Create Great Strategy with Stories, Not Plans

JULY 30, 2010

Create Great Strategy with Stories, Not Plans

Too often the strategy creation process produces options that aren't any more interesting or creative than the current strategy. If you find yourself agonizing over which of your carefully crafted strategic options is the right one, chances are you are taking the strategic planning process too seriously. Give up being right and sensible. Instead, tell a story about the future. Make it aspirational and envision your organization in a happy and successful place. Have everyone participating in the process tell their own story, and together you'll have created a list of options. Then start the real work of strategy creation: ask yourselves, for these stories to come true, what would have to happen?