Your brand is evolving its positioning. How will you ensure internal stakeholders and teams are on board?

Ensuring that key internal colleagues are on board regarding fundamental changes such as brand positioning is critical if you hope to have even half a chance at consistent execution globally! Your ultimate goal should always be that they feel full ownership, i.e. more than just alignment. Then they become your advocates to others you can't reach in the organisation, including helping you police implementation if required. Key for me in doing this is involvement - start early, repeat often. There's nothing worse as a senior leader than someone coming to you after everything is baked as there's 0% chance you can influence it, so why should you feel ownership of it? Easy to say, harder to do obviously but start as you mean to go on!

It’s always important to simplify the story and make sure it’s tailored to the audience. It’s most effective to have a 1-2 sentence summary of why changes are being made and what the expected outcome will be. Short and simple will make it easy to remember so anyone can give a high level explanation. Also repeat it more than you think you should, because not everyone pays attention the first few times and repetition helps it stick.

Imagine how the decision-making process at Kodak led one of the world's most famous brands to near extinction. It's widely rumoured that they had developed a digital camera solution but chose not to pursue it because a significant portion of their revenue came from printing. Resistance to change and fear of the unknown are two significant challenges that prevent brands from evolving along their natural course. So, overcoming these barriers is essential for ensuring internal stakeholders and teams are on board with the brand's new direction. Identify each group of stakeholders' demands and fears. Customize the message for each group tackling their fears and needs and present a clear message of what behaviour change you need from them.

Clear communication is key. Start by articulating the strategic reasons and benefits of the change. Tailor your messaging to resonate with stakeholders' values. Use a consistent narrative across all channels: meetings, briefings, and feedback sessions. For instance, a regular 'town hall' meeting where executives openly address questions can solidify understanding. Ensure you highlight measurable business objectives like market share growth or revenue targets. Effective communication leads to better alignment and support, driving smoother transitions and achieving strategic goals.

To align team objectives with the new brand positioning, start by revisiting everyone’s KPIs and aligning them with the brand’s new vision. Provide each department with explicit examples of how their work contributes to the brand’s success. Offer workshops and training to equip teams with necessary skills to execute the new strategy. Transparently measure and share progress towards these new goals, reinforcing ownership and accountability. This ensures your team’s efforts are coordinated towards the same strategic outcomes and business objectives.

Make sure their opinions count !! Engage, Listen To, And Work With Your Stakeholders. Dont just talk AT them! The success of every project, brand initiative, change, or transformation initiative, requires PEOPLE. By engaging them effectively, you almost ensure that everyone is on board, understands the project's goals, and is motivated to contribute their best efforts towards its planned outcome. And.. When it's all said and done, Share the praise! Don't hug the spotlight, give credit where it is due.