5 Expert Tips to Better Communicate Your Strategic Plan

High performing organizations understand that it is critical for employees at every level to align with and authentically support the key goals of the company.  If employees don't fully subscribe to the corporate plan, how can you expect your current and potential customers, investors and partners to get on board?  Who Is Responsible for Communicating and Cascading the Strategy? We believe it is the leadership team's responsibility to find the most effective ways to communicate and cascade the strategic priorities to each and every employee.  What Does NOT Work? Let's start with what does not work in terms of communicating and cascading a corporate strategy, idea or initiative.   Perceived Complexity: While complexity certainly exists in most businesses and industries, the message and expectations you want to communicate must be simple and clear.  The Air of Impossibility: While stretch goals certainly have their place when combined with the proper cultural ingredients, plans and targets that most find unbelievable will sabotage your efforts.  Communication Alone: While communication (along with training) is certainly a necessary and helpful tool, it typically does not change hearts and minds by itself. Posters, Slogans, Emails, Town Halls and Newsletters Are Not Enough If it were only a matter of communication, CEOs could simply share a compelling presentation with their direct reports about the company's strategy. However, organizations that rely solely on a communication plan or leave it up to managers to put the strategy and plan in context for their front-line employees are bound to be disappointed. What Does Work Just think about it. If your executive team took weeks to prepare for and days to discuss, debate and create a new strategic direction, how can you expect the rest of the organization--those with less experience, less access, and less context-to jump on board without the benefit of similar discussions and a similar process?  If you want your teams to fully understand, believe in and execute your plans for the upcoming year, involve them in the same type of discussions, debates and design decisions you conducted as an executive team for their departments, functions and teams. The Bottom Line While you must be clear about what areas are up for debate or nuance at the department and team levels, when it comes to communicating and cascading strategies so they actually get executed, our best advice is to go slow to go fast.  Want to improve the overall effectiveness of your communications?

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Founded in 1995, LSA Global is a leading performance consulting and training firm that helps high growth technology, services, and life-science companies create a competitive advantage by powerfully aligning their culture and talent with their strategy. Learn more about getting aligned