I was walking in central Riga looking for a place to have dinner and noticed a place called Fazenda Bazars. I could not work out what type of restaurant it was by its menu or interior design, but it was filled with locals. I walked in and enjoyed the most sumptuous steak I have had in a long time. When ordering dessert I asked the waitress what kind of restaurant it was to make an educated guess about suitable choices.
She had a really hard time explaining what the two owners / head chefs had in mind. The words contemporary, fusion and grandmotherly accompanied her strained, but eager facial expression. I sometimes witness a similar phenomenon at companies when I ask executives to explain the company strategy in a few sentences. The only difference is grandmothers are rarely mentioned.
If your people are unable to explain what business you are in, how you are different, where the company is headed and why, they have a hard time meeting your expectations. The good news is, it can be done. If you assume everyone is on the same page, ask around. In case there are contradicting answers or puzzled looks, feel free to repeat or reevaluate the message.
