visual aids, connecting each stakeholder to the big picture. Repetition reinforces key messages, transforming your vision into a shared reality. Effective communication combines clarity, engagement, and repetition, making your vision resonate and drive collective action.