From strategy to shared direction
Creating clarity and shared priorities within a global communications team of a multinational technology and engineering organisation
Context
When I joined the global communications team, the strategy was nearly ready.
Ambitious. Well thought through. And overwhelming.
The team was responsible for translating a broad corporate communications strategy into clear, credible outcomes across a highly complex global organisation – spanning multiple industries, products and regions. With more than 1'000 authors worldwide and a global website that had lost clarity and coherence, the real risk wasn’t a lack of ideas – it was losing focus, credibility and momentum.
The turning point
It came when the team stopped trying to make sense of everything at once.
Until then, the strategy had pulled the team into too much detail too early. Instead of creating momentum, it increased overload – especially at leadership level.
We shifted the conversation. Away from “How do we fix all of this?” Towards “Where can we create impact first?”
By applying a systems-thinking lens, we identified a small number of leverage points — areas where focused action would unlock movement across the wider system. It wasn’t about finding the perfect priority. It was about choosing a starting point everyone could commit to.
What changed first
Instead of debating all topics, teams aligned on a small set of priorities. Meetings became calmer and more focused. Questions shifted from “What are we missing?” to “What do we do next?”
Ownership changed early on. Clear focus areas were assigned, and teams knew where they were expected to contribute — and where not to engage yet. That alone reduced noise and friction.
Most importantly, people stopped circling around the strategy and started working with it. The strategy became a guide for decisions, not a document to interpret.
Impact
The global communications team moved from overload to orientation.
Instead of reacting to everything at once, teams worked from a shared direction. Priorities were clear, responsibilities defined, and discussions became more constructive. Topics that didn’t matter now stopped dominating attention.
The website and content work regained credibility — not because everything was fixed, but because there was finally a clear logic behind decisions and sequencing.
Teams pulled together around one direction. Focus replaced fragmentation. And the strategy started to translate into visible progress, step by step.
Why this matters
Digital transformation often fails not because strategies are wrong, but because people don’t know where to start.
This case shows how clarity creates movement. When priorities are visible and shared, teams stop debating and start acting. Focus reduces noise. Ownership replaces hesitation. And strategy becomes something people can work with — not something they need to interpret.
For organisations operating in complex, global environments, this kind of clarity isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s what protects credibility, energy and trust over time.
Progress starts when teams agree on what matters now — not on everything that matters.
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