The problem with jargon

Although corporate strategies aim to inspire and energize employees, the language used is often full of abstractions such as "innovation," "excellence," or "agility" — all of which can become "more fog than fuel," Olson writes.

The problem with using jargon or other abstract language is both psychological and cultural. How people interpret abstractions depends on their own personal experience, as well as cultural context. Different teams in the same organization, or teams in different countries, can and likely will have different interpretations of certain words or language.

Strategic documents are also filled with "mirage language," or phrases that seem inspiring on the page but don't mean much once they are scrutinized. For example, what does it mean to become an "agile" organization? Does "agile" mean flexible, faster decision-making, or adopting a specific process? Although leaders may feel that it's helpful to use language that is open to interpretation, it can lead to misalignment and wasted effort.

"[C]orporate language, when too vague, functions more like a Rorschach test than a roadmap," Olson writes. "Each person sees what they want to see. And when thousands of employees all bring different interpretations, execution inevitably veers off course."

1. Clearly define what strategic phrases mean.

Instead of assuming everyone has the same understanding of strategic phrases, Olson recommends leaders provide concrete examples of what the phrases look like in action. This will help connect abstract terms to tangible practices.

For example, the term "agile" could mean testing concepts with real customers before rolling them out fully so that teams can be sure they work and avoid wasting development time. One way to represent "customer-first" could be simplifying policies and approval processes to resolve problems more efficiently and reduce frustration for both employees and customers.

"These kinds of illustrations create mental anchors that help employees see, in real terms, how leadership's intent translates into execution," Olson writes.

3. Identify actions that align with strategic language.

Leaders play a critical role in clarifying what strategic language means for employees. If this language isn't translated into specific, observable, and measurable actions, then they will just continue to be abstract ideals.

For example, workers can show "innovation" by questioning whether a process serves customers or the company and identifying ways to simplify and improve the experience. "Collaboration" may mean teams proactively share customer frustrations across an organization to ensure faster solutions.

By identifying actions that align with strategic language, organizations can better connect their ambitions and execution. Doing so will "turn strategy into a living practice — one defined not by aspirations, but by the everyday actions that are most valuable to setting the organization apart in the eyes of customers," Olson writes.

Ultimately, "[s]trategy doesn't fail for lack of ambition. It fails when words meant to unify instead divide," Olson writes. "The obligation of leadership is ensuring language acts as the bridge between vision and execution. That means treating words as infrastructure — the scaffolding that supports every decision, action, and behavior inside the organization."