Narrative Strategy and Storytelling for Organisations
Helping organisations solve communication, engagement and change challenges through story
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…
I have facilitated numerous workshops, strategy days, narrative sessions, and conference experiences. Regardless of the setting or participants, a consistent pattern emerges. Typically, the most senior, outspoken, or confident individuals are the first to contribute, filling the room with their perspectives. However, as the session transitions to deeper reflection, it is often a quieter participant who introduces a profound idea, causing everyone to pause and absorb the insight.
As the year draws to a close, it’s the natural time to reflect, examine, and think about what we want for 2025. This process is critical—not just for business but for life itself. You can’t hit a goal you haven’t set or reach a destination if you don’t know where it is on the map. Life is a journey of stages, and the question becomes: Where do I want to be in this stage next year?
When was the last time you heard a story that truly resonated with you? One that pulled you in, made you feel, and left a lasting impression? Crafting a powerful story is no accident—it's a skill that can be learned and refined. I focus on that in my 'Influential Storytelling' course, an online live training program I'm excited to be running in collaboration with the team at the Future Skills Academy.
In the world of storytelling, we glorify narratives of the extraordinary - epic adventures, heroic feats, and life-altering events that seem to lie outside our everyday existence. However, the true power of storytelling resides in the simplicity of the every day, in the stories of the relatable and familiar. These stories shape our perspectives, influence…
Strategic narratives are tools that communication professionals use to align key messages to the goals a group or organisation is working towards. Using authentic stories of individuals to bring those key messages to life ensures that all messages are relatable and illustrate the goals an organisation is working towards in ways that its audience will understand.
As you can see from my subject line, I can waffle a bit when making a decision. But then I think, ah what the heck, it doesn’t hurt to try. Every time I take a risk and reach out to people, it usually pays off in some way. It is time to set intentions for…
Lean start up methodology urges us to fail fast and often. Design thinking asks you to prototype and ideate. Workplace cultures are striving to become less structured so we can have the space to play and discover. Are these new ideas? I would argue no, ever heard the old adage, “If at first you don’t…
Letting go to let come. Letting go of something that you have created and love can be hard. Remember, letting go doesn’t mean gone. Letting go is making room. We only have so much time and attention in our lives. And sometimes the best thing to do is to set something free so someone else…
Narrative Strategy and Storytelling for Organisations 