Why is strategy a best kept secret?

Revealed only to top executives, communicated infrequently and delivered in complicated and abstract terms? 

Sadly, this is more the norm than the exception.  Research shows that a staggering percentage of employees - up to 95% in some studies - are unaware of, or do not understand, their company's strategy. Quite simply, employees can’t execute a strategy they don’t know about, understand or feel that they can deliver against.  

As low hanging fruit go, this is a doozy! 

Whilst the reasons behind this statistic will be numerous, something I have observed happening, is strategy being treated like a unique artifact.  Something special and different that doesn’t need to abide by the same rules as normal business and marketing activity.  Almost as if it’s going to ignite the fire of every employee across the business, by osmosis.

Strategy isn’t a unique artifact.  It’s actually the most important product any business creates. 

So, what if we turned the tables and thought about employees being the customer of your most important new product – your strategy.

Here are six ideas to make your strategy your most successful product yet.

1.         Understand your audience. 

Products are built to solve problems, and to address audience needs. Leverage what you know about your people.  One size will fit none, so segment them accordingly and think about how this strategy is going to make their lives better.  In my experience, this step is the one most often overlooked, and the one that can have the greatest impact.

 2.         Position your strategy for success. 

Building on the insights above, think about what will make this strategy memorable, ownable and engaging for your audience.   Like with any good product, a powerful name and identity are crucial.  Employees need to understand how and where this fits against everything else in their world.  Your business is like a crowded marketplace and your product needs to stand out. 

3.         Launch for impact. 

Think about what will make people sit up and take notice.  It's not enough to send out an email or cascade a PowerPoint. This precious product needs an official launch.  Consider what you can do to disrupt in the most positive way.  This isn’t business as usual – so think about how you can cultivate this feeling of difference in your audience.  This could be as simple as an unexpected setting, bringing different parts of the business together in unique ways, or in changing up the presenters and presentation format.

 4.         Make it interactive.

Can the strategy be immersive?  Encourage employees to interact with the strategy. Just like a product, it shouldn’t just be a passive thing that they’re told about – they need to feel a sense of ownership. Feedback sessions, cross-department collaboration, or even gamifying certain elements of the strategy are all ways to make it more interactive and ultimately, owned and actioned.

5.         Tell a story.  

This strategy has ultimately been built to solve problems and create opportunities.  Tell that story over time. Think about the cadence of communications over the course of the year and beyond.  And choose your channels wisely – having the right conversation in the right places.

 6.         Share progress & success. 

Regular updates and opportunities for feedback help employees stay engaged and feel like they have a stake in the success of the strategy. Is the strategy working? Are there roadblocks? Does everyone know what’s expected of them? Listen, learn and evolve.

Strategy shouldn’t be a secret. By treating it like a product launch - with a clear positioning, a strong rollout, ongoing communication, and opportunities for employee interaction, businesses can drive better engagement, understanding, momentum and ultimately, results.  

If you feel your strategy is in hiding, let’s chat.