In my years as a corporate leader, there seemed to be an emphasis on simply cascading business objectives. Not sharing the rationale or purpose behind them. Not describing the big picture. It was cut and dried. Hit this metric, meet this goal, mark it off the list.

Over time, organizations discovered that approach might have been efficient, but it certainly wasn’t effective. Today’s employees really want the larger context that can give them a deeper connection to their work.

Exceptional leaders provide that translation. They know how to artfully link the corporate vision and goals to the team’s roles and responsibilities. They can bring the vision to life, so each employee feels like an active participant with “skin in the game.” Leaders who can do that are invaluable.

So how can you be one of them? The solution is moving from merely cascading information to genuinely engaging your employees in the process. Here are five strategies you can use to make that happen:

Practice transparent communication and consistently share the rationale behind corporate objectives. When you explain the “why,” you can prompt your team members to think about how to contribute in a........

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