Story Driven: You don't need to compete when you know who you are

by Bernadette Jiwa

In contrast, the story-driven company is responsive to customers and prioritises having a clear sense of purpose and identity. It makes little reference to the competition and is intent on creating an impact. The people who work there derive a deep sense of meaning from their work because they know their company exists to do more than simply make a profit. The leaders of story-driven companies (big and small) have clear visions for the future they want to see, and they inspire their teams to join them on the journey to creating that future. They often succeed by doing things that can’t be measured or are not immediately scalable. Story-driven companies have a positive impact on their customers and society. They thrive by making the connection between their purpose and prosperity. Their goal is to make a difference.

It’s hard to do work you’re proud of if you’re focused on crushing the competition or making the next million. There is an alternative, though: you can harness the power of your unique identity to build a brand that matters. The story you live and the identity you inhabit are always a choice. You don’t have to operate with the default setting that always, and without question, greedily pays homage to the metric of ‘more’. You can choose to create a career or a company that enables you to do work you’re proud of—and that prospers in the service of others.

Before you write a line of code or a word of copy, before you apply for that promotion or plan your growth strategy, and before you create your next marketing campaign or send that sales email, you need to understand what’s driving your story. Where are the roots that will enable you to grow healthy branches that bear fruit? How will you show, not just tell? What promises are you intending to keep?

Being story-driven is less about following brand guidelines and more about choosing to act in ways that are consistent with core values. We’ve all witnessed how a company’s purpose and values manifest in the actions of its employees—for good or ill. You have likely experienced an unhelpful doctor’s receptionist or a disengaged sales assistant whose behaviour tells you more about the business than their managers realise.

Great companies leave the world better than they found it—which is why those of us responsible for creating and building businesses must be as clear about the way we get to our destination as we are about what that destination is.