Communicate your business strategy and gain employee buy in
Outline your strategy through your business story
Your strategic narrative or business story should include details of your business origins, how it has got to where it is and how you plan to move forward and grow through your business strategy. Your business story can be written or verbal, shown through images, videos or diagrams. It is a good idea to publish your business story on your company website so that people, including potential customers and suppliers, are aware of your background and future business direction.
Use your story to outline your business strategy
You can use your strategic narrative to help you communicate your business strategy and gain employee buy-in that strategy. You should be clear on the vision for your business, future direction and what inspires you about it. Outlining your business strategy in clear unambiguous terms so that all your staff understands it can help build common purpose across all levels of your organisation.
Map out your business narrative
Mapping out your own thoughts can help you form a framework for the story of your business, which you can then ask senior managers and employees to contribute to or amend. Download a sample structure for a strategic narrative (DOC, 14K).
Work with senior managers to develop a strategic narrative
You need to work closely with senior managers to decide how to tell your business story and develop your business strategy. You all need to make a clear and consistent commitment to communicate and support this business narrative.
Some businesses hold away days for this purpose, others use workshops.