Have you ever unveiled a big strategic plan—only to be met with blank stares, resistance, or polite nods that never translate into action?
It’s frustrating, isn’t it? You’ve put in the time, the research, and the thinking, and yet without buy-in from your team, even the best strategy will struggle to get off the ground.
The reality is, strategy isn’t just about what needs to happen; it’s about who needs to believe in it and drive it forward. So, how do you get everyone—not just on board— but fully invested in making it a success and cut through the noise?
The Challenge: A Strategy Without Buy-in Is Just an Idea
I learned this first-hand in 2010 when I stepped into the role of Global Commercial Director of Health & Wellness. Alongside my colleague, Philip Jan Rijken (Global Nutritional Director), we were tasked with embedding the Health & Wellness strategy into local markets across North America and Europe.
Sounds straightforward? It wasn’t.
🔹 Two completely different organizational structures:
- The US operated with standalone businesses, each led by a CEO who had full autonomy.
- Europe had a matrix structure, where product teams focused on NPD & innovation, while country teams handled sales & customer experience.
🔹 Short-term survival mindset: The biggest challenge? The business was up for sale. This meant most people were focused on short-term survivalrather than long-term strategic change. Getting them to invest time and energy into a transformation when the future was uncertain was no small task.
🔹 Competing priorities & lack of alignment: Without a unified vision, different teams had different priorities—I’d previously been working in The States where the strategies were created “bottom-up” but I found in some parts of Europe this was a “top down” strategy so we needed to connect all these moving parts and create a shared direction.
The Approach: Simplicity & Involvement
Philip and I knew we needed two things:
1️⃣ A clear framework to communicate the strategy simply—so anyone, at any level, could understand it.
2️⃣ Involvement from local teams—so they felt ownership over the strategy, rather than seeing it as something imposed from above.
For the first three months, we travelled extensively, meeting as many people as possible across the different divisions. Rather than dictating the strategy, we asked questions, listened, and refined the framework together.
By ensuring everyone understood it—and felt involved in shaping it—it became our shared vision, not just an HQ directive.
From there, we worked alongside local teams, helping them communicate the strategy to key account customers and identify new opportunities. This wasn’t just about getting internal buy-in—it was about helping them see how this strategy could drive real business value for both us and our partners.
The Result: Transformational Growth, Faster Than Expected
Despite the uncertainty of a business sale, the strategy gained traction and ultimately grew to be worth €330 million.
We had originally estimated that embedding the strategy would take 2-3 years—but because of the shared ownership and clarity, we finished in 2.5 years.
The Lesson: Clarity, Communication & Collaboration Drive Success
This experience is exactly why I love the SUMMIT Destiny Map. It’s a simple framework (with a lot of deep thinking behind it) that helps businesses clearly communicate direction—so the whole team understands the plan and moves together.
I see so many business leaders struggle with this exact challenge. They have the vision, but they struggle to get their teams truly invested. Instead of alignment, there’s friction. Instead of excitement, there’s hesitation.
But the truth is—people support what they help create. When they understand the bigger picture, feel part of the journey, and see how their work contributes to the end goal, they’re far more likely to engage, innovate, and take ownership.
If you’re finding that your strategy isn’t gaining traction internally, ask yourself: ✅ Have I made it simple enough for everyone to understand? ✅ Have I involved my team in shaping the strategy? ✅ Have I shown them how it benefits them & the business, not just why it matters to me?
Because at the end of the day, Purpose, Clarity & Communication are the real keys to growth.
What’s been your biggest challenge in getting your team to embrace a strategy? I’d love to hear your thoughts—let’s discuss!
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Want to know if I’m the right fit for you?
With 25 years of leadership experience spanning the UK, USA, and Europe, I’ve built a career on driving growth, creating high-performing teams, and developing innovative strategies for businesses of all sizes. My journey started in the early 2000s when I identified a gap in the UK food market, leading to a £12M p.a. product line—a testament to my ability to blend data, creativity, and tenacity to deliver results. And I love to do this with my clients.
Over the years, I’ve held director and VP roles for multinational companies, overseeing marketing, sales, business development, e-commerce, and innovation. My executive MBA in Leadership & Innovation from the University of Missouri, Kansas City, gave me the tools to think globally and lead strategically. (I even managed to graduate top of my class while balancing coursework and becoming a mum!)
From managing a €330M Health & Wellness strategy across continents to winning contracts like supplying Team GB with apparel for Rio, I’ve learned the value of shared values, teamwork, and a clear vision. I now use this knowledge at SUMMIT, where I guide businesses to find their direction, build empowered teams, and align with their dream customers.
I bring enterprise-level expertise to businesses of all sizes in ways that are accessible, actionable, and impactful. Whether it’s helping a company refine its strategy, uncover new opportunities, or foster a resilient community, I’m passionate about helping leaders unlock sustainable growth.
A confident speaker and trusted resource, I regularly share insights with my community, focusing on topics like high performing teams, strategic clarity, and the power of values-driven leadership. Together, we can take your business to new heights
