How Stories Can Help You Develop a Winning Business Strategy
We are often told in business we need to have a strategy — but what does that mean?
A strategy is simply a plan of action, or a storyline. It determines the “what,” “so what,” and “now what” that are designed to achieve a specific goal. To create an effective strategy, first, identify your goals, then determine the best way to achieve them — this is your storyline.
If you are looking to develop your business strategy, this article will teach you how to use stories to achieve objectives, develop the right elements of your strategy, and stay focused on positive outcomes.
Storytelling for business strategy: Anne’s experience
As an example of how storytelling can improve your business strategy, let’s talk about “Anne.” As a business owner, Anne often found herself struggling to communicate her strategy to her team in a way that was both clear and concise. She knew she needed to find a better way to get her point across or risk losing the respect of her employees — that’s when she tried the power of storytelling in business.
To her surprise, Anne found that using stories to communicate helped her team not only understand her strategy but buy into it. Suddenly, her employees were more engaged and enthusiastic about their work and were able to provide insights and suggestions that Anne never would have thought of on her own.
Since adopting this new method of communication, Anne has seen a drastic improvement in her business and is now able to better connect with her team, achieving her goals more effectively.
The ‘storytelling for strategy’ approach
If you want to use stories as a tool to develop and communicate your business strategy, implementing these elements will help.
Start with the end in mind
When writing your story for a business strategy, start with the end in mind. Doing so will stimulate ideas for a focused and effective story.
Think of your story as a journey, and consider these questions:
What are the desired goals of your company?
What difficulties stand in the way of achieving those goals?
How do you and your team untangle the knot of difficulty to achieve that desire, the "denouement?" (Hint: Our 3D Story(TM) framework can help.)
What are the key events that need to happen in order for your story to reach its conclusion?
How do you map these to what is happening at the beginning, middle, and end of your story?
Determine what you want to achieve, and what your ultimate goal is. By mapping out your story ahead of time, you'll be able to make sure that it stays on track and is effective in helping you achieve your goals.
Rather than thinking about your story as purely something in the past, a history you tell, consider your story as forward looking. A prediction of where you are going. Your roadmap to success.
Keep it simple
When developing your story, it's important to keep it simple. Cramming too much information into a story can be overwhelming and confusing for the listener. The simpler the story, the easier it will be for your team to understand, relate to, and buy into it.
Before you start creating a story for your strategy, determine the most important things your business needs to achieve and incorporate that. Prioritize what you’ll include in your story and cut information as much as possible beforehand. If something doesn't add anything to the story (or serve your strategy), then it shouldn’t be in the story, as it will only serve to bog down the narrative.
Instead, stick to essential details and keep your story on track by focusing on your top priority.
Make it relatable
Using a compelling and relatable story as a vehicle for your strategy will create natural conditions for your team to act on what they hear. To create a relatable story, use characters and scenarios that your team can identify with. The more familiar your story is, the easier it will be for your team to understand and accept.
Remember, you're trying to communicate a business strategy through your story. It can be helpful to think of your story as a metaphor for the business world. Consider these questions when creating a story for your business strategy:
What is the main character struggling with?
What are the challenges that they face?
How do they overcome those challenges?
By making your story relatable, you'll be able to better communicate your business strategy to your team.
Be positive
Remaining positive when using stories to develop your business strategy is imperative. Keep the focus on what you want to achieve, rather than what could go wrong. While it can be easy to have a negative frame of mind, try to stay positive and remember why you're telling this story in the first place. This will keep your team motivated and focused on the goals you've set, and you'll be more likely to achieve your desired results.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't include difficulties or conflict — you should. However, keep leaning into where you are trying to take your team; everything in your story should serve your plan and end goals.
Be specific
The more specific you are when developing a story, the easier it will be for your team to understand and buy into it. Looking at each element of our five best friends — who, what, what, when, where (and “how”) — can serve you here.
Remember, you're trying to communicate a business strategy through your story, which means you need to be clear about what you want to achieve and how you're going to achieve it. Be as specific as possible to ensure your team understands what you're trying to say, and use your creativity to bring your story to life with descriptive language and vivid imagery to paint a picture in your team's mind.
This is your chance to capture the imagination of your team and get them excited about the goals you've set. The more creative you are, the more effective your story will be in helping you achieve your desired results.
In conclusion…
Stories matter. What we include — and what we don’t — in our stories play a huge role in how they’re perceived. When developing your business strategy, use simple, relatable, and inspiring stories to get your point across. By following these tips and including the right information at the right time, you'll be on your way to creating a story that effectively communicates your business strategy to your team.
Ready to start implementing storytelling in your business strategy? If so, book a complimentary consultation with Go Narrative. This no-strings-attached call will allow you to take an in-depth look at solutions and frameworks which make storytelling a great strategic tool.