Don’t miss your single biggest opportunity to re-engage your people
Every year at about this time, businesses pour time and effort into shaping their strategy and setting objectives and goals for the coming year. For many, this is a process that happens in a closed room with only the senior leadership team present. The focus is on numbers, forecasts, and what’s most likely to achieve Board sign-off or generate pushback. Yet the real opportunity in planning comes after the plan is written - when it’s shared with the people who will deliver it.
And that’s the bit that’s so often neglected. Too often, strategy documents are published as static PDFs or slides, posted in a dark corner of the Intranet or ‘sent to all’ by email with little explanation. Employees are left wondering: What does this mean for me? Why should I care? How will I contribute? The result? A lack of connection, negative energy and strategies that feel imposed rather than owned.
When leaders publish their strategy, they’re holding a moment of possibility. It’s a natural point in the year to reflect on everyone’s success, as well as a chance to reset, re-engage, and refocus. Your people are looking for clarity and direction. If you take the time to communicate effectively, you can reignite their motivation and align everyone behind a common purpose.
Clearly communicating the business plan to everyone also transforms the quality of the one-to-one conversations that follow. Individual objective-setting and development discussions become more meaningful when employees understand how their goals contribute to the bigger picture. Instead of working in isolation, people can see the direct line between their role and the company’s success. Even better, it opens the door for employees to bring forward their own ideas about how to deliver the strategy, turning a one-way briefing into a collaborative process that sparks innovation and ownership.
Ways to bring your strategy to life for your teams
Make it human: Cut out the jargon and talk in plain English about what the strategy means. Share the “why” behind the decisions, not just the targets.
Connect the dots: Help every team and individual understand how their work directly contributes to the bigger picture.
Open the dialogue: Strategy launches should spark two-way discussion, not just be an opportunity for a lecture. Invite questions, create space for feedback, and show you’re listening.
A Board-approved strategy document won’t be enough to ensure the success of your organisation in 2026. What will make the difference is a workforce that understands the direction, sees their role in it, and feels inspired to deliver. So, when you publish your 2026 plan, don’t think of it as the end of the process. Think of it as the beginning of a conversation; one that can energise your people, strengthen culture, and set your organisation up for success.
Ambition HR is a boutique HR consultancy specialising in helping HR Directors and Executive leadership teams deliver people strategy, transformation, and culture with confidence. From getting the basics right to managing big change projects, we’ll support you with trusted advice and qualified expertise. Get in touch for an informal chat about how we may be able to help your business continue to thrive in 2026.