Story Driven: You don't need to compete when you know who you are
Like the Hungry Caterpillar, we are all on a journey to metamorphosis.
Bernadette Jiwa • Story Driven: You don't need to compete when you know who you are
We fail to maximise our impact when we focus on only one or two elements of our story. We achieve maximum impact only when all five elements of our story—backstory, values, purpose, vision, and strategy—are prioritised over time.
Bernadette Jiwa • Story Driven: You don't need to compete when you know who you are
Instead of just using storytelling as a marketing tactic, we need to do what our ancestors did for millennia—allow our stories to guide our actions, deepen our understanding and create meaning and belonging.
Bernadette Jiwa • Story Driven: You don't need to compete when you know who you are
Without a narrative compass, our creative endeavours, companies and cultures break down, and we become faint carbon copies of something that’s gone before. Our story illuminates the dark corners where only we can go. It’s our story that guides us.
Bernadette Jiwa • Story Driven: You don't need to compete when you know who you are
Having a story-driven strategy enables you to adapt in times of change because you understand that your story is bigger than the scene that’s playing out in the moment.
Bernadette Jiwa • Story Driven: You don't need to compete when you know who you are
Pretending is exhausting. When we pretend, we not only miss the opportunity to deeply connect with the right audience in a way that gives us a sustainable advantage; more important, we’re left feeling as unfulfilled as they are disappointed.
Bernadette Jiwa • Story Driven: You don't need to compete when you know who you are
We go off in search of an angle that will attract the most attention today. As a result, we don’t devote enough time and resources to reflecting on how we can resonate with the right people—just as we are. We fail to harness the true potential of our narrative.
Bernadette Jiwa • Story Driven: You don't need to compete when you know who you are
The first step to resonating with customers is to stop pretending and have a clear sense of our own identity.
Bernadette Jiwa • Story Driven: You don't need to compete when you know who you are
Understanding what matters most to us and discovering who we might become, and then help as a result, is the real work of our lives. Understanding how our strengths and our stories change how others see themselves is the work we’re all here to do.