As a leader, you have a vision for the future of your organization, and you want to share it with your team. But how do you communicate a new strategy in a way that inspires action, not confusion or resistance? In this article, you will learn six tips to help you craft and deliver a compelling message that aligns your team with your goals and motivates them to take action.
Before you communicate your strategy, you need to understand who you are talking to and what they care about. What are their needs, challenges, expectations, and preferences? How do they learn and process information? How will your strategy affect them personally and professionally? By knowing your audience, you can tailor your message to address their concerns, answer their questions, and appeal to their emotions.
You need to understand the need and expectation of your audience based on WIIIFM “ what is in it for Me” basis. Also understand demographics and cultural preference based on DEI concept.
You have to be able to answer this question: what’s in it for me? To do that, look at their current situations or opportunities, and be able to articulate why their vesting has benefit to them. E.g. employees: greater mission achievement, pride associated w innovation or being part of a winning effort, personal/professional interest in seeing the vision come to fruition, more efficiency and resources, reward, quality of life, professional development. At end of day, there is no way around helping stakeholders understand why they should vest. To do that, you have to know the stakeholder
As a Leader, it's not about just your audience, but it's even more personal..."KNOW YOUR PEOPLE." Remember, your job as a Leader is to 1) Take care of your people, and 2) get your people to do what the organization needs to be successful while at the same time believing in it.
Well done on setting up your strategy, it might just remain on paper, unless you can inspire an action from people who will bring you strategy to life. First key when communicating your new strategy, is knowing who all you are communicating? what are their preferences? How will this new strategy impact them? How key they are in your strategy delivery? In my experience, you would have to tailor your pitch depending on the audience, because the ownership of people buying into your strategy, is 100% on you.
Understanding your audience is crucial, and this extends beyond just your internal stakeholders to include your external ones, especially your customers. Placing them at the heart of your strategy and communication is paramount.
Your strategy is not just a set of actions or objectives, it is a statement of why you exist and where you are going. You need to communicate your purpose clearly and convincingly, so that your team understands the value and meaning of your strategy. What is the problem you are solving, the opportunity you are seizing, or the vision you are pursuing? How does your strategy align with your mission, values, and culture? How does it support your competitive advantage and differentiation?
I would dare to say that define everyone's purpose and role in strategy. Of course first you need to align the strategy with business goals, values etc. ,but if you leave it to that level, you will not get most out of your team. Strategy should always also help employees to solve their daily problems, clarify what is important and should be focused on, show them why certain goals are selected and where the company is heading to.
The first key to defining your team's purpose is to know your own purpose. Why are YOU here? Why are YOU doing what you're doing? Now, why should your team care? What do they care about? Did you listen (Step #1)? Once you know your own purpose and you know your team, the overlap is where you discover, develop, and define your team's purpose. No two people have the exact same purpose. It is your job as the leader to unite the purpose and drive of the team towards the common goal.
Your purpose provides the reason why the organization exists . Describe the context, the challenges ahead to create the awareness and sense of urgency needed-Your strategy is the path chosen . And , at any time possible, link over and over the strategy with the challenges and opportunities communicated-
Yes. Make sure you help them see the vision. Articulate it clearly. And, in doing so, help them un derstand why they should vest (see above).
I feel like this should be tip #1. The strategy may need to be communicated to multiple audiences in different ways. However, the why something is being done shouldn't shift between audiences. That's deception by omission.
Your strategy may be complex and nuanced, but your message should be simple and clear. You need to distill your strategy into a few key points that are easy to remember and repeat. Use simple language, avoid jargon and acronyms, and use examples and stories to illustrate your points. You can also use visual aids, such as diagrams, charts, or images, to help your team grasp your strategy quickly and intuitively.
It's critical to communicate in a way that people understand. Taking the elements of the strategy and personalizing why they matter is key to connecting with multiple audiences. Use a mix of communication channels to get the points across.
Storytelling is paramount to communicating an effective strategy. Visualizations in this case are often as important as words, allowing examples and data to shine in an accessible manner. But when you compile all the information and visualize or simplify it, ask yourself: if I knew nothing of the topic, could I capture it by reading this slide for 30 seconds? 60 seconds? 90 seconds? You should get the gist of things in that amount of time, with a further deep dive taking 2-3 minutes if needed. The audience should also get a top level slide or visualization that summarizes the whole presentation clearly and concisely -- for the busy executive. And then if they want to learn more they can delve into the individual content.
One thing that is critical is message testing. For public campaigns testing your messages and/or creatives will provide insight on how effective your message is and if it has the intended outcome. Through message testing, you can revise your message if needed.
Meet with your team. Communicate why new strategy is necessary. Get feedback from the team because they’re out there dealing with the day today strategize as a team the synergy of working together will inspire the necessary actions.
Yes. I had a great leader who sent colorful posters and a smaller personal laminated page to all offices/staff that set out the goal (achievement through top to bottom accountability) and an approach for achieving it. The posters (sometimes more than one) were placed in every hall and common area. She visited offices and held virtual town halls. She personally sent reading materials. She randomly called employees. Her goal was a necessary change in the work culture. She succeeded and it was nice to watch.
Your strategy is not a one-way broadcast, it is a two-way conversation. You need to engage your team in the process of communicating and implementing your strategy. You can do this by asking for feedback, inviting questions, listening to their opinions, and addressing their doubts. You can also involve them in co-creating the strategy, by soliciting their ideas, suggestions, and contributions. By engaging your team, you can build trust, commitment, and ownership of your strategy.
People need to understand how the strategy relates to their roles. So it isn't just about saying what the strategy is, but having the team process, think through and plan out how the strategy will impact each person individually. Yes, you could tell them this information as well, but it's much more powerful (time allowing of course) to let employees come to the conclusion themselves. For example, presenting the strategy and asking your team in a meeting to write down how they might engage with the strategy and sharing that with everyone.
Consider the strategy and the pursuit of the goals an ongoing conversation that you and the rest of your managers have to keep alive. IMPORTANT: the role of managers is about listening and asking employees HOW they will deliver the stategy. NOT telling them what to do. That is not inspiring or engaging in any way for any of the 5 generations in our workforce.
See strategy above. Sometimes you have to decide the goal without input. Or anticipating opposition. Non negotiable. Our leader thought that the lack of accountability was holding us back. She wanted to see more of it because her theory was that more accountability would bring better results. She established that as a goal and had a plan for effecting it. In instances like those, the engagement would just be articulating, and engaging re how to get there.
Absolutely. A rigid strategy is not a successful one. The effort to engage stakeholders in strategic decision-making must be authentic. It is insufficient to state that people can come to leadership with any questions or concerns and answer questions in the dark Scheduling an organization-wide Q&A call after initial communication is a great way to engage all stakeholders and build trust through collaboration and transparency.
Amplifying this tip! "If you want to go far, go together." People will follow an inspirational leader, but to create real growth and impact you don't just want a team full of puppets, coming back for your validation every step of the way. If you want people to take the lead and feel empowered to make autonomous decisions and take measured risks, make your vision very clear and allow some flexibility for how it's achieved.
Your strategy is not a static document, it is a dynamic plan. You need to inspire your team to take action and execute your strategy. You can do this by setting clear and realistic goals, defining roles and responsibilities, providing resources and support, and monitoring progress and results. You can also motivate your team by celebrating wins, recognizing achievements, and rewarding performance. By inspiring action, you can turn your strategy into reality.
Fuel action with proper resources - including work/life balance - so people can accomplish the task with zest. From here on out, the successful execution of the strategy will be the success of the team - not the leaders. This is where the leaders who developed the strategy step out of the spotlight and let others shine.
See my first comment re inspiring action . What values does it bring the stakeholder. You also can inspire by being a good role model. Someone people want to be like. Or emulate. Or even, frankly, please.
The ability to inspire action is the driving force behind strategy's transformation from concept to reality. By establishing clear objectives, delineating roles and responsibilities, and offering the necessary resources and support, you empower your team to execute the strategy effectively. Additionally, recognizing and celebrating achievements not only motivates but also reinforces the commitment to realizing the strategy's goals. In essence, the art of inspiring action is the bridge that connects strategic planning to tangible results and success.
Motivate by EMPOWERING through AUTONOMOUS decision-making and action. Delegate authority and decisions to the lowest levels possible. Not only does this motivate, but also makes your team more flexible and adaptable.
Empower every manager to be have powerful conversations with their team. Eveyr employee should be able to answer What is our vision? What is my role? How do I make my contribution? How will my performance get measured? What is our future?
Your strategy is not a one-time event, it is an ongoing journey. You need to communicate your strategy consistently and frequently, so that your team stays informed, aligned, and engaged. You can do this by using different channels and formats, such as meetings, emails, newsletters, videos, or podcasts. You can also update your team on the changes, challenges, and opportunities that arise along the way. By communicating consistently, you can reinforce your message, sustain your momentum, and achieve your goals.
Communication is a two-way street. To enhance your strategy's effectiveness, it's essential to establish a robust feedback loop. This adaptability allows you to align your strategy with unforeseen challenges and opportunities, turning it into a flexible guide rather than a rigid plan. Embracing feedback ultimately empowers your company to navigate successfully toward its goals.
One of the key job of a leader is communication. It is said that leaders spend more than 50% of their time communicating. Communication must be done continously as strategies and plans are implemented. Also, ensure you have a frequent checkpoint to discuss progress, challenges and lessons learnt. These checkpoint will also help you determine when and how you need to pivot to ensure the objectives are attained as planned.
Connect the new strategy to the core identity of your organization. Explain how it aligns with your company's values and mission. This reinforces the sense of purpose and belonging among employees.
When communicating consistently, also consider who the messenger should be. In an organization, the leadership or staff representatives may be the best people to convey the message depending on the context. Find out who would have the best influence, connection, or impact with your audience.
It is important to make it personal. If we can share - why it is important for me personally -what in this new strategy I find more connected to -what are my internal challenges that I see can come in the way and how am I planning to work with them This approach will build connect and therefore better outcome.
Always walk the talk after you have articulated a vision. People see through things quickly and they will follow you once they see you in action. People believe much more in what "you do" rather than "what you say". Give your vision traction by creating Trail heads that you walk to and inspire others to follow. Trail heads lead to more action. which eventually unfolds a strategy. All the best!
Inspiring action for a strategic plan involves establishing clear objectives and creating clarity at every phase while also alleviating any apprehensions or uncertainties.
Clearly articulate the goals, explain the significance to the team, and emphasize how their contributions are integral to achieving success. Also, encourage open dialogue, address concerns, and foster a collaborative environment to ensure everyone is aligned and motivated to take action.
Don’t wing it. Before walking into any meeting, know what you are going to say, and what order you are going to say it in. Be prepared for pushback and answering tough questions. You can do this by running your presentation by a colleague, mentor, or coach for feedback. And practice responding to questions you anticipate coming your way. This will help clarify and tighten your message, help keep you from rambling or getting stuck in the weeds, and can boost your confidence levels.