Why direction is more than just a compelling narrative

Direction matters. Whether it’s the transformational vision and purpose (more on that in a minute) of the organisation or the day-to-day delivery of the outcomes that will get us there, direction is critical.

Direction that makes connections

Organisational and leadership direction guides decision making and helps people make meaningful connections between the work they do and the vision and purpose of the organisation. It helps build ownership by allowing people to use their abilities to contribute and shape the outcomes.

It increases engagement and satisfaction because people are valued and they understand how the contributions they make, make a difference. And there’s plenty of research that shows that building mutual trust and empowering employees to solve problems increases employee engagement and productivity.

A compelling common purpose

But organisations, particularly large organisations, can be like ecosystems. Multiple different teams play an individual role in delivering on the vision and purpose. In these scenarios a transformational vision and purpose are critical to providing a common purpose that speaks to all of them.

It needs to be compelling, memorable and simple; it needs to be anchored in why your organisation exists, and FYI “to create shareholder value” isn’t going to cut it with employees today, who are more driven by meaningful work and making a difference.

But even the most compelling, unifying message isn’t going to give everyone the clarity they need to play their role in achieving it. When it reaches your frontline, the rubber really hits the road, and they’re going to have plenty of questions – not least of which will be “what does it mean to me?”.

And the answer to that question, and the actions that follow, will be the deciding factor between whether they are words that look good on a poster or words that drive a transformational change in your organisation.

The power of social circles

This is where understanding the power of social circles and the influence they exert come into play. A CEO might run the company, but a frontline employee doesn’t report to the CEO or work with them every day. How your leadership team embrace the vision and purpose, their ability to translate it for their teams and empower them to put it into action, and whether they decide to “Walk the talk” is where the real difference is won or lost.

So yes, you need a vision, purpose and a compelling narrative as to why your organisation exists. But you also need a strategy that talks to how it gets realised; a unified leadership team that can empower their teams to translate it into plans; and employees who feel motivated to deliver it.

And you need a strategic internal communications function that unpacks it over time by communicating with purpose, providing a voice for employees and coaches and supporting leaders to connect their people to purpose, and providing the insights required to bring it all together.