Should the Strategy be Communicated? How Much? To Whom?




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Karl Christensen
Strategy Consultant, Mexico

Should the Strategy be Communicated? How Much? To Whom?

Communicating strategy involves much more than talk. There are numerous pitfalls or issues which must be resolved for the strategy to be effectively communicated. For example, in some instances executives argue with good reason that to fully communicate the organization´s strategy is to court (Editor: ~attract) disaster. Thus, one CEO has a five year strategy which, when it is fully implemented, will mean severe disruption to a major subsidiary. He does not want to rock the boat prematurely. An energy company thought it wiser not to publicize its strategy because it would become a sitting duck for regulatory agencies.
Such reservations have merit. Discretion may indeed be the better part of valor. Fully communicating strategy may not always be in the best interest of the organization, especially where that strategy is sensitive. Each situation has its own constraints, There is no one formula guiding how much strategy to communicate. However, where limitations are put on communications, those limitations must be carefully considered. They may not only handicap a manager´s ability to keep decisions consistent with the overall strategy, but they may erode commitment to the organization.
Regardless of where you are on the strategy-communications continuum, from significant discretion to full disclosure, critical issues about communication must be allowed to surface and be resolved. What should be communicated about the strategy and where and when should it be said? How much should be said and to whom? Stockholders? Middle Managers? Supervisors? Employees? Union Leaders? Customers? Government? What forms should the communication take? Who should do the communicating?
These questions seem relatively straightforward, but recall the situation mentioned earlier in which a corporate strategy meant severe disruption to a major subsidiary.
 

Rating

 
9
Erika Bellander
Management Consultant, Sweden
 

Strategy Communication

I do not agree. I think the first issue is to HAVE a proper strategy. It should preferably consist o... Sign up

 
16
Roman Walley
Management Consultant, United States
 

The Strategy Should Be Communicated. The 4Ps of William Bridges

I disagree that you shouldn't communicate the strategy. I think that too many CEOs would use that as... Sign up

 
8
Patrick Mulvey
Management Consultant, United States
 

Prudence is Appropriate in Communicating Strategy

Karl, your premise is correct, in that prudence is always appropriate. Even if not disruptive, there... Sign up

 
5
Ted Garrison
Management Consultant, United States
 

Communicate the Strategy. No need for Secrecy

@Patrick Mulvey: I agree, if you don't communicate the strategy how do expect to execute it? In fact... Sign up

 
5
Patrick Mulvey
Management Consultant, United States
 

Communicating the Strategy yes. But Prudently!

Let's be clear: prudence means prudence. I don't believe anyone is recommending a lack of prudence. ... Sign up

 
3
Alan Kennedy, Canada
 

The Focus of Communicating Strategy

Maybe the point Mr Christensen is making is that agreeing on a strategy and communicating it are two... Sign up

 
0
Tom Wilson
HR Consultant, United States
 

Strategy Should be Generally Broadcasted

@Patrick Mulvey: As Lance Armstrong said: "our training is our strategy": we deal with contingencies... Sign up

 
0
Makini
Business Consultant
 

Communication of Strategy in an Organisation is not Necessarily a CEO Job

Following the discussion above, one feels that the initiator has grounded his argument using Mintzbe... Sign up

 
2
Y Srinivas rao
Manager, India
 

When to Communicate Strategy (Timing)

In my opinion TIMING is the determining factor for all these questions. Experience teaches us how ... Sign up

 
5
Albin Xavier
Manager, India
 

Generic and Specific Strategy Communication

- Generic, basic tennets of the organization's strategy should be communicated to the entire organiz... Sign up

 
7
Dennis van der Spoel
Management Consultant, Netherlands
 

Communicating Strategic Positioning (Sinek's Golden Circle)

You should discuss strategy with your own people. How else do you expect them to act accordingly? Pe... Sign up

 
1
GLADYS TIBALEKA, Uganda
 

Communicating Strategy

@Y Srinivas rao: I agree with you that communicating strategy is all about timing. When and to what ... Sign up

 
1
Frank
Manager, China
 

Internal Communication Plans Needed for Various Organizational Levels

For such high level strategy, the company needs internal communication plans. These should have targ... Sign up

 
1
RAKESH ARORA, India
 

Strategy Communication on a Need to Know Basis

The answer does not lie in a Yes or No. Infact, the answer is a mix of pragmatism and experience. Ap... Sign up

 
1
Pat Hannon
Lecturer, Ireland
 

Communicating a Strategic Plan is Critical for Foundations of Success

In order to manage strategic change, communicating a strategic plan is critical to building the foun... Sign up

 
2
Olivier Riviere
Management Consultant, France
 

Communicating Only a Part of your Strategy is Often a Necessity

By communicating a strategy, a set of tactics or product plans (= 3 different levels), a company "pr... Sign up

 
0
Wilf Marshall
CxO / Board, United Kingdom
 

Employees can also Provide INPUT for the Strategy

Interesting debate but it is rather based on the idea that members of the organization don't already... Sign up

 
3
alonge
Teacher, Nigeria
 

Preparing the Communication of the Strategy

Before actually communicating a strategy (or not!), the management can get the peoples' perspectives... Sign up

 
1
Belay Gezahegn
Director, Ethiopia
 

Disclosure of Strategy

Strategy is a sketched map that leads to a vision. In a battle field strategy, the precise plan is n... Sign up

 
2
Conroy Fourie
Coach, South Africa
 

Sometimes Not Communicating the Strategy is Called For

Some years ago I ran a business and we communicated the strategy fully and had all the elements in p... Sign up

 
0
Andrea Kelly, Jamaica
 

Communicating Strategy is Important

The communication of strategy is important to build the strategy map to achieve what is intended. Co... Sign up

 
3
Barry Schaeffer
Consultant, United States
 

Strategy Communication

I think we may be confusing Strategy and Tactics. A strategy is the broad goal set for any organiza... Sign up

 
-2
Ngwashu kelvine, Cameroon
 

Communicating your Strategy Could Help Develop Organisational Framework

McKinsey didn't make a mistake to include 7Ses in their 7S framework or concept. Which means to deve... Sign up

 
3
Patrick Cauley
Manager, United States
 

Communication of Strategy is Power Behind Change

In John Kotter's book “Leading Change”, he describes 8 reasons why many change effort fail (whether ... Sign up

 
1
Gandhi Heryanto
Management Consultant, Indonesia
 

Support Communication of Strategy with Easy Data

Michael Birshan and Jayanti Kar, in McKinsey Quarterly said that you don’t need a formal strategy ro... Sign up

 
2
Tom Wilson
HR Consultant, United States
 

Communicating Strategy Through Purposing and Action Research

@Gandhi Heryanto: Peter Vaiil recommends meeting everyday for "Purposing", which is a daily translat... Sign up

 
2
HAIDER ANWAR RASHID, Saudi Arabia
 

Without Communication, Strategy Will Remain Wishful Thinking

@Pat Hannon: Yes, a strategy is only as good as execution. There are many cases when a good strategy... Sign up

 
2
Andrew Blaine
Business Consultant, South Africa
 

Strategy: to Tell or not to Tell

@Conroy Fourie: In my opinion, the step you took to limit the knowledge was a tactical decision, ba... Sign up

 
0
Ofwono Willy Osinde
Project Manager, Uganda
 

Caution in Communication Strategy is Advisable

I agree that every organisation must have a strategy and communicate it. But as @Patrick Mulvey said... Sign up

 
3
Alan Kennedy, Canada
 

To Communicate the Strategy we first Need to Understand it...

Communicating the why's, how's, and what's of strategy assumes a good understanding of those factors... Sign up

 
0
Arif ur Rehman
Professor, Pakistan
 

Upping the Communication of Strategy

STRATEGY begs, nay demands, that it be based on simplicity, transparency, rationality, authenticity,... Sign up

 
0
Tom Wilson
HR Consultant, United States
 

Upping the Communication of Strategy

@Arif ur Rehman: Well, yeah. MBO is another term for action research. You say tomato...... Sign up

 
0
LEAH LYNDA I. STA ANA
Student (MBA), Philippines
 

Communicating Strategy

Strategy should be communicated. As to why how and what it is for the top management to decide: - T... Sign up

 
0
Tom Wilson
HR Consultant, United States
 

COMMUNICATING STRATEGY

@LEAH LYNDA I. STA ANA: A mission statement is probably the most important strategic communication ... Sign up

 
0
jorge anibal hoyos hoyos
Manager, Colombia
 

... Then what About Coordination?

If the strategy is not communicated clearly and clear-cut into what general frame the components of ... Sign up

 
0
anil aggarwal
Teacher, India
 

Communicating the Strategy- the Essential Step while Implementing Strategy

The communication of appropriate information (strategy related) to the concerned individuals or grou... Sign up

 
0
Andrew Blaine
Business Consultant, South Africa
 

Vision ≠ Mission ≠ Strategy ≠ Tactics

When describing the difference between strategy and vision, I often use the following simile situati... Sign up

 
0
Dennis van der Spoel
Management Consultant, Netherlands
 

Golden Circle is a Start

@Dennis van der Spoel: The Golden Circle is a start, a tool to structure your mission and vision. Ex... Sign up

 
0
Arif ur Rehman
Professor, Pakistan
 

Essentials of Communicating Strategy

Top management must design the business plan and frame strategies to execute it. To proceed with the... Sign up

 
2
Arif ur Rehman
Professor, Pakistan
 

Delivering the Mission Statement

Dear all: a mission statement -- compact proclamation by an organization -- conveys its ‘raison d'ęt... Sign up

 
0
zulganef sutan sati, Indonesia
 

Strategy Must be Communicated

@Erika Bellander: How could you differentiate between strategy and the plan that breaks down from th... Sign up

 
0
Erika Bellander
Management Consultant, Sweden
 

Breaking Down Strategy Communication

@Zulganef sutan sati: The breakdown will look at the areas that you need to enhance the the strategy... Sign up

 
1
Belay Gezahegn
Director, Ethiopia
 

Communicate the Strategy, Not the Tactics

I think strategy and tactics are confused here. The strategy to make your organisation profitable is... Sign up

 
2
dev chandra
Management Consultant, India
 

Communicate the Strategy, not the Plan / Tactics

Instead of getting into the semantics of strategy versus plan versus tactics, communicate what's nec... Sign up

 
1
Molokanova
Professor, Ukraine
 

Strategy is in the Mind of the Leader

We need to accept the following fact. Strategy is not something that is bragged about to the public ... Sign up

   

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