Presenting a complex strategy to a diverse team. How do you ensure everyone is on the same page?

What has been most effective for me is to show how this “big” strategy can be seen and felt in small day to day actions in diverse roles. Beyond enhancing understanding, it makes everyone on the team feel like they can be part of delivering on that strategy. Let’s say the sales team has set a strategy around targeting existing, high-value customers. The admin team could be positioned as valuable partners to collect and look through customer data to identify these accounts; tracking and generating reports for ongoing optimisation of the approach. The marketing team could support by doing research on these customers’ behaviours and preferences, creating materials and communications that would align with the sales strategy.

When you need to present a complex strategy to a diverse team, yes it can absolutely help to simplify concepts, but this doesn't mean you need to dumb it down. Be sure to think thoughtfully about who your audience is on your team and what will be meaningful to them. For example, if your team is highly technical, you might want to make sure you simplify technical terms for those who are less technical, but still support your points and the strategy with data-driven insights and evidence that will resonate for everyone. Also, find ways to make the strategy memorable & succinct. For example, even the most complex strategy can be summarized into the TOP 3 points or 5 KEY take-aways to help everyone filter through the details of complexity.

Use clear, concise language and visual aids. Break down the strategy into manageable steps, ensuring relevance to each role. Encourage questions, provide summaries, and repeat key points. Foster an inclusive environment for feedback and collaboration.

Explain it in a way that even a child can understand you. By doing it you will: - save time on additional explanation; - make it sure that (almost) everyone will understand once it is said; - make it easier to follow in the future; - *peolpe tend to do more simple things over complex.

Very important is to simply put your strategy in simple language, and one of the best thing is to reflect this through visual. Good if the visual can be seen and felt too with a working model/ prototype. You will help all key stakeholders to be on same page and even make them understand the strategy in simple manner

Interactive Sessions: Make your presentation interactive to keep the team engaged and ensure understanding. Encourage questions throughout the presentation and allocate time for discussion after each major point. Use interactive tools like polls, quizzes, and breakout rooms to gauge understanding and allow team members to express their thoughts. This not only helps clarify any misunderstandings but also fosters a sense of participation and ownership. Additionally, consider conducting smaller, focused workshops or training sessions for specific components of the strategy, allowing for more in-depth exploration and discussion.

Pitch in the engaging sessions, training, workshops, games, and quizzes which will give the way for the fostered bonds. In addition, it will push the teammates to upskill.

Reinforcement and Follow-Up: Reinforce key elements of the strategy through regular follow-ups and updates. Schedule periodic check-ins to discuss progress, address any new questions or concerns, and reiterate important points. Use these sessions to celebrate milestones and share success stories that highlight the strategy’s effectiveness. Continuous reinforcement helps keep the strategy top-of-mind and ensures that team members remain aligned and motivated. Provide ongoing access to resources and support, such as dedicated channels for discussion, updated documentation, and access to subject matter experts who can provide additional guidance.

while developing a business plan or sharing strategy, good to share few pages as additional read and also share the material used during the meeting for reference. This builds a trust and also comes handy when someone need to refer and revisit the case.

Seek technological aid by providing strategized mind maps, recordings, soft copies of the demos, models for mock testing, infographics, etc.

Clear Roles and Responsibilities: Clearly define roles and responsibilities within the strategy to ensure everyone knows their part. Use detailed job descriptions, role-specific action plans, and accountability frameworks to outline expectations. This clarity helps prevent confusion and ensures that each team member understands how they contribute to the overall strategy. Hold regular meetings to discuss individual progress and address any challenges. By clearly delineating responsibilities, you empower team members to take ownership of their roles and feel more connected to the strategy’s success.

In EU tenders, we apply a variant of the Strategic Action Fields (SAFs) framework to effectively present complex strategies to diverse teams. Develop a shared understanding with a common language that all team members can comprehend. Acknowledge the roles of project partners and challengers, tailoring presentations to their interests. Facilitate interactive dialogues for feedback and concerns, allowing strategy refinement. Use SAFs negotiation tactics to adapt strategies based on feedback, ensuring flexibility and inclusivity. This approach ensures all team members understand and align with the strategy, fostering unity.