Narrative Strategy and Storytelling for Organisations
Helping organisations solve communication, engagement and change challenges through story
I was working on a digital transformation project for a large bank. My job was to create the roadshow content and the deck that would go out to employees explaining the change process. I was talking to one of the lead engineers to help me understand the ‘why’. Why this change? What would we gain? What would we lose if the change wasn’t implemented? He didn’t have an answer. He responded, “The CEO just decided. That’s why.”
If you are a member of the comms team in government or organisations, you have heard this many times. The decisions have been made, the policy set, the announcement is coming, and the strategic comms plan has been written. The first round of content has been deployed, and this is the first follow-up with the project team. And this is the feedback.
Strategic narratives are revealed, not designed. Organisations are made up of people telling stories all day, every day. They are sharing stories of their business, customers, projects, teams and direction. There is much to be learned about an organisation in the language teams use to describe their work, and in the moments they share about…
On storytelling frameworks, a Hollywood sequel, and the thing that actually makes stories good. Think of the last movie you saw that made you cry. Or gave you a moment of validation or taught you something new. That moment in the film felt validating and real because a truth resonated with you. Let’s dive into…
People working in communications, content, and marketing are thinking about their value. AI can produce copy quickly. Suggest your next strategic move or find holes in your comms plans. It is fast, reliable and never misses a deadline. Where does storytelling training fit into a world where everything that is known about the tricks of the trade of communication is still in an LLM? Why learn about or upskill in storytelling when it is all there for us to explore?
At the end of a period of strategic thinking and planning, I normally hear from leaders who want a narrative strategy. When they start managing the process of rolling out the strategy. They ask to tack stories onto the strategy. But this is not ideal. The stories should be embedded in every step of the process. From listening, collecting, collating, and activating your narrative. Especially now, in this time of convergence of changes. AI is reshaping how work gets done. Instability is rewriting assumptions about markets, supply chains, and workforce planning. People are carrying personal disruption into professional spaces in ways that are hard to ignore. Change is not arriving from one direction. It is arriving from everywhere at once.
What truly separates those who reach mastery from everyone else is not talent, but the ability to keep going when the work feels unremarkable. The consistent effort during ordinary moments is what drives mastery.
The surge of storytelling: What it means and what it doesn't. Storytelling is everywhere, featured in job titles, strategy documents, conference themes, and LinkedIn posts. It’s touted as critical in business communication, culture, and leadership. There’s a lot of excitement and commotion, for good reason. As much talk as there is about storytelling, there is…
My dad has been in and out of the hospital for two different health issues. The past week has been a roller coaster of emotions, with progress on one health condition, until another one came along to derail any further progress. I was hoping for the best and fearing the worst. I was also waiting. Waiting for tests. Waiting for procedures. Waiting for updates. Waiting for a doctor to deliver test results.
When I teach storytelling, two letters are constantly popping up. A & I. Surprised? No, me either. Whether I am teaching pitching, values-based messaging or storytelling, I have to talk about using AI. Or, more specifically, how not to use AI in writing.
Narrative Strategy and Storytelling for Organisations 