Communications Thinking. “If you want to own something you need to name it”. Those wise words given to me as advice by New York Times columnist Tom Friedman were ringing in my ears when I was trying to come up with a system to help people tell better stories. I didn’t want to “own” anything (I’m a big believer in open-source and the community mindset of creating cool things and giving them away), but I knew that my system needed a name if it was going to be taken seriously and adopted. Communications Thinking was born from a few of the one pagers I worked on when I was studying design thinking. If design thinking is simply about problem solving by putting yourself in your customers shoe’s, what if “Communications Thinking” was just problem solving by putting yourself in the audience’s shoes? (I also liked that “thinking” was in the name because that word means a lot to IBM). What if communications thinking helped people to communicate more effectively when the stakes are high and attention spans are short. Mypurpose in creating this system was not to offer it as a luxury to executives who need to improve their “soft-skills”. Communications Thinking at its core is a really hard skill. Think of it like an industrial 1. SEEING 2. MAPPING framework for communicating effectively. At scale. When urgent outcomes are needed. When you need to tell a differentiated story, Story Canvas Purpose-Driven Story Map this framework will help you stand out. And for those times when you don’t have a unique story to tell but you’re communicating in a • What–do you want to say? (What is the big problem you are Designed for commercial storytelling during the sales process, this competitive environment, this framework will help you to tell a solving?) stage simplifies the complexity of your purpose-driven story by better story. And better stories create better outcomes. They turn • Who–are exactly are you trying to reach? (Which stakeholders do showing how you will deliver a measurable difference in 4 mission- numbers into narratives and bring even the driest of data-driven you need to win the hearts and minds of – or conquer?) critical areas. Have 8 (relevant) customer success stories always at stories to life. It’s a system I’ve used to help executives speak on • Competition – who are you up against and do you have an idea of hand for whatever story you are working on, to demonstrate how you global stages such as Davos, TED and SXSW. I’ve seen leaders use what their win themes / narrative might be? will help to drive just 4 things up and 4 things down. this framework to help with promotions, job interviews, podcasts, • Different – Why can’t any of your competitors use the narrative you keynotes, sales pitches and team meetings when everything is on are championing? DRIVE UP the line. I’ve even used it for school assemblies to speak to primary • Revenue & Profit: Where have you helped a client make financial school kids about climate change. Communications Thinking is • Why are you uniquely positioned? (Ethos) - Also: Why now? bets on securing the future while providing short term commercial broken down into 5 distinct stages known as SMUBA (Kairos) strength and stability? : Seeing. • Market Share: What relevant examples do you have where you have Mapping. Understanding. Believing. Acting. • PoV–What is your unique point of view? helped a client find ways to gain a competitive advantage that will • Mission? How is your mission aligned with the mission of this give the organization a dominant market position? 1. SEEINGis about collecting all the available stories and statistics (client) narrative? (Pathos) • Retention: where have you helped a client to increase retention by that will help turn data and numbers into narratives. This phase reducing (customer / employee / talent) churn, aligning culturally helps you to understand who your audience is. What challenges • Topic? Win theme / project name & outline and increasing employee, partner and client happiness ? dotheyface? Andwhatdotheyreally need? • Heroes? Customers, colleagues, communities? • Positive Change: How can you create a culture of activists & 2. MAPPING is about organising all that information into a • Stage? What is the venue / format of the presentation? (Can you evangelists that are purpose-driven to make a difference to people, meaningful map that will help us to tell our transformational make the venue or the presentation format part of the story? planet AND profits. story. Based upon what you learn from seeing, you begin your • Internal – What human stories are relevant to add empathy and journey (like any journey) by creating a map that focuses more emotion? DRIVE DOWN onwhattheaudiencewants, thanwhatthestoryteller wants. • Conflict? What cognitive biases or obstacles are standing in your • Costs: Example of driving down costs through effective cost- 3. UNDERSTANDING. With our map in hand, we are really to way? (Elephants in the room?) takeouts and operational costs savings that you could deliver faster • User stories? Evidence of success stories or user / employee / and safer than anyone else. understand what our audience wants. Understanding is the customer feedback that has given the evidence (logos) to shape • Time to Market: How have you helped a client drive down their time quest to understand why, and to become the trusted guide that your story to market by aligning Communications Thinking with other business helps the audience to navigate their difficult journey. UVP • : [Your company] is the only company that can _________ processes. 4. BELIEVING is all about inspiring the audience and giving them • Today’s world: SME / thought leadership / insights • Risk: Where have you driven down risk by reducing operational, the confidence that progress is possible. It’s about creating a • History: How legacy / history (not nostalgia) has helped to shape compliance, climate and financial risk to mitigate threats of vision based upon the what, the how and the why. The goal your story or align organisations production stoppage and damage to reputation. here is to connect with the beliefs and biases of your audience • Magic facts: Big memorable numbers? $X value unlocked / % • Environmental Impact: How can you align to sustainable in order to engage them in the way that wins their hearts and Faster time to market / #ROI realized within X years / $cost development goals to deliver a positive triple bottom line minds. reduction / #Risk reduction / #Increased NPS etc.. (people/planet/performance) that isn’t “green-washing” or just . ticking a CSR / ESG box? 5. ACTION The ultimate purpose of Communications Thinking is to create Action. It is to help you communicate in a way that delivers actionable and measurable outcomes by telling your story in a meaningful way. Andthereyou have it! Communications Thinking in a nutshell.