Whatever size team you lead, you must be certain that all your staff are clear why they are there, specifically:

• your organisation’s ‘reason for being’ – your vision;
• your plans for achieving your vision – your strategy;
• your most important activities – your priorities.

This matters so much because in all organisations ultimate performance is the sum of all the specific actions taken by each team member, and performance will always be enhanced when everyone works in the same direction with the same goals. This may sound obvious, but you must never forget that vision and strategy are not simply a series of statements included in business plans, or maybe in banners displayed across offices. If they mean anything, vision and strategy must be translated into the activities of all teams in all functions. For this to happen, they must also be clearly explicable – vision and strategy which can’t be described easily are unlikely to win hearts and minds!

Your role as leader is instrumental. I have already described how as an individual you are closely scrutinised on your every action and word. To embed vision and strategy in your team or organisation, you must turn this scrutiny round. You must develop what I call a ‘leadership mantra’ – a series of positioning statements about your organisation which you specifically repeat, and which you explicitly articulate in many of your leadership actions. You have to be convinced that your vision and strategy are understood, and are taken for what they are – the life-blood of the organisation.

You must be sensitive to operating in the different economic, legal and cultural dynamics of a globalised trading environment. Wherever you lead your organisation, your communication approach is paramount – you must repeat elements of your vision and strategy far more often than you think is necessary. Even if you feel that you are saying things too often, you aren’t – you can never reiterate your goals too much!

You embed your delivery of vision and strategy in a widely understood set of priorities, and you ensure that your and your team’s actions are focused on success.