Communicating Clearly

For your strategy to succeed, it is vital that everyone who needs to know about it is informed. Communicate your plan to every stakeholder so that they understand what the strategy will do for them, and you will gain their commitment to it.

Keeping stakeholders informed

Since stakeholders – whether superiors, colleagues in other departments, team members who have not been involved in the entire planning process, or customers and suppliers – have a vested interest in the strategic plan, each of them needs to be kept informed of developments relevant to them. Keep the language you use simple and define all important terms; even a word such as “sale” can have different meanings to different people within the same organization.

Getting feedback

Whichever method of communication you use, make sure that there is a feedback mechanism in place whereby stakeholders can let you know what they think of the plan and its impact on them. Everyone in the organization should be viewed as the eyes and ears of the team. The salespeople, for example, know what the customers are saying, just as site engineers will have an insider’s view of how work is progressing. Each has a role to play in checking and moulding the final version of the strategy. So make sure communication is two-way and listen. Then listen some more. Use feedback in a review meeting to spark changes and improvements to the plan.

Cultural differences

In the UK and, to a certain extent, Scandinavia, metaphors, similes, and irony are used extensively in business dealings, not to be impolite but to strongly emphasize a point. In the US, Canada, and Germany, such figures of speech are more likely to be taken literally, causing possible, unintended offence.

Table Communicating the strategy

Method of communication	Factors to consider
Detailed Report The whole plan, including the planning process and change projects.	Documentation should be clearly laid out and backed up with the analysis information. Only superiors and key team members should receive the plan in its entirety.
Outline Report A one-page outline of the strategy; extracts of the plan relevant to the stakeholder.	This report should be personalized for stakeholders, stressing factors that will have a direct effect on them. Any other parties who might benefit from the information can receive an outline report.
Presentation A summary of the strategy and implementation plan using visual aids.	Presentation material must look professional and convincing. Team members, internal stakeholders, and manager’s peer group should be invited.
Newsletters Updates on the progress of the strategy and plan.	Reports should be kept brief and circulated to team members and stakeholders regularly. Preparing newsletters can be delegated to a key team member.
Letters and E-Mails Specific extracts from the strategy and plan, or updates on change projects.	These are quick to produce and useful for keeping a large number of people updated. Stakeholders with a limited interest in the strategy need only minimal information.

Gaining commitment

When communicating the strategy, encourage your audience to ask themselves the question, “So what does this mean to me and the way I do my job?” This helps them to understand the strategy. Ask people to commit to their role in the plan, and, where it is important, confirm those commitments in writing. Communicating the plan is also a continuous process. Ensure you keep those who need to know regularly updated on progress.