160. Best of: How to Communicate Your Gameplan

Communication Role

Effective communication is crucial for strategic alignment and adaptation within organizations. Jesper Sørensen emphasizes that strategy should not be a top-down directive but a collaborative effort involving all levels of an organization. He argues that a strategy is essentially an argument, a set of assumptions leading to a conclusion about how to create and capture economic value 1. This approach requires clear communication to ensure everyone understands the strategic goals and can contribute to refining them. Matt Abrahams highlights the importance of listening to frontline workers, as many great strategies are discovered through their insights 2.

Strategy is really both. It's both top down and bottom up. And so you have to be able to articulate what it is that you want to stay and where you think we should be going, but then also be able to listen and hear where you might be wrong.

--- Jesper Sørensen

This dynamic approach allows organizations to adapt their strategies to an ever-changing landscape.

   

Strategic Storytelling

Storytelling is a powerful tool for spreading and reinforcing strategic goals within organizations. Matt Abrahams and Jesper Sørensen discuss how effective storytelling can communicate strategy more compellingly than traditional methods like posters or memos 3. A good strategy story should have a clear narrative and logical coherence, allowing team members to understand and internalize the strategic vision 4. Sørensen stresses the importance of relentless communication, where leaders share not just the strategy but the reasoning behind it, enabling employees to propagate the strategy and engage in productive discussions 5.

The more you can just be aware of the need to always be communicating what your reasoning is and what your logic is, the better off you'll be.

--- Jesper Sørensen

This approach not only aligns the team but also empowers them to adapt and refine strategies as needed.