Tell Me Why (and Who and How and What It All Means)

Constructing a corporate story is, in many respects, not that much different from sitting around a campfire exchanging tales. It just should have a different aim. All the campfire storytellers have to do is capture the imagination of their audience. They're free to use any number of plot devices, from horror to humor and mystery to romance. Not all of these storytelling gambits are appropriate to all corporate messaging. So, how do you go about building the story of your business?

There are probably any number of storytellers out there who would advise you to start with a character. We suppose that's fine if your intention is to build the image of an individual, but we think (short of aggrandizing a CEO or founder) it's probably best to start with a principle, a value, or a moral. In other words, before you build your story, carefully consider what you want the audience to take away from it.