actionable Archive - The Art of Communicating

My beef with the North Star

It’s not that it’s a bad metaphor. It’s that it has lulled leaders into a completely wrong picture of what their job is.

The whole “North Star” thing makes it sound like clarity is about pointing somewhere far away. You put a shiny dot up in the sky, tell everyone that’s where we’re going, ideally using fancy words, and then sit back, satisfied that you’ve done your part.

But here’s the problem:
People don’t live up there.
They live down here.

On the ground, with obstacles in their way, fog all around, and a thousand confusing paths splitting off in every direction.

From down here, the North Star doesn’t tell you which turn to take. It doesn’t show you where the next step is. It doesn’t even guarantee you’re still heading in the right direction when the terrain gets messy.

And yet, I keep hearing leaders patting themselves on the back because they “set the North Star.”

As if that’s enough. As if that alone will get anyone moving.

It won’t.

Because people can’t follow stars. They need a little light on the path ahead. Something they can actually see. Something that shows them the next few meters clearly enough to walk with confidence.

That’s my beef with the North Star. It’s comforting. It’s poetic. But it’s too fancy to be useful.

If you want people to walk with you, stop pointing at the sky and start lighting the ground in front of them.

Keep lighting the path,
Michael

PS: This is also why A stands for actionable in the PATH framework.

Tesla’s PATH (or lack thereof)

Tesla has just released Master Plan Part IV.

It is ambitious. It speaks of “sustainable abundance” and “eliminating scarcity.” It paints a sweeping picture of a future reshaped by AI, robotics, and clean energy.

But here’s the problem.
I can see the horizon. I don’t see the path.

What made the very first master plan compelling was its plainness:
→ Build a sports car.
→ Use the money to build a more affordable car.
→ Use that to build an even more affordable one.

Anyone could see how one step would lead to the next. It was simple, specific, and believable.

Part IV, in contrast, leans heavily on big words and lofty promises. “Growth is infinite.” “Sustainable abundance.” “Redefining the fundamental building blocks of labor.”

These phrases sound impressive. But what do they mean in terms of actions? In particular: What’s the next step? Or how do teams prioritize choices to get them “closer” to the horizon? (And yes, you never really get closer to the horizon. That’s why I chose that name.)

Dare I say that these problems would have been obvious had the plan been run through the PATH filter?

Let’s make a quick check:

Plain and simple? Too often it drifts into abstractions like “sustainable abundance” instead of concrete steps.
Actionable? It pictures the horizon, but not the next move.
Transformative? Yes, but painted so broadly that it risks feeling utopian rather than grounded.
Heartfelt? More corporate-grandiose than personal. Somewhat heartfelt, but more in the register of tech optimism than genuine human connection.

It’s such a simple test. But it makes the difference between a message that inspires action and one that just sounds fancy.

Speaking of fancy and grandiose … I would bet some money that this was largely written by AI. It’ll give you grandiose words, but not necessarily clearer ones.

What are your thoughts on the master plan?

Keep lighting the path!

PS: By the way, for a master plan, it’s missing the one thing that would help it spread, a core credo simple enough to pass along.

The Choices you make

If everyone on your team stopped talking for a day, would the strategy still be obvious in their actions?

If not, I don’t think you have a strategy.
You have a slide deck.

Strategy shows up in the choices you make.
Your priorities.
Your behavior.

In other words: in what people actually do.

Not in what they say they’d do.
Or in what they really meant to do.
Or the fancy sounding ambitions they’ll never do.

Words can gloss over this. We’re good at coming up with good sounding stuff that pretends we’re making progress.

But what ultimately matters is: What actions do those words lead to?

Let’s take this thought a little further:

→ What would someone see if they watched your team for a day without hearing a single word?

→ What’s the clearest action your strategy should spark? Is everyone aware of it? And would they know it when they see it?

→ If your team had to explain the strategy without slides, what example would they point to?

Curious what comes up for you.
And I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

Keep lighting the path!

You don’t need a new strategy

You need people to understand the one you have.

Since launching my latest book in October I’m running a poll on my blog. Here’s some shocking (yet unsurprising) data:

→ fewer than 33% said employees can describe the strategy in their own words,

→ fewer than 25% said employees know what it means for their everyday actions.

Let that sink in.

The vast majority of teams doesn’t know what their strategy means for their everyday actions. Apparently, in most teams people are working hard, but much of that effort is wasted. No wonder, there’s frustration.

I’m pretty sure it’s not that they don’t care. The path is unclear.

The problem is that leadership often spends enormous time (and money) to craft the strategy.

And almost no time thinking about how to communicate it.

But strategy isn’t a measure of intelligence.
It’s a measure of action.

So, honestly now: Can your team say what your strategy means? For their actions?

Not just repeat the words.
Explain what to do differently today because of it.

If not, the next step isn’t more planning.
It’s better communication.

In a couple of hours, Harald Krytinar and I are hosting a free online session to help you with this.

It’s called “Clarity Lab” because will break down real examples to see how great strategy communication looks like.

We’d love to see you there …

Keep lighting the path!

What’s the best way to kill even the smartest strategy?

I’d say it’s grandiose words.

Words that sound ambitious but don’t shape a single decision.

Messages like “We are the most customer-centric company.”

Sounds truly ambitious. Spectacularly so.
But what does it actually mean?
🤔 Ship now or wait for feedback?
🤔 Prioritize speed or service?
🤔 Who decides?

“We act as one team.” Same problem.
“We lead through innovation.” Same again.

No one knows how to act on it.

When a message doesn’t guide action, progress stalls. At best.

More often, people will fill in the blanks themselves. And when they do they rarely head in the same direction. Debates, confusion, wasted resources are the result.

That’s why it’s so important that your words are actionable. It’s one of the four PATH principles from “The PATH to Strategic Impact.”

So, can you find words that are crystal clear on what your strategy means for the everyday actions of your team?

Keep lighting the path!

In awe

If the next step isn’t obvious, your strategy isn’t clear.
No matter how brilliant it sounds.

Too often, leaders try to craft visions that inspire awe but leave people wondering what to do with it.

But no strategy succeeds on applause. The only thing that matters in the end is whether it creates progress.

Keep lighting the path!

PS: Obvious doesn’t mean risk-free.

A costly myth

There’s a costly myth out there: That the best strategies are intellectually dense and complex.

But here’s the truth about strategy:
→ It’s not a measure of intelligence.
→ It’s a measure of action.

You don’t judge a strategy on how brilliant it looks on paper. You judge it on how well it guides people’s actions.

Which is why communication plays such a crucial role.
But one that’s often treated as an afterthought.
(If at all.)

As Alex M H Smith writes in the foreword to my book:

‘A well-communicated bad strategy is a hell of a lot better than a poorly communicated good one.’

He’s absolutely right.

Forgive me for being direct here, but great strategies don’t make an impact through what they were supposed to do when they were presented in glossy PowerPoints. They live through the actions people actually take.

The problem is often not the strategy itself.
They are indeed brilliant, smart, intelligently created.

It’s that they’re not communicated clearly enough.

Which means that all the hard work that went into creating the strategy is wasted.

Because – let’s face it – a strategy that isn’t understood, embraced, and acted upon, might just as well not exist.

The best strategies are the ones that light the PATH for everyone involved to take action.

PS: In my new book “The PATH to Strategic Impact”, you’ll learn how some of the world’s most successful businesses communicated their strategies for maximum impact – and how you can do the same.

How 9 words took strategy from talk to action

In most organizations, strategy is framed around big ideas:

→ “Deliver the best service”
→ “Be the fastest”
→ “Innovate for the future”

These phrases look good on paper.

Not only that …

They sound spectacularly ambitious! These strategies are designed to inspire. Here are some more:

→ “Disrupt the industry”
→ “Be the market leader”
→ “Revolutionize everything”

They sound like winning moves. But are they?

Honestly, they are awful.

I mean, have you tried some of them?

How well did it work when you wanted to “innovate for the future”?

The problem is it has no meaning. (Or worse, it means vastly different things to everyone.)

The Result?
Confusion!

Employees are left to guess:
→ What exactly is “best”?
→ How fast is “fast enough”?
→ What does “innovation” really mean here?

No wonder that teams struggle to make the right decisions.

That they waste time and resources in debates and discussions (or worst of all, through inertia).

Most organizations think they have a strategy, but really, they only have a cool sounding slogan with no clear path to guide decision making.

Their strategy is not actionable.

As a result, even the most ambitious strategies crumble in the day-to-day.

Ambition without a clear path leads to debates, not progress.

I’d even argue that without clear, actionable steps, your strategy might be worse than having no strategy at all.

You’ll observe confusion, missteps and frustration across the entire organization.

Meet FedEx.

They did it a little differently.

Their early strategy was to be the most reliable carrier. But instead of grandiose words, they distilled their strategy into a clear, actionable statement in plain English:

When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.

Notice something?

There’s no mention of being a “market leader” or even being “reliable.”

Yet, this statement says so much more.

Let’s unpack why …

→ “When” implies urgency.
→ “Absolutely, positively” leaves no room for debate.
→ “Has to be there” presents a clear outcome.
→ “Overnight” provides a specific, measurable timeframe.

Each word is purposefully crafted to be tangible.

This changes everything.

FedEx’s statement isn’t just an ambition.
It’s a commitment to how choices are made.
Throughout the entire organization.

The right choice is no longer a debate.
It’s obvious.

The packet has to be there overnight!

Clarity = action.

Because the strategy was so clear, employees didn’t hesitate.

They knew exactly what to prioritize and how to act, without second-guessing.

Clarity led to consistent action, and consistent action built customer trust.

FedEx’s results speak for themselves.

The team delivered not just packets but trust, reliability, and consistency.

Customers trusted FedEx because their employees intuitively knew what to do in every scenario.

The strategy worked.

Imagine if your team had that same clarity.

Every team member, in every situation, knew exactly how to act in a way that aligns with your ambition.

Most strategies fail here.

Not because the concept is flawed, but because the actions aren’t clear enough.

They fail to tell employees how to act in alignment with the ambition.

Does your strategy?

An actionable strategy is one that makes the right choice obvious.

It eliminates ambiguity and empowers employees to make decisions that move the company forward every time.

How to get there:

Simplify your language: Cut the jargon. Use plain and simple English.
Align it with everyday decisions: Do your words illustrate what a right choice looks like?
Test it: Can everyone in your organization act on your strategy without second-guessing?

When your strategy becomes actionable, it becomes a powerful tool to turn ambition into progress.

That’s the difference an actionable strategy makes.

It doesn’t just sit in a binder.
Or in the leadership’s minds.

It lives in the daily decisions of your team.

PS: If you want to learn how the right words can make your strategy actionable, check out my new book “The PATH to Strategic Impact”

When ambition isn’t enough

Have you ever had a problem that everyone saw, but no one acted?
That’s exactly what happened to my client.

A couple of years ago a client of mine faced a difficult situation when customer complaints were on the rise due to quality issues.

The worst part of the problem was that it wasn’t a single issue, such as a design mistake, that could easily be fixed. Over the years, many smaller issues were overlooked, slowly piling up, until they became one major problem:

Outdated protocols, incomplete processes, quick fixes, …

The sort of issues that an experienced, well-coordinated team would simply work around, but as time passed and team members left, knowledge had faded and errors increased.

As soon as the leadership team saw the big picture, they immediately launched an initiative to solve the problem:

Reduce customer complaints by half over the next 12 months!

They designed fancy slogans and posters, announcing the initiative. There was a town hall and the employees resonated well with the launch. Everyone agreed that this was very important.

The only problem?
Well, nothing changed!

Everyone agreed on the importance of the initiative.
They believed in the goal.
But no one actually acted on it.

That’s when my phone rang.

The leadership team wanted to understand what went wrong.

When we looked at the words they used, it became clear that it wasn’t so much a strategy as a goal. The goal was clear: Reduce complaints by half. But the actions weren’t.

What was supposed of the workers down the line? The project managers? The supervisors?

Leadership had hoped for signals and ideas from those closest to the production to spot weaknesses. But they had left the actual ask abstract and vague.

So we designed a new campaign. This time, it wasn’t about goals but about actions.

In fact, we took the few ideas that had been brought up and amplified them. For example, Sarah spotted a glitch that had led to increased error rates, Martin suggested an improvement that meant that errors would be spotted earlier, etc.

We put their faces on the posters, accompanied by their ideas.

The difference?

The people who heard these stories thought: “That could be me! In fact, I have a similar idea. I’m going to suggest it to my boss.”

Essentially, we turned the team members into heroes. It was the posters they looked at, but it was themselves who they saw.

Previously, they had agreed to the goal, but had considered it leadership’s job to come up with ideas.

Now, they took it on themselves. They embraced the initiative because the company’s goal was aligned with their personal goals. They took action.

Ultimately, the new campaign made the team feel seen and heard. They saw how their contribution makes a difference.

Within a year, problem after problem was fixed and customer complaints were cut to a third. More importantly, improvements were made in other areas, too. The initiative sparked a ripple effect.

That’s the difference your choice of words makes. Powerful indeed.

PS: If you want to read how other teams made a difference, take a look at my new book “The PATH to Strategic Impact”.

Taking action

Why do some strategies sound brilliant in the boardroom but never take off in the real world?

Well, thinking up the strategy is one thing. But time and again I’ve seen that the real challenge is getting the team to act according to the strategy. That’s a completely different thing.

The idea of a strategy just isn’t enough.
Acting on that idea is what makes the leap happen.

Which means:
Communication makes the difference.

Is it
→ Plain and simple (so everyone understands it)?
→ Actionable (so everyone knows the actions)?
→ Transformative (so it encourages bold moves)?
→ Heartfelt (so everyone embraces it)?

It’s a mistake to think that the course of your organization is shaped by the boardroom resolution. It’s much more the sum of the thousands of tiny choices and actions that follow from it.

Each team member, from yourself making acquisitions to the junior drafting prototypes, contributes to the journey.

And if you want all of these actions aligned, you need to light the PATH!

So, how many of your team members truly understand the essence of your strategy and can act on it with clarity and conviction?

(The “PATH to Strategic Impact” is out now! Click to take a look inside.)

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My beef with the North Star

Tesla’s PATH (or lack thereof)

The Choices you make

You don’t need a new strategy

What’s the best way to kill even the smartest strategy?

In awe

A costly myth

How 9 words took strategy from talk to action

When ambition isn’t enough

Taking action

Spread the Word

Dr. Michael Gerharz