Strategy is about telling stories. Good strategy is about telling the ongoing saga of your brand.

So how does the structure of story relate to strategy? Let’s first review a framework for developing strategic direction I’ve been using. It comes from an article in the Harvard Business Review written by Michael D. Watkins. It breaks it down into four buckets that are all interrelated. Mission & Goals (What), Value Network (Who), Strategy (How), and Vision & Incentives (Why). Let’s tie this to how we craft a story. The Mission is the theme. The Value Network, are your primary characters. The Strategy is your plot/outline. and the Vision is the story itself. All together these create your strategic vision, or story arc. A story arc can be a part of a larger campaign, and so on.

Mission & Goals

What does it mean when I say this relates to a stories Theme? First, a quick explanation of a stories theme. Many people confuse theme with plot. The theme of A Christmas Carol isn’t that a man is visited by three ghosts and becomes a nice guy. Though change is a valid thematic element of the story.

Let’s try again with our theme. “Even the harshest of men is capable of becoming compassionate.” Hurm…Still too thematic. Like a goal should be actionable and measurable, a theme should be specific and evident in a story. This is the touchstone that everything else ties back to. When in doubt, ask the question am I moving my theme forward. Or, does my strategy move me closer to my goal(s)?

One more time. “When shown the entirety of his life, Ebenezer Scrooge recognizes the pain he’s caused and vows to become the man he should have been.” I don’t know if that’s a good theme for A Christmas Carol, but it suits our needs. It’s specific. We can measure if it’s evident in the story. Relating back to our strategic direction, it provides a focal point for network, strategy and vision.

In practice Mission and Goals are generally handed down, but it’s still important to bare this in mind. I’ve talked before about the strategy fountain. Where the objective of a strategy becomes the goal that drives the next level of strategy. We need to craft our strategic objectives through the lens of theme. This will set the next level of strategy up for success.

Next time we’ll get into the Value Network and Strategy