Chris Hare

If we had our cameras on right now, you'd see a huge smile on my face. Yes, exactly. That's exactly it. So I find it helpful to think about it as a narrative flywheel. That's probably my Amazon background. But exactly. So the stories are the fuel that flows into the flywheel.

If we had our cameras on right now, you'd see a huge smile on my face. Yes, exactly. That's exactly it. So I find it helpful to think about it as a narrative flywheel. That's probably my Amazon background. But exactly. So the stories are the fuel that flows into the flywheel.

And then within that, the stories come in and then we synthesize those stories and look at the patterns within them, look at the different directions they could take us. And then we make choices about those Roger Martin's where to play and how to win. Based on these stories that we have now synthesized, we are going to make decisions about where to play and how to win.

And then within that, the stories come in and then we synthesize those stories and look at the patterns within them, look at the different directions they could take us. And then we make choices about those Roger Martin's where to play and how to win. Based on these stories that we have now synthesized, we are going to make decisions about where to play and how to win.

And then lastly, then we have experimentation or learnings from those that then create more stories. And then we continue to bring in stories from the ecosystem and around it goes. But you're exactly right. And I think the other piece that you said that is really powerful is is if you're Amazon or any other large company and you're to come out with

And then lastly, then we have experimentation or learnings from those that then create more stories. And then we continue to bring in stories from the ecosystem and around it goes. But you're exactly right. And I think the other piece that you said that is really powerful is is if you're Amazon or any other large company and you're to come out with

Like a narrative, you need to have one narrative. But you also spoke to the flip side, which is you said it needs to be flexible and there needs to be room for experimentation. And so I think there is Dr. Herminio Barra at London Business School talks about this for the individual is running experiments around different possible future selves when you're talking about your own narrative.

Like a narrative, you need to have one narrative. But you also spoke to the flip side, which is you said it needs to be flexible and there needs to be room for experimentation. And so I think there is Dr. Herminio Barra at London Business School talks about this for the individual is running experiments around different possible future selves when you're talking about your own narrative.

But again, with companies, I think you can do the same thing. You're not going to put a bunch of different narratives out into the world and tell the world everything. Hey, shareholders, we're going to experiment with all these narratives. You've got to come to the market with one narrative, but having the ability to experiment and learn with possible futures and then use that to adapt ongoing.

But again, with companies, I think you can do the same thing. You're not going to put a bunch of different narratives out into the world and tell the world everything. Hey, shareholders, we're going to experiment with all these narratives. You've got to come to the market with one narrative, but having the ability to experiment and learn with possible futures and then use that to adapt ongoing.

Yeah, so I think I was just thinking about this morning before our call is that a business is a collection or an ecosystem of narratives and not an infinite number, but seemingly infinite number of narratives that are just colliding against each other. I have a narrative internally about what you're saying right now.

Yeah, so I think I was just thinking about this morning before our call is that a business is a collection or an ecosystem of narratives and not an infinite number, but seemingly infinite number of narratives that are just colliding against each other. I have a narrative internally about what you're saying right now.

Or if you're my manager, you have a narrative about me and what I'm doing with my time and what my future is. We have all of these narratives that can collide with one another. In an ideal world, there's one narrative within a company. One of the challenges is the way that the word narrative is used. Oftentimes within companies, the chief marketing officer will say that they own the narrative.

Or if you're my manager, you have a narrative about me and what I'm doing with my time and what my future is. We have all of these narratives that can collide with one another. In an ideal world, there's one narrative within a company. One of the challenges is the way that the word narrative is used. Oftentimes within companies, the chief marketing officer will say that they own the narrative.

I had a conversation with someone from a company, a well-known company, that was struggling a lot. And this person's manager was the CMO, and the manager said, I own the narrative. I want you to work with me on the narrative. And the CEO came to this person and said, I own the narrative. I want you to work with me on the narrative.

I had a conversation with someone from a company, a well-known company, that was struggling a lot. And this person's manager was the CMO, and the manager said, I own the narrative. I want you to work with me on the narrative. And the CEO came to this person and said, I own the narrative. I want you to work with me on the narrative.

So you can see right there, at a meta level, the challenges they're having with their own narrative about narrative. But... What I found most helpful is, within a business, as a good friend of mine says, there's only one strategy, right? There's not the business strategy and then the marketing strategy and the customer experience strategy. There's one strategy.

So you can see right there, at a meta level, the challenges they're having with their own narrative about narrative. But... What I found most helpful is, within a business, as a good friend of mine says, there's only one strategy, right? There's not the business strategy and then the marketing strategy and the customer experience strategy. There's one strategy.

Ultimately, that narrative needs to be owned by the CEO. And the way that I view it is really, or define it, is... The strategic narrative or the narrative of the company is a translation of the business strategy and clearly communicating that in a way that aligns board to the front lines around the same future and then extending it further.

Ultimately, that narrative needs to be owned by the CEO. And the way that I view it is really, or define it, is... The strategic narrative or the narrative of the company is a translation of the business strategy and clearly communicating that in a way that aligns board to the front lines around the same future and then extending it further.