The Modern Leader series: A guide to consistent strategic communication

Modern leadership attribute No.7: Making strategy real: A leader’s guide to consistent strategic communication

When employees can’t see their future in your organization, it’s often because they’re missing a crucial piece of the puzzle: A clear understanding of where the organization is headed and how their career path fits into that journey.

One of the biggest traps leaders fall into is assuming that because they’ve shared the strategy once, employees can connect these dots themselves.

The reality is that employees need to hear repeatedly not only what the strategy is and its natural evolution, but also the role they play in it and how it creates opportunities for their growth and development.

The 3C Framework for strategic communication

To make strategy real, use the “3C Framework”:

Context 

1. Frame the bigger picture.
2. Explain the “why” behind decisions.
3. Connect current initiatives to future goals.

Clarity

1. Use simple, jargon-free language.
2. Provide specific examples.
3. Break down complex concepts.

Connection

1. Link strategy to individual roles.
2. Show progress and impact.
3. Celebrate strategic wins.

Making it work: Your weekly communication rhythm

Here’s a practical approach to weaving strategy into your regular communications:

Monday team huddles

1. Share one strategic priority for the week.
2. Connect team tasks to broader goals.
3. Address questions about direction.

 Wednesday check-ins

1. Review progress on strategic initiatives.
2. Share success stories.
3. Identify and remove obstacles.

 Friday wrap-ups

1. Celebrate strategic wins.
2. Preview next week’s focus.
3. Reinforce key messages.

The power of strategic storytelling

Don’t simply share data — share stories that bring strategy to life. Here’s a simple format:

1. Situation: What was the challenge?
2. Action: What did we do?
3. Strategic link: How did this support our strategy?
4. Result: What was the impact?
5. Learning: What did we discover?

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

1. The “One and Done” trap
   1. Thinking one town hall or communication covers it.
   2. Not reinforcing messages regularly.
   3. Failing to connect daily work to strategy.
2. The “Too Complex” challenge
   1. Using technical jargon.
   2. Overwhelming with details.
   3. Missing emotional connection.
3. The “Missing Link” problem
   1. Not connecting the strategy to individual roles.
   2. Focusing on “what” without explaining “why.”
   3. Skipping success stories.

Quick implementation guide

Start tomorrow:

1. Take 5 minutes in your next team meeting to share one strategic priority.
2. Ask each team member how their current project supports that priority.
3. Document and share one success story that illustrates strategy in action.

Next week:

1. Review your recurring meeting agendas — add strategic connection points.
2. Create a simple one-page strategy summary to always connect back to.
3. Discuss strategy for 15 minutes at your check-ins with key team members.

Next month:

1. Develop a communication calendar.
2. Build a library of strategic success stories.
3. Train your team leads on strategic messaging.

Self-assessment questions

1. How often do you explicitly connect daily work to strategy?
2. Can your team members articulate how their work supports organizational goals?
3. What’s your process for gathering and sharing strategic success stories?
4. How do you measure whether your strategic messages are getting through?

Get additional insights on how to activate your strategy and accelerate results with employees through the help of this free guide.

If you found this framework helpful, you’ll appreciate the insights David Grossman’s new book, The Heart Work of Modern Leadership, publishing Summer 2025.

Click here to learn more and put your name on the list to be among the first to get updates on pre-sale.

About The Modern Leader series

Discover actionable insights released biweekly, designed to help you elevate your own leadership impact and drive the business results you seek.

So, how do you know if you’re a modern leader?

Modern leaders stand apart through their ability to balance head and heart in today’s complex workplace, integrating emotional intelligence with strategic thinking.

New research with The Harris Poll (publishing Summer 2025) shows only 30% of leaders truly meet their teams’ evolving needs — but that elite group leads with “their heart IN their head” and consistently demonstrates six key differentiators.

They:

• Lead with gratitude.
• Listen and empathize.
• Foster an inclusive culture.
• Communicate with context.
• Connect strategy to employee growth.
• Enable employees to meet the moment.

To see additional ways you can differentiate yourself as a modern leader, check out the collection of modern leadership attributes (added bi-weekly) here.