Inverness based StrategyStory focus on storytelling traditions
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When we think about strategy in organisations, we can often think of a top-down approach. Strategies are normally made by those in charge, while those who have to implement them often face a lack of ownership over what they are being asked to do.
Inverness based, StrategyStory has been created to challenge the usual way of doing strategy – by utilising traditional methods of storytelling.
Storytelling is an ancient art form, and at one point in the Highlands and Islands, it was a rousing and unifying agent of communication. It allowed for the heart and soul to be shared, rather than just what is on the mind.
This is what co-founders of StrategyStory, Kate Hooper and Professor Donald MacLean have brought alive once again by working with businesses across the planet.
Now in their fifth year of business, and having been finalists and winners of several prestigious awards in 2022, they are more passionate with their mission than ever before.
Having recently opened a new HQ in the Inverness Creative Academy, one of their new offerings is a stream called ‘Studio’ set-up to help local businesses develop their strategic communications in a way that suits their distinctive needs.
“The beautiful thing about what we are doing is that we are both from here, and understand the region,” said Kate.
“Storytelling is a craft, so we are harnessing the gift that is born of our region combining that with experience in programme-making and comms, and sharing our method with businesses so others can shape their story. This is becoming increasingly important in the current economic climate and businesses need to generate more sales, become more sustainable and have greater efficiency.”
The idea behind the StrategyStory Studio is that local businesses, community groups and organisations can learn more about the craft of storytelling and receive training in how to structure their story, and use digital storytelling techniques, for example.
“Studio is not just about the creation of content for external audiences. It is about bringing people together to spend time working through their stories, their purpose and what makes them really stand out. Our training programmes are great for those who want to take a bit of time to reflect on their business, or equally, as a means of team building because everyone leaves on the same page having worked through the StrategyStory method,” Kate explained.
“Ultimately, it’s about helping our region’s businesses strengthen their voices.”
The duo at StrategyStory have also recently launched their research-led business development programme ‘Red Squirrel’ in partnership with XpoNorth and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The programme has been designed specifically for creative and rural businesses.
“Red Squirrel is focused on research that Donald conducted several years ago”, said Kate.
“We know that many business development offerings aren’t necessarily tailored to the specifics of regions, or the nuances of businesses that operate within them. We know that rural business is often misunderstood. We’ve developed Red Squirrel to sort that. The programme offers tailored training in strategy and communications for rural and creative businesses so that they can grow in a way that suits their distinctive needs,” explained Donald.
Not only do they want to help businesses shape their stories by working together, but they also want this to be used to help feed into strategies that are made at government level.
Kate explained: “There is something very powerful about the medium of audio and video that brings to life the reality of people’s stories in a way that traditional strategic documents just can’t convey. It’s so important to us at StrategyStory to work at the grassroots to understand our businesses stories, to shape a bigger strategy for the area.
“We want to work with businesses across the whole region, to give voice to their stories, and feed those into the policy agenda – as we did during our work with the National Council of Rural Advisers – a body set-up to make recommendations from Scotland’s rural economy.”
“We currently have a situation where the government is rolling out strategies for innovation and transformation. This is great but we need to replace traditional ways of doing strategy (that don’t always work) with new ways that involve our business experiences and play to our strengths.
“If there isn’t a story behind it that people can believe – and relate to – then it is probably doomed. It is like a car without an engine,” Donald added.
The two visionaries wish to see a Highlands and Islands that is shaped by its people.
“There is a good deal of ‘strategy fatigue’ these days – so many of us are fed up of being consulted and seeing strategies that do not work”, Kate said.
“We’re keen to do more with the StrategyStory method to support collaboration between businesses within and across sectors such as food and drink, agriculture, renewables, and creative industries. That way we break down silos in the region and our shared stories help really engaged regional strategies to emerge,” said Donald.
StrategyStory has also got some more plans up its sleeve, to get young people in the region shaping the future.
Kate said: “We want to get pupils and students in, to see how they visualise the region in years to come, and to help develop the storytelling skills of our young people.
“We need to work out what they see as the future, and then use that material to inspire new thinking and focus strategic action on innovations that engage future generations.”
