In a rapidly-evolving world, every business needs a sound strategy to survive because markets are no longer forgiving.
From intense competition to shifting customer expectations to disruptive technology and limited resources, a well-structured strategy is what can help a business make informed choices rather than react blindly to the turbulence.
However, history is replete with loads of carefully crafted strategies that failed. But why? The answer lies not in execution, but rather in perception.
Strategies can look perfect on paper, in boardroom slides, or in detailed reports and yet generate minimal impact. The success or failure of any strategy depends on how well it’s understood and internalized across the organization and among stakeholders.
Mirroring Corporate Strategy
When understanding is uneven, even the best strategies struggle to gain traction. This is where communications move from function to capability. It is not just about campaigns, announcements, or visibility. It is about making strategy clear, credible, and actionable.
A communications strategy is strongest when it mirrors corporate strategy. Both should strive to express in no uncertain terms what an organization wants to be known for, its priorities, and how it signals intent over time. Without such clarity, coherence breaks down and even internal teams struggle to explain what the organization stands for. No amount of activity can fix that. Visibility matters only when it is deliberate and connected to purpose. When positioning is unclear, narratives are defined by others, and influence quietly diminishes.
Evidently, strategic communications bridge action and perception. Organisations act and communication gives those actions meaning. It connects execution to purpose, evidence to credibility, and intent to understanding. In doing so, it ensures that strategy is not just visible, but understood, trusted, and acted upon.
Changing With Time
A communications strategy needs to respond to changes in both internal and external business environments which may be occasioned by changes in audiences, technology and public expectations. In essence, a communications strategy should be a living framework, not a fixed script. A living communications strategy uses these insights to refine messages, channels, and timing, improving effectiveness over time. Its strength lies in its ability to adapt while staying true to core values and objectives in a fast-changing world.
The greatest risk organisations face today is not imperfect communication. It is the absence of strategy in communication. When positioning is unclear, influence is quietly lost. Organisations rarely struggle because they are inactive. They struggle when strategy has no voice.
Kanje Sarah is a strategic communications professional working in Communications and External Affairs at Shelter Afrique Development Bank. She has a background in Mass Communications and Strategic Management and contributes to thought leadership on Voices of Africa, amplifying African perspectives on strategy, development, and institutional transformation across the continent