Lost in Translation: Why Leadership Must Close the Gap with Content Teams to Protect Competitive Advantage

We recently completed a video for a client—weeks of collaboration, feedback loops, and refinements. The final version was ready to go. Then, at the last minute, a senior leader scrapped it.

The reason? It wasn’t transmitting the message they wanted.

If leadership had been involved from the start, this would never have happened.

But like many B2B tech companies, there was a disconnect between the many layers of leadership and marketing.

One of the biggest challenges in B2B marketing isn’t just standing out—it’s making sure what leadership knows to be true about the company actually gets across to customers.

This is where most companies falter. 

Leadership has the sharpest understanding of the company’s competitive edge—the core of the core, as Bain calls it in Repeatability. But translating that strategic advantage into clear, compelling content? That’s another story.

Leadership is busy. They don’t have time to meet with content teams. That’s why they delegate. 

The assumption is that strategy can be passed down the chain and content teams will somehow absorb it. But in reality, this handoff creates a disconnect. The message gets diluted. And the result? Content that feels generic, misaligned, or worse—indistinguishable from competitors.

The Critical Role of Content: Leadership’s Translator

Here’s the reality: content is the translator between what’s in leadership’s brain and what potential customers understand about the company.

• If that translation is off, the competitive advantage doesn’t come through.
• If the content isn’t sharp, the product feels less valuable than it actually is.
• If the messaging is generic, customers won’t see why your solution is the best choice.

This isn’t just a marketing problem—it’s a business problem.

The Leadership Bottleneck: Delegation Without Direct Connection

Most leadership teams assume delegation is the answer:

1. Leadership defines the company’s competitive strengths.
2. That message is passed to marketing leadership.
3. Marketing translates it into briefs.
4. Content teams execute based on those briefs.

But here’s the issue: every layer between leadership and content is a layer of potential distortion.

By the time the message reaches content teams, it’s gone through so much filtering that the essence of the competitive advantage—the real reason the company wins—gets softened.

To make things worse, many companies take the next misstep: designing content by committee.

The Danger of Designing by Committee

When content teams don’t have a direct line to leadership, they often have to rely on feedback loops from multiple stakeholders. The result?

• Competing priorities. Every department has its own take on what’s most important.
• Endless revisions. Messaging gets watered down as teams try to please everyone.
• Visual inconsistency. A strong brand gets diluted because too many voices are weighing in on design decisions.

Instead of a sharp, compelling message that cuts through the noise, you end up with content that is technically correct but emotionally flat—bland, corporate, and forgettable.

The best companies don’t let this happen. They operationalize a tighter connection between leadership and content.

How to Reduce the Distance (Without Overloading Leadership’s Calendar)

1. Codify the Core of the Core

Bain’s Repeatability emphasizes the importance of a company’s core of the core—the differentiators that make success repeatable.

Instead of expecting content teams to figure it out through layers of delegation, create a living document that clearly defines the company’s true advantage.

This should be more than a brand guide—it should include direct input from leadership on the company’s strengths, key messages, and non-negotiable positioning.

2. Embed Content Strategists Closer to Leadership

Instead of relying solely on marketing leadership to bridge the gap, designate a content strategist or lead creative team member to have direct access to leadership.

Even a 15-minute check-in per quarter with leadership can clarify the company’s evolving strategy and ensure content stays aligned.

3. Avoid the Committee Trap

The best brands aren’t built by consensus; they’re built by clarity.

Define a single decision-maker for content approval who understands both leadership’s vision and the realities of execution.

Set clear guidelines for feedback—who gives it, when, and how—to avoid endless revisions and watered-down messaging.

(We wrote about how to reduce endless back-and-forth here.) 

4. Use Content as a Leadership Time-Saver

The irony? When done right, content actually saves leadership time.

Instead of repeating the same messages in every sales call, customer pitch, or investor meeting, leadership should invest in creating high-impact content that does the heavy lifting for them.

Winning Companies Get This Right

B2B tech moves fast. If leadership doesn’t take an active role in ensuring content reflects their competitive edge, the brand risks becoming just another player in a crowded market.

The companies that sustain long-term competitive advantages aren’t just the ones with the best strategies. They’re the ones that can effectively translate those strategies into content that wins hearts, minds, and deals.

The real question is: Is your content sharpening your competitive edge—or dulling it?

At Gallery Design Studio, we specialize in bridging this gap. (We wrote a whole ebook about it!) Our creative team doesn’t just execute—we work as your strategic partner to make sure your competitive advantage is clear, compelling, and market-ready.

Want content that actually reflects the true strength of your business? Let’s talk.

About Gallery Design Studio (GDS)

Content takes many forms—we make it visual first.

For over a decade, high-growth B2B tech brands have trusted us to distill complex solutions into clear, engaging visuals that their audience can instantly “get.”

Whether software, systems, or solutions, we help you communicate with clarity and impact—so you can focus on what’s next.

Learn more here.