Does Your Team Really Understand Your Strategy?
You’ve done the hard work. You’ve built a strong strategy. Held the all-hands meetings. Polished the slides. Sent the decks.
But here’s the real question: if you stopped someone in the hallway (or Zoom room) and asked, “What are our top strategic priorities?” – would they know? Could they tell you how their work supports them?
If your gut says “maybe,” you’re not alone. Most leaders want to believe the strategy has landed, but often it hasn’t.
The Illusion of Understanding: When Surveys Lie
A lot of companies lean on engagement surveys to check the pulse. They throw in questions like, “Do you understand the company strategy?” The answers come back: Yes. Mostly. Kind of.
And it feels reassuring – until you dig deeper.
The problem? These surveys measure confidence, not comprehension.
A more honest approach is this: give people a mixed list of strategic priorities – some real, some fake – and ask them to pick out the actual ones. Suddenly, the “yeses” disappear, and you get a clearer picture of what’s really understood.
Why It Matters More Than Ever
Engaged employees can drive up to four times more profit than disengaged ones. But engagement doesn’t start with perks or ping pong tables. It starts with clarity.
And that’s where the cracks begin to show. 84% of employees might say they know the top priorities, but only a few can actually name them. And even fewer still can explain how their work connects
That’s not a small gap, but a real risk to strategy execution.
Strategy Understanding Fades Down the Org Chart
Think of understanding as a pyramid:
- At the top, execs usually know the plan inside out.
- Middle managers? They might remember two or three priorities.
- Frontline teams? Maybe one – if any.
This isn’t about competence. It’s about context. The further someone is from the original discussion, the fuzzier things get.
So How Can You Actually Measure Understanding?
Forget vague surveys. Here are three sharper tools:
- Fake-out surveys
Add false priorities to the mix. It forces people to stop and think instead of defaulting to “yes.” - Role-based quizzes
Ask employees how their work supports specific objectives. If they can’t explain it, the strategy isn’t sticking. - Interactive tools
Let people explore the strategy visually – like with Amplon’s Hoshin Kanri X Matrix. Seeing how company goals connect to daily tasks makes strategy feel real, not abstract.
When Understanding Turns Into Alignment
When people get the strategy, they don’t just nod in agreement, they act:
- They prioritize smarter
- They collaborate more meaningfully
- They catch misalignments early
Tools like Amplon’s X Matrix don’t just map strategy – they connect the dots between long-term goals, short-term projects, KPIs, and ownership. It’s all in one view, so everyone knows where they fit and how they contribute.
Final Thought: Strategy Is a Shared Language
A strategy isn’t just a document – it’s a language. And if your team isn’t fluent, it’s time to rethink how you’re communicating it.
Start with clarity. Test for real understanding. And turn strategy into something your whole team can live – not just leadership’s best-kept secret.
