Here's how you can effectively convey intricate concepts to diverse stakeholders in Strategy.

You have to think about your stakeholders as customers and your strategy as the product you are trying to sell to them. Thus, be customer obsessed so that you deeply understand their needs, their pain points, and how they like to receive information. Use all this to tailor the information you provide to your "customers".

Knowing your audience is the always the first step. Know your audience , their language, need and goals before framing your strategy. Make sure you are connecting with your audience and showing right methods.

Understanding your audience is crucial when conveying intricate concepts, especially within strategy. As strategists, we often navigate a landscape of complex ideas and multifaceted data. The real challenge lies in translating these complexities into clear, actionable insights for diverse stakeholders. Demonstrating that you understand your audience’s needs and concerns builds credibility and trust. Stakeholders are more likely to support strategies they feel are developed with their specific context in mind. Trust reduces the resistance to change, and knowing your audience allows you to anticipate objections and address them proactively. This strategic foresight can turn potential detractors into advocates.

To convey complex strategies to diverse stakeholders, first crack the code of your audience. Decipher their interests, expertise, and communication styles. Then, craft a tailored narrative that distills intricate concepts into actionable insights, illuminating the path to informed decision-making and collective success!

There are two things to understand when communicating. One is personal, the other is professional. On a personal note understand that not everyone sees or hears in the same way so unless you know the individuals really well, vary your communication. Use a combination of words, (written and spoken), use pictures, use charts and use humour, not a lot, you are not doing stand-up, but just enough to engage your audience. Professionally, think about the results you want to get. However complex your subject boil it down to three and then present them in a number of formats. Make sure there is a take away, follow up with the three points. And never assume that your audience is as interested in your subject as you are.

Less is always more. I think the first decade of building, selling and executing strategies I would create very elaborate strategies and very complicated storylines. It was only in the second decade of doing strategy work that I realize that this approach led to less alignment, less commitment, less understanding. So now I approach the development and the selling of strategy in the simplest way that is still effective, to assure that it an be "Sold" and that alignment and commitment is easy to obtain.

Simplification is the ultimate key to understanding. Distill intricate strategies into concise, bite-sized insights, using analogies, metaphors, and visual storytelling. By stripping away jargon and ambiguity, you'll empower diverse stakeholders to grasp complex ideas, drive informed decision-making, and propel collective success. Clarity is the ultimate catalyst for strategic momentum!

Visual tools play very important role. Flow chart , diagram and data display always trigger to take action. Always present simplest and easiest visual display.

Simply put, We bring our ideas to life through visualization! By using images, diagrams, and charts, you can simplify complex information, making it easier for diverse stakeholders to understand and engage with your message. Visual storytelling helps to illustrate relationships between ideas, highlight key insights, and drive meaningful discussions. By leveraging visual elements, you can facilitate a shared understanding of your strategic vision, fostering alignment and driving collective success.

Create a storyline and show it through an Infographic-like slide. Hook the reader with an exciting callout and ensure it is tailored to the right audience. Synthesize the data through graphs to visualize the achievements. Guide the audience through the slide logically (side-by-side verticals; quad chart). Highlight notable story findings—what was it, why was it, so what? Close with high-impact metrics.

We can't resist a good story. Storytelling is a powerful tool to simplify complexity. Stories invite us to reflect on matters from a broader perspective. They are wired in our minds, triggering imagination and emotions. Find analogies or metaphors to link the unknown with the known. Use humor to break the ice. Start with something people can relate to, e.g., a movie scene or history you share. Add statistics and examples that lend credibility to what you say. End with an insight that makes the concept interesting, e.g., an element people expect but are not certain about. Pick one or two people to help you deliver the story to mirror the audience's diversity. Observe how the story is received and transported across the organization. Hone it.

By sharing relatable narratives, you can humanize complex ideas, making them more accessible and memorable for diverse stakeholders. Storytelling helps to contextualize information, illustrate key themes, and evoke emotional connections. By sharing your vision through engaging stories, you can inspire stakeholders, foster a shared understanding, and drive strategic alignment. Make your message more relatable and impactful by wrapping it in a story that resonates!

I like to shape my stories with the following outline: What was the challenge, the problem, or call to action. What was the solution, what made it work -- what differentiated it. What was the impact, the results. Quantify where possible.

When developing your strategy, having dialogue with your key stakeholders can help you finetune and adapt the strategy to include a more holistic view of the market, your customers, and your company. When selling the strategy, an open dialogue with your stakeholders will have a direct impact on creating a deeper commitment, a more robust alignment, and a better overall understanding of what the strategy is and what it's not.

By fostering a culture that encourages dialogue and open discussion, you can facilitate a deeper understanding of complex ideas among diverse stakeholders. Encourage questions, solicit feedback, and acknowledge perspectives to create a safe and inclusive environment. Through active listening and thoughtful responses, you can clarify misconceptions, address concerns, and build trust. By engaging in meaningful dialogue, you can co-create a shared understanding of your strategic vision and drive collective success. Spark insightful conversations that ignite engagement

I would also offer to think about how much time you have to convey the concepts to your stakeholders. For instance, in a 30 minute office call, which may be taken up by five minutes of small talk or introductions, you should avoid an in-depth explanation. This can lead to more confusion, especially if time is not left for questions. If your time is limited, plan ahead for your discussion based on your audience, prioritize your goals for the conversation, and ensure your talking points are clear and succinct. As a suggestion, writing down your talking points in bullet point format, using two to three sentences per bullet, is a good exercise to prepare for your engagements with stakeholders.