Your strategy is not the problem

“The strategy isn’t clear.” 

You’ve probably heard this — or some version of it — before. At its core, it’s a challenge to leadership, a way of saying that we, the people, don’t get the plan. It suggests a failure of vision, direction, or communication. It implies that success is just a puzzle to be solved — one that leaders haven’t cracked yet.

But notice something: while the phrase points to leadership failures, it doesn’t actually name them. It’s vague yet firm, a business problem wrapped in abstract language. It’s a relatively easy form of pushback: a way of expressing dissatisfaction without having to step too far into the zone of discomfort.

Sometimes, of course, the strategy really is unclear. If that’s the case in your organisation, do the work. Then figure out what leadership gaps led to this lack of clarity in the first place.

But often, “the strategy isn’t clear” is a warning sign that deeper issues might be lurking: human problems that, left unchecked, can turn into full-blown crises. 

Here are five things this phrase might actually mean.

‘We can tell leadership isn’t aligned.’

People are intuitive. Even when disagreements aren’t obvious, we can feel them. And few things are more unsettling than sensing that our leaders don’t see eye to eye. It makes us wonder if we’re closer to the edge of a cliff than we realise.

The solution isn’t just about promoting ‘collective responsibility’. It’s about getting to the root of the conflict and addressing it head-on. Conflict management is a skill — one I teach. With the right approach and enough time, most issues can be resolved for the greater good.

‘We don’t like the strategy.’

Strategy is the art of sacrifice. And sometimes those sacrifices won’t sit well with your people. No-one enjoys discomfort, and some may have real concerns based on their experience on the ground.

If you sense this resistance, don’t default to explaining the strategy in finer detail. You can’t bore people into liking something. Instead, get curious. A simple “Help me understand where you’re coming from…” can open up a conversation that reveals the real objections. (Whether or not you find them valid is a different matter.)

‘We don’t know what this means for us.’

When big changes are on the horizon, people instinctively ask, “What does this mean for me?” Until they get an answer, nothing else matters. And if leadership doesn’t provide clarity, people will fill in the blanks themselves, usually in ways that aren’t helpful.

The best way to handle this? Get ahead of it. Every strategy presentation should start by explaining what it means for the people in the room. They might not love it, but at least they won’t be left guessing.

‘We don’t trust the company to follow through.’

The past has a way of lingering. If your organisation has a habit of making promises it doesn’t keep, don’t be surprised when “the strategy isn’t clear” is really just a polite way of saying “We don’t believe you.”

If this is the case, own it. Acknowledge past missteps and explain what’s going to be different this time. That kind of transparency can help rebuild trust.

‘We don’t think we can pull this off.’

Some strategies require people to step up in big ways. That can feel daunting, maybe even impossible. Your people might believe they lack the skills or capacity to get what you’re asking done.

The best response? First, acknowledge the challenge. Then, reassure your people they won’t be facing it alone. A simple “What do you need from me/us to make this happen?” can shift the conversation from fear to problem-solving, empowering people to ask for the support they need to succeed.

If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

“The strategy isn’t clear” is a form of pushback that shows up in almost every organisation from time to time. The underlying issues are rarely as simple as the phrase suggests. Beneath every ‘unclear strategy’ is a tangle of human problems that, left unchecked, will become serious business ones.

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