Many companies have a strategy — often well-documented, visually polished, and presented with confidence. Yet somehow… nothing changes. Teams keep operating the old way, frontline managers don’t buy in, and employees are unclear about the company’s direction. Why? Because strategy without engagement remains just a document.
Strategy Known Only to the Board
The board is pleased, the presentation is ready, the goals are ambitious. But on the ground — no excitement, no alignment. Why? Because the strategy was created in a small room, often with a consultant, disconnected from daily operations. It may make sense, but it lacks ownership, clarity, and execution power.
People Don’t Execute What They Don’t Understand
At one of the companies I worked with, leaders from all departments co-created the strategy. We discussed risks, priorities, even the budget. The result? Greater engagement — and better decisions, because ground-level insights shifted top-level assumptions. It stopped being someone else’s strategy. It became our plan.
Engagement ≠ Democracy
Engaging people in strategy doesn’t mean every voice carries equal weight. It’s not about voting — it’s about drawing on the perspectives of those closest to customers, products, and problems.
The role of leadership? Listen, synthesize, decide — but first: invite input. In corporations, this means collecting field insights early, and later refining through strategic workshops.
What Mature Companies Do
- Organize strategic workshops with leaders and experts from different levels.
- Involve teams in analyzing competition, risks, and growth barriers.
- Communicate strategic assumptions early, not just post-launch.
- Measure not only results, but also understanding and buy-in.
At one manufacturing firm, only after speaking to sales did the leadership realize the competition had already changed the game. That insight shifted the entire strategy — just in time. A month later would’ve been too late.
Strategy Is a Team Sport
It’s not about giving every employee a say in the strategy document. It’s about making sure they understand the direction and know how their work supports it. That they’re not just “executing something from HQ,” but part of a plan they know and believe in.
Because without execution, strategy doesn’t exist.
Simple.
👉 If you want your strategy to work, don’t just ask “Do we have one?”
Ask: “Who actually knows it — and feels ownership over it?”