When Strategy Became Storywork

“It was a time of great ambition, aggressive growth rates, and fierce competition. Managers on all levels devised clever tactics, crafted cunning strategies, and meticulously planned every step of their journey towards success.?

They saw the world as a finite game, where customers, employees, and competitors all played their part. It was a game of high exploitation and deep devastation, where the winners took all and the losers were left in the dust.

In these days, the essence of strategy was to formulate a winning aspiration, before figuring out where to play and how to win. The process produced a solid detailed implementation plan. From there, it was all about following the procedure and reducing deviation to achieve the goals.?

So it seemed, but in reality the strategies failed or were never executed. Most business environments were too complex and dynamic for any fixed strategy to survive. Working strategically looked more and more like a hazardous game.

Then, something important happened.?

A small group of wise leaders realized that strategy had to be more than clever words and smart action points. To attract and engage people, the strategy needed to come alive. Literally. And the best way to achieve this was to tell captivating and reliable stories about the why, what and how of the strategy.

The leaders started to experiment with storywork and found it could be used to effectively store memes in the mind that resonated with the strategic massages. It could shed light on the purpose of doing, and bring meaning to being. And so, the leaders set out on a quest to transform strategy into storywork. One story at the time.

They would start identifying strategic themes and key messages, assumptions, values, goals, and challenges. They then wove these elements into compelling narratives by using strange methods like metaphor, storyboard, plot, character development, role play and emotional branding. And it worked like magic.

By crafting a core story that resonated with all involved stakeholders, leaders were able to create emotional attachment to the purpose, nurturing a sense of shared identity, togetherness and belonging.

But the magic didn’t stop there. Storywork applied in communities and greater society led to increased inclusion, reduced prejudice, and eventually a more balanced and peaceful world. It opened up new dimensions of existence and taught people how to keep learning and growing within cultural and natural boundaries.

When strategy became storywork, players abandoned the old game of dominance and destruction for a new game of resonance and regeneration.

The world is changing. Old certainties have been shattered, and what was once expected is now rejected. As customers, employees, and competitors, we are no longer content to play our assigned roles. We are unsatisfied, restless, and desperate for something more fulfilling and life-affirming.?

The game is changing too. Managers who once held all the power must now learn to navigate a world of shifting sands, where nothing is certain and everything is possible. The stakes are higher, and the outcomes are greater. Customers act strangely, and employees resist playing their roles in the corporate theater.

Strategy has become more a series of controlled experiments than a fixed action plan. More data and noise, less time to focus and figure things out. This has made storywork relevant. By framing and staging a narrative, you can create attraction to the purpose, draw attention to the intention, and form a space of collaboration.

Stories are fundamental. They reflect who we are and what we do. They shape us, make us, and break us. Individually and collectively. They lift us up and tear us down. They bring us together and set us apart. We can get lost in stories and find ourselves in them. Most importantly, you can work with stories to make them work for you.

You can use storywork as a mirror of the present and prism of the future. Who are we and what do we want? You can use it to guide transformation processes. How easy, fun and rewarding can we make it? And you can use storywork to produce the glue and web of cultural onboarding. How can the stories we share make us dare and care?

Consider applying storywork when you want to:

• Form a new narrative of your company, unit, or team
• Find clarity and resonance in your decision-making
• Bring members of the group closer together
• Create coherence in what you say and do
• Become more responsive and responsible as a group
• Unfold hidden (and forbidden) human potential

Storywork is the highway to collaboration and a shortcut to transformation. No story — no glory. Sharing stories provides a safe space to enjoy the rollercoaster of life, and helps navigate the complex landscape of beautiful business and wonderful work.

Storywork is included in the transperiental matrix .