Let’s be honest, most corporate strategies are complex, multi-layered beasts that live in dense PowerPoint decks or hefty documents no one really reads. Sure, they’re packed with insights, but if your staff and investors can’t grasp your strategy quickly, you’ve got a problem. And a strategy few understand is a strategy few will implement.
This is where a Strategy on a Page (SOAP) comes in. It’s a clear, visual representation of your strategy that cuts through the noise and gets straight to the point. When done well, it aligns everyone - staff, investors, and stakeholders - around a common vision, ensuring that every decision, investment and action is pulling in the same direction.
Why a SOAP is so powerful.
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Clarity at a glance
A well-designed SOAP distils your strategy into a single page, making it easy to absorb. No wading through 100-slide decks— just a simple, structured view of what matters most. -
Alignment between elements
Your strategy is more than just a list of goals; it’s an interconnected system. A SOAP helps staff and investors see how the different components - Vision, Purpose, Values, Strategic Priorities, and Key Outcomes - fit together. This alignment ensures that every action taken is in service of the bigger picture. -
Engagement and buy-in
Employees need to understand the strategy to execute it. Investors want confidence in your direction. A SOAP provides a straightforward roadmap, making it easier for people to understand, and remember, what needs to be done and why, to get on board and to stay focused on the right things. -
Consistency in decision-making
When everyone has the same visual reference point, decisions across the organisation are made quicker and more consistent. Teams can ask, “Does this align with our strategy?” and quickly check for themselves. -
Flexibility without losing focus
Strategies need to evolve, but the core elements - your purpose, vision, and values - remain consistent. A SOAP gives you a foundation that allows individual teams to set their own divisional plans and initiatives while always remaining focused on what matter to the organisation as a whole.
What makes a great SOAP?
Not all SOAPs are created equal. A good one needs to be clear, engaging and, most importantly, useful. We’ve developed hundreds of them and based on that experience here’s what we think makes an effective SOAP:
1. A clear, simple structure
The best SOAPs have a logical flow that makes it easy to follow. Typically, they include all or most of the following:
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Vision – The big-picture ambition. Where are we headed?
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Purpose – Why do we exist? What difference do we make?
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Values – The guiding principles that shape our culture and decisions.
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Strategic priorities – The key focus areas that drive success.
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Business plan initiatives – the key projects and initiatives to be undertake within each strategic priority.
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Outcomes & measures – What we’ll achieve and how we’ll know we’re making progress.
Keeping these elements structured in a way that naturally leads from one to the next is crucial, with the item above providing the ‘why’ for the elements below it.
2. Engaging, visual design
People absorb visuals far faster than text. A good SOAP uses design elements like:
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Icons or illustrations to reinforce meaning. And to make connections.
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Colour-coding to distinguish sections and elements.
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Hierarchy (big, bold vision at the top, followed by supporting elements).
A wall of text won’t work. Keep it visual, clean, and easy to digest. And while we strongly encourage visuals we don’t advocate for clutter or including visuals for the sake of it.
3. Language that’s clear and jargon-free
If your SOAP is packed with corporate buzzwords, it loses impact. Keep the language plain, direct, and relatable to the audience. Instead of saying, “We leverage synergies to drive transformational outcomes,” say, “We focus on working together to deliver real results.”
4. A Strong connection between strategy and execution
A great SOAP isn’t just about aspirations; it connects to reality. If staff can’t see how their daily work contributes to the strategy, it’s useless. Ensure the connection between strategy and execution is clear by linking strategic priorities to measurable outcomes.
5. A living document, not a one-time exercise
A Strategy on a Page isn’t something you create, present once, and forget. It should be a living, breathing tool that is referenced regularly in meetings, shared across teams, and updated as needed. If it’s not visible and used, it won’t drive real alignment.
Places to use your SOAP?
A SOAP isn’t just for communicating your strategy to your team, it’s a powerful tool that can be used in multiple ways to keep your strategy front and centre:
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Corporate reports like annual and climate-disclosure reports and Statements of Intent statements – Show investors and stakeholders exactly where the business is headed in a concise, visual format.
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Staff inductions – Help employees understand the bigger picture from day one.
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Office Walls – A large, printed SOAP in shared spaces serves as a constant reminder of what matters most.
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Website & intranet – Make it accessible so staff, partners, and investors can refer to it anytime.
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Board meetings & investor updates – Ensure key decision-makers stay aligned on the strategic direction.
By making your SOAP highly visible and easily accessible, you reinforce alignment and focus across your organisation.
Final Thoughts
In today’s fast-moving world, complexity is the enemy of clarity. If your strategy isn’t easy to understand, it won’t be executed effectively. A Strategy on a Page helps bridge the gap between high-level thinking and day-to-day action, ensuring that everyone - from frontline staff to investors - knows where you’re headed and how you’re getting there.
So, if your strategy is buried in slides and spreadsheets, it’s time to rethink how you communicate it. Get it onto a single, well-designed page and watch how quickly alignment, engagement, and focus improve.
We have nearly 50 years of helping our many clients – across both the private and public sector – to make their strategy more engaging and accessible to all their stakeholders. We know what a difference a good SOAP can make to your business. If you’d like to know more, we’d love to share some of our experience, insights and results with you.
