Why you need a strategy story
As a business leader, you would be forgiven for spending much of your time fighting fires, instead of focusing on the future direction of your business. But whilst we’re facing myriad crises, it’s vital that leaders take the time to reconsider what their organisations fundamentally stand for, where they’re headed, and how they should show up among their audiences. People want to buy from and work with brands that offer more than good quality, well priced products and services. The stakes are so much higher.
On top of that, navigating uncertain and challenging times becomes far easier when you have clarity over where you’re headed and what you believe in. That clarity comes not just from a well worded vision statement, but from continuous storytelling and conversations about what the vision and future direction means to everyone, as well as their role in the journey.
When it comes to sustainability, the expectation of business has never been greater. From carbon emissions reduction, circular economy principles, sustainable sourcing, fair pay, packaging, health and wellbeing and more, the onus on business to solve these myriad crises is ever increasing. But no one business can solve all these challenges in isolation. Once you know where you’re headed and why, you’ll have the means to develop a more compelling and authentic sustainability strategy and roadmap. Your vision provides a lens to assess which sustainability efforts are most relevant and impactful for your business and informs your decisions about where to focus your effort, where to collaborate, where to lead and where to follow.
Real value comes when you unite your purpose, vision and sustainability strategy in one clear and compelling narrative – your strategy story. The aim of your strategy story is to galvanise employees, providing a central cause for everyone in the business to rally behind. To achieve this, you need to convey more than just a set of words published online or etched into the walls of the office. Through better storytelling, you can engage your stakeholders, motivate employees and attract investors and partners who share your values and aspirations. When those around you can retell your story with confidence, conviction and joy, you’ll have a powerful tool in your armoury.