What's your strategic style?

Image Source

Quiz Questions

1.
What’s the first thing you do when you log in?
Image Source
- A.
  Scan news, social media, and the wider landscape for trends and insights
- B.
  Make a to-do list while reading briefings and updates from the team
- C.
  Message colleagues in other departments to see how they are
- D.
  Open your project management tool to review what’s on the agenda
- E.
  Check the latest campaign dashboards and conversion rates
- F.
  Check and respond to emails to clear the immediate deck
2.
What are you most known for at work?
Image Source
- A.
  Being the person who stays calm and fixes things when they go wrong
- B.
  Being the one who always asks "How does this fit into the bigger plan?"
- C.
  Being the connector who knows everyone across the charity
- D.
  Being the reliable expert who knows exactly how to get the work delivered
- E.
  Being the visionary who spots the next big opportunity or trend
- F.
  Being the person who brings the evidence and proves the impact
3.
Strategy, for you, mostly happens when...
Image Source
- A.
  You are designing the frameworks and structures for the year ahead
- B.
  You are reacting to a live situation and finding a way through it
- C.
  You are in a room with others, co-creating ideas and gathering insights
- D.
  You are auditing your systems and optimising how the team works
- E.
  You are stepping back to look at the external world and the long-term mission
- F.
  You are analysing the data from the last quarter
4.
How would you describe strategy?
Image Source
- A.
  It’s the essential framework that gives our work legitimacy
- B.
  It’s the operational manual
- C.
  It’s a living thing that grows through our work and relationships
- D.
  It’s the key points that shows us where we are going
- E.
  It’s the set of benchmarks we aim to hit to demonstrate value
- F.
  It’s a guide, but reality usually requires us to be agile
5.
How do you ensure your comms are integrated and joined up?
Image Source
- A.
  By creating a master "blueprint" that all channels and departments must follow
- B.
  By ensuring all team members are talking to each other and collaborating
- C.
  By using a shared tools and systems
- D.
  By ensuring every piece of comms anchors back to our core message
- E.
  By reviewing the cross-channel data to see how the audience interacts with us
- F.
  By being the central point of contact for every piece of comms
6.
A major campaign is launching in two weeks. How do you manage the workload?
Image Source
- A.
  I step in to handle the most critical, high-pressure tasks myself
- B.
  I assign tasks based on the pre-agreed strategic framework, roles and governance
- C.
  I check in with the team to see who has capacity and who wants a growth opportunity
- D.
  I use the project management tool to reallocate technical tasks and avoid bottlenecks
- E.
  I set up a reporting schedule to track progress against pre-launch benchmarks and manage risks
- F.
  I delegate the detail to the best colleagues for the task at hand, so I can stay focused on the narratives, strategy and decision-making
7.
How do you handle a crisis or setback?
Image Source
- A.
  Review the organisational strategy to see what needs changing or what risks to prepare for
- B.
  Update decision-makers immediately to manage reputation
- C.
  Hold an open and supportive conversation to understand the situation
- D.
  Analyse the resourcing to improve allocation for next time
- E.
  Deep dive into the data to find exactly what happened
- F.
  Check how this impacts existing work, reprioritise, and send an updated plan
8.
You have a rare 'quiet week' with no looming deadlines. You use this time to...
Image Source
- A.
  Refine our comms governance or strategic blueprints to check for any gaps
- B.
  Catch up with a partner or colleague to improve connections
- C.
  Look for any gaps or issues in our systems to fix or optimise
- D.
  Research a new sector trend or technology that could give us a future advantage
- E.
  Review recent campaign data to find insights for the next quarter
- F.
  Catch up on the administrative "backlog" so you’re ready for the next surge in demand
9.
A stakeholder is giving you feedback you don't agree with. How do you listen and respond?
Image Source
- A.
  I listen for how their feedback challenges the structural integrity of the plan
- B.
  I listen for the evidence: are they providing facts or just opinions?
- C.
  I listen for the emotion behind the words to understand their underlying need
- D.
  I listen for the technical implications to current processes
- E.
  I listen for any potential risks: is there a threat here I need to fix?
- F.
  I listen for how their points fit into the broader mission we are trying to achieve
10.
How do you approach innovation?
Image Source
- A.
  I love it, provided it's integrated into our systems and governance
- B.
  I value it if it helps us reach people in a more meaningful way
- C.
  I thrive on it; I’m always looking for the "new" thing that serves our mission
- D.
  If it helps us solve a problem faster right now, I'm in
- E.
  I’m cautious; I need to know it won’t break our existing, reliable workflows
- F.
  I’m keen to test it – as long as we’re clear on how we’ll measure success
11.
In a team meeting, you are the person who...
Image Source
- A.
  Notices when someone is quiet and tries to bring them into the fold
- B.
  Points out the practical, logistical steps needed to make it happen
- C.
  Asks how this project aligns with our core pillars and governance
- D.
  Challenges the team to think bigger and look at what’s happening externally
- E.
  Asks "What is the specific KPI for this, and how will we track it?"
- F.
  Volunteers for the tough tasks that need an immediate fix
12.
What is your relationship with data?
Image Source
- A.
  It’s a tool for advocacy. I use it to show why comms needs a seat at the table
- B.
  I use data to monitor the health of our systems and channels
- C.
  It is my primary language
- D.
  I use it to spot long-term trends and shift our approach
- E.
  I prefer to share sentiment and feelings, rather than just the raw numerical data
- F.
  It’s useful, but I often don't have time to look at it
13.
What do you need most to excel?
Image Source
- A.
  Mentoring from a leader who has integrated comms at a strategic level
- B.
  A culture where everyone understands the comms, the brand and its purpose
- C.
  Strong relationships and a culture of collaboration across the charity
- D.
  Optimised systems and the capacity to keep the things running
- E.
  Input from decision-makers, right from the outset of a project or initiative
- F.
  Frameworks for measuring influence and impact, rather than just reach
14.
What part of your job energises you most?
Image Source
- A.
  Successfully navigating challenges and urgent requests
- B.
  Reviewing the data to see where we are making an impact or a clearer path for a campaign
- C.
  Seeing a new strategic framework finally click across the organisation
- D.
  Optimising a process so the team can work more effectively
- E.
  The clarity when an insight applies to your organisation
- F.
  Seeing a community or a team feel heard and connected to our cause

Quiz Outcomes

1.
The firefighter
Image Source
Your strategic profile: Resilient. Pragmatic. Decisive. You’re the person people trust to bring clarity and direction when the unexpected hits.Your natural edge: Your strength is responsiveness. In fast-moving charity environments, this is vital. It’s often what protects reputation, reassures colleagues, and keeps work moving when the pressure is high. You instinctively know where to focus attention, bringing calm and clarity to the table. Your growth opportunity: You shouldn’t change your instinct to act. Your development opportunity lies in making your strategic thinking more explicit and visible.Top tips:Build in processes and systems that allow you to grow your strategic visibility like regular strategic check-ins or clarifying intended outcomes to check how it connects to wider objectives. When delivering work, explain why a particular approach has been chosen, not just what is being delivered. Get more tips in our Building your strategic style resource.Join these conference talks to help you make strategy more visible:Influencing upwards: How charity comms leaders can make the case for commsCase study: Creating a shared strategic comms plannerDemonstrating comms impact and making data-driven decisionsShare your style, sharpen your skills Download the profile cards to share your results with your network and download our resource, covering practical steers, reflective exercises and the best content to sharpen your strategic style. What other strategic styles are in your team? Share this quiz with them to compare your results. Lead the way with the Strategic Communicators’ Conference 2026Designed for busy comms and charity leads, the Strategic Communicators' Conference offers a focused and supportive space with peers and experts to explore the key comms challenges for 2026 and develop your strategic approach. Group booking discounts are available. CharityComms is the membership network for communications professionals working in and with UK charities. We’re here to help raise the standards of communications across the sector, to fly the flag for communications as a vital strategic function at the heart of charities, and to connect communications professionals through sharing best practice.
2.
The architect
Image Source
Your strategic profile: Intentional. Advocate. Innovative. You’re the person that makes clear blueprints. Your natural edge: Your strength is intentionality. You see how the pieces fit together and instinctively look for frameworks that give communications structure and legitimacy. You know organisational dynamics and can influence stakeholders. You are often the person advocating for comms at senior level, translating activity into strategic value and ensuring all work aligns with organisational goals. Your growth opportunity: Your strategic opportunity lies in not taking on more responsibility – it’s distributing it across the team. Top tips: To build internal advocates, start with identifying one colleague and actively involve them in shaping or presenting strategic thinking to senior stakeholders. Turn your frameworks into simple, shareable tools that others can use confidently, so that strategy shifts from something you hold to something the team carries together. Get more tips in our Building your strategic style resource.Join these conference talks to help you teach others: Keeping the fire alive: creating stories people want to gather aroundThe Emotional Edge: practical coaching techniques Harnessing strategic partnerships to cut through and drive change Share your style, sharpen your skills Download the profile cards to share your results with your network and download our resource, covering practical steers, reflective exercises and the best content to sharpen your strategic style. What other strategic styles are in your team? Share this quiz with them to compare your results. Lead the way with the Strategic Communicators’ Conference 2026Designed for busy comms and charity leads, the Strategic Communicators' Conference offers a focused and supportive space with peers and experts to explore the key comms challenges for 2026 and develop your strategic approach. Group booking discounts are available. CharityComms is the membership network for communications professionals working in and with UK charities. We’re here to help raise the standards of communications across the sector, to fly the flag for communications as a vital strategic function at the heart of charities, and to connect communications professionals through sharing best practice.
3.
The landscaper
Image Source
Your strategic profile: Empathetic. Collaborative. Intuitive. You’re the colleague who builds bridges between teams, audiences and work. Your natural edge: Your strength is connection. You connect the dots to help strategy feel collaborative rather than imposed. You are skilled at translating different perspectives, finding common ground and turning conversations into momentum. You root strategic decisions in relationships as an empathetic and collaborative leader. Your growth opportunity: Your opportunity is not to connect more, it’s to focus that connection with greater strategic discipline.Top tips:Clarify the specific strategic objective before bringing people together. After gathering input, summarise decisions clearly so momentum isn’t lost in discussion. Introduce simple data points into conversations to anchor perspectives and instincts with evidence. In doing so, you use your natural relational strengths to drive measurable strategic progress. Get more tips in our Building your strategic style resource. Join these conference talks to help you free up your focus:Trends to watch out for: preparing charity comms for 2026 Case study: Creating a shared strategic comms plannerReframing reputation for comms leader Share your style, sharpen your skills Download the profile cards to share your results with your network and download our resource, covering practical steers, reflective exercises and the best content to sharpen your strategic style. What other strategic styles are in your team? Share this quiz with them to compare your results. Lead the way with the Strategic Communicators’ Conference 2026Designed for busy comms and charity leads, the Strategic Communicators' Conference offers a focused and supportive space with peers and experts to explore the key comms challenges for 2026 and develop your strategic approach. Group booking discounts are available. CharityComms is the membership network for communications professionals working in and with UK charities. We’re here to help raise the standards of communications across the sector, to fly the flag for communications as a vital strategic function at the heart of charities, and to connect communications professionals through sharing best practice.
4.
The mechanic
Image Source
Your strategic profile: Realist. Technical. Focused. You’re the person that maintains the balance and provides trusted and technical input. Your natural edge: Your strength is reliability. You understand how the systems work and you keep them running. You bring technical expertise, strong oversight and a commitment to best practice. You plan capacity, optimise workflows, and understand the realities of delivering strategy at an operational level. In complex charity environments, that stability is strategic.Your growth opportunity: Your growth opportunity lies in making the time and space for new ways of working and innovative solutions. Don’t abandon what works – create deliberate space for improvement and experimentation.Top tips: Schedule periodic reviews of business-as-usual activity to identify where effort could be redirected towards higher-impact work. Build partnerships that bring in fresh thinking without destabilising core systems and balance technical oversight with curiosity about new methods or tools. Get more tips in our Building your strategic style resource. Join these conference talks to help you find new approaches: How new tech can make traditional advertising more effective and affordable Shelter: evolving supporter journeys to better meet supporter needsHarnessing strategic partnerships to cut through and drive change Share your style, sharpen your skills Download the profile cards to share your results with your network and download our resource, covering practical steers, reflective exercises and the best content to sharpen your strategic style. What other strategic styles are in your team? Share this quiz with them to compare your results. Lead the way with the Strategic Communicators’ Conference 2026Designed for busy comms and charity leads, the Strategic Communicators' Conference offers a focused and supportive space with peers and experts to explore the key comms challenges for 2026 and develop your strategic approach. Group booking discounts are available. CharityComms is the membership network for communications professionals working in and with UK charities. We’re here to help raise the standards of communications across the sector, to fly the flag for communications as a vital strategic function at the heart of charities, and to connect communications professionals through sharing best practice.
5.
The pilot
Image Source
Your strategic profile: Adaptive. Insightful. Creative. You're the ideas person who brings everything back to the vision.Your natural edge: Your strength is drive. You share ideas, generate energy and are comfortable taking calculated risks. You are often the person who sets the direction. You help teams, campaigns and projects hold onto their sense of purpose, keeping things steady during change. You’re good at collecting insights and spotting trends to craft the “big picture” storytelling that lands. Your work is always strategic, drawing back to charitable purpose but pushing practice into the future. Your growth opportunity: The opportunity for you is not to slow down. it’s to strengthen your impact by pairing pace with reflection and plans. This will help to ground your big ideas into the operational reality. Top tips:Before launching a new activity, define what success looks like and how it will be measured. Build in short review points with your team to assess progress. To help with both points, develop simple evaluation frameworks that are built into your projects from the start. Get more tips in our Building your strategic style resource.Join these conference talks to help you to ground your vision:Demonstrating comms impact and making data-driven decisions Trends to watch out for: preparing charity comms for 2026 Preaching to the choir: breaking out of the charity comms ‘bubble’ Share your style, sharpen your skills Download the profile cards to share your results with your network and download our resource, covering practical steers, reflective exercises and the best content to sharpen your strategic style. What other strategic styles are in your team? Share this quiz with them to compare your results. Lead the way with the Strategic Communicators’ Conference 2026Designed for busy comms and charity leads, the Strategic Communicators' Conference offers a focused and supportive space with peers and experts to explore the key comms challenges for 2026 and develop your strategic approach. Group booking discounts are available. CharityComms is the membership network for communications professionals working in and with UK charities. We’re here to help raise the standards of communications across the sector, to fly the flag for communications as a vital strategic function at the heart of charities, and to connect communications professionals through sharing best practice.
6.
The inspector
Image Source
Your strategic profile: Credible. Analytical. Detailed. You focus on the data, measurement and actionable insights that ensure your comms is reflective of what’s happening. Your natural edge: Your strength is careful, evidence-led thinking. You value accuracy, clarity and strong reasoning, especially when conversations move beyond vanity metrics and show return on investment. You bring discipline to measurement and ensure decisions are grounded in data rather than assumption. In a sector where impact matters, that credibility is powerful.Your growth opportunity: The opportunity is not to analyse less, it’s to ensure your insight leads confidently to action by bringing people on the journey with you.Top tips: Translate complex findings into simple, compelling messages for non-specialist audiences. Develop your influence in senior forums by using data storytelling techniques, framing evidence around organisational priorities. Get more tips in our Building your strategic style resource. Join these conference talks to help you tell the story of impact:The Emotional Edge: practical coaching techniques Keeping the fire alive: creating stories people want to gather around Communicating through change Share your style, sharpen your skills Download the profile cards to share your results with your network and download our resource, covering practical steers, reflective exercises and the best content to sharpen your strategic style. What other strategic styles are in your team? Share this quiz with them to compare your results. Lead the way with the Strategic Communicators’ Conference 2026Designed for busy comms and charity leads, the Strategic Communicators' Conference offers a focused and supportive space with peers and experts to explore the key comms challenges for 2026 and develop your strategic approach. Group booking discounts are available. CharityComms is the membership network for communications professionals working in and with UK charities. We’re here to help raise the standards of communications across the sector, to fly the flag for communications as a vital strategic function at the heart of charities, and to connect communications professionals through sharing best practice.