Building A Business Strategy That Resonates With Employees

Does your strategy connect to every layer of your organization? A great strategy is a guide that shapes how teams work and where they focus. It bridges the gap between big-picture goals and the decisions made every day by product managers, engineers, designers, and marketers. But for it to work, teams need to see it, understand it, and believe in it. The key to bringing a strategy to life is clear and consistent communication. Leaders often assume people “get it” after one meeting, but that’s rarely the case. Leaders need to communicate it in a variety of ways, constantly: in memos, recapped in town halls, kicking off roadmap reviews, etc. Remind teams how their work contributes to the bigger picture. Give them a story they can connect with, one that gives them direction and purpose. At the same time, strategy isn’t about micromanaging. You need to provide clarity while also empowering teams to make their own decisions. Set the vision, identify the goals, outline the boundaries, and trust your teams to figure out how to get there with the solutions. That’s how you scale effectively without losing momentum. A strategy is not set in stone. Deploying strategy requires flexibility. Test your assumptions, listen to your teams, and be ready to adapt when new data comes in. 💡 If you want to learn how to create and deploy strategies that your teams can rally behind, our Product Strategy course covers this in depth. You’ll learn how to connect strategy to execution and ensure everyone is aligned. How do you make sure your strategy resonates across your organization? I’d love to hear what’s worked for you—share your thoughts in the comments! #productinstitute #productstrategy #leadership #productmanagement #teamalignment #strategyexecution #businessgrowth

Change doesn’t fail because people resist it. It fails because people feel left out of it. If employees feel like change is happening to them—instead of with them—You will get compliance at best. But if they feel like they’re part of something bigger? That’s when commitment begins. Engagement isn’t about cheerleading from the top. It’s about designing a process where people feel informed, involved, and empowered. Here are 7 ways to build real engagement during transformation: 🔹 1. Involve, Don’t Just Inform → People support what they help build. Invite them early into conversations. 🔹 2. Link Change to Personal Meaning → If it doesn't connect to their purpose, it won't stick. 🔹 3. Create Local Ownership → Make change visible at the team level—not just in strategy decks. 🔹 4. Recognize Early Adopters → Highlight those who lead by example to inspire the rest. 🔹 5. Share the Journey Publicly → Updates = traction. Visibility = trust. 🔹 6. Ask, Don’t Assume → Feedback isn’t a one-time event—it’s your fuel for course correction. 🔹 7. Provide Resources to Succeed → A new mindset needs the support of new tools and capabilities. Engagement is not an initiative. It’s a leadership discipline. And in every successful transformation, it’s the difference between quiet quitting and full commitment. If your team is navigating change and you need help building alignment, ownership, and follow-through… 📩 DM me “TRANSFORM” to explore how I support organizations as a fractional transformation executive—turning strategy into shared momentum.

The workplace change process isn’t just about redesigning space; it’s about using the process to redesign how people connect. The discovery process for workplace change is an opportunity to: 🔥 Build Empathy – Employees share experiences about what they need to do their best work, wherever they are working. 🔥 Drive Innovation – Employees engage in conversations about improving systems and processes, which can lead to reduced friction and improved productivity. 🔥 Strengthen Culture – A workplace designed with employees leads to stronger engagement and ownership of the resulting space. When organizations treat workplace change as a dialogue rather than a directive, they create spaces that don’t just house people—they support them. The process itself becomes a tool for building empathy, driving innovation, strengthening culture, and shaping a workplace that reflects how people actually work today. I recently read a great piece by Eoin Higgins on the rise of hospitality-like workplace amenities. He made key points I want to expand on—because employees, not designers, architects, facilities teams, or HR, should define what best serves them. To engage employees, try this structured discussion in small groups (3-4 people). Each question gets 8 minutes (total of 24 minutes). Have participants write their answers silently for one minute, then take turns sharing (1 minute each). The group selects a top idea from each person’s list to report out. Active Contribution vs. Passive Consumption – What ways of working encourage shared ownership of work, policies, processes, technology, and space? Friction as Meaningful Work – Oliver Burkeman suggests challenges create meaning. If friction were seen as valuable rather than something to eliminate, what would you want more (or less) of in your work? Engagement Beyond Perks – True engagement comes from purpose and shared endeavor. How do you connect with our organization’s purpose and others? What would improve engagement for you? These discussions will inform design decisions and foster ownership of outcomes. Research shows early employee participation increases adoption and support of workplace changes - and also builds connections, strengthening culture. Caveat: Don’t ask if you won’t listen—nothing frustrates employees more. Images by Josef Chalat of people sitting in a circle having a conversation (illustration of a facilitation method called "fishbowl").

Stop creating strategy that lives in powerpoint. Start making strategy that lives in action. Having a great strategy is only the first step—activating it is where the magic happens. But strategy activation doesn’t just happen on its own. It requires intentional focus, clear priorities, and critical decisions. Here’s a breakdown of the 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 with key decisions for each element: 1. Empathy – Treat Employees Like Customers: 🤝 How can we lower the friction for employees to do the right thing? 🤝 How can we strengthen the connection between roles and strategy? 🤝 What tools and resources will address their needs effectively? 2. Insight – Understand the Real Employee Experience: 🔍 What are the root causes of current behaviors that may block progress? 🔍 What are the barriers to adopting new behaviors? 🔍 What obstacles and counterforces do we need to remove? 3. Service – Think of Strategy as a Service: 🛠️ How do we shape strategy as a tool that empowers teams? 🛠️ How can we foster permissionless action? 🛠️ What mechanisms can we use to help employees make decisions aligned with the strategy? 4. Alignment – Connect Strategy to Behavior: 🎯 What specific behaviors are critical for success? 🎯 How are these new behaviors different from today's behaviors? 🎯 How do we make these behaviors actionable and easy to adopt? 5. Environment – Change the Environment to Drive New Behaviors: 🌍 What environmental factors are reinforcing misaligned behaviors? 🌍 How do we design triggers and feedback loops to encourage desired habits? 6. Clarity – Tailor Your Communication: 🗣️ How do we adapt our messaging to meet employees where they are? 🗣️ What communication methods will make our strategy clear and engaging? 7. Advocacy – Recruit Strategy Ambassadors: 📣 Who are the key influencers we can empower as strategy ambassadors? 📣 What tools and training do ambassadors need to succeed in their role? 8. Iteration – Use Pilots and Replication: 🔄 Where can we run pilots to test and demonstrate the strategy in action? 🔄 How do we refine and replicate successful approaches across the organization? 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲: Strategy activation isn’t just about creating a plan—it’s about enacting intentional choices that empower your people and create momentum. Which element do you think is most important?