Strategy As Story
A strategy is a story — and we can lose ourselves in it.
At first, the story gives us meaning. It explains who we are, why we exist, and what we’re fighting for. But over time, the story starts using us. We become the protagonist, the brand, the hero — and somewhere along the way, we forget we were supposed to be the narrator.
That’s when leaders stop leading and start performing. They confuse being “on mission” with being “on stage.”
When your story stops serving the truth, it starts serving your ego.
Patterns I See
Over-identification: You’ve become the brand. Your worth is fused to the logo.
Narrative inertia: The story that once inspired you now traps you — but you can’t rewrite it without feeling like a traitor.
Performance fatigue: You’re exhausted from keeping the plot alive when it should’ve ended a chapter ago.
What Leaders Miss
Stories give direction but demand evolution. When a story stops adapting, it becomes propaganda.
We all need a storyline that can hold both the wins and the wounds — one that grows as we do. Leaders who cling to the old script confuse loyalty with identity, and their teams eventually stop believing the plot.
Clarity without honesty always collapses.
Working With It
Revisit your origin story. What was pure at the start? What’s still true? What’s outgrown its usefulness?
Name the current chapter. Every season has its own purpose — stop pretending you’re still in Act I.
Tell the truer story. Include the pain, the change, and the paradox. Real stories inspire because they’re alive.
Unlink self from story. You can change your organization’s story without losing yourself in the process.
Questions Worth Asking
Who am I becoming because of the story I’m telling?
What would collapse if I told the truth about where we really are?
Where have I confused my role with my identity?
What story does my silence protect?
Field Truth
You don’t have to be the hero of the story.
You just have to be honest enough to rewrite it.
