This post first appeared in the Distinctive Dispatch on 4 September, which we publish on Substack. You can sign up for future editions here or on the box to the right of this post.
Stop talking about what you do
Who are we? What do we stand for? Why does it matter?
If you asked people working for the same organisation these questions, it’s quite likely that they’ll give different answers.
Maybe they’ll talk about what they do, because this sits within their scope of reference. “We build houses” is technically accurate.
But how is that descriptor any different from the thousands of other companies in the UK that do the same thing?
“We deliver training,” is also fine as far as it goes.
But why should anyone care that you provide the same solution – because it’s always a ‘solution’ – as every other training provider?
There is a problem with talking about what you do and stopping there. It neglects the story that makes you who you are.
Set against a growing sense that everthing sounds the same, I can’t recall a time when your story has mattered more.
Organisations can bring people along on the journey by clearly outlining the place they started from, the things they’d like to achieve and where they’d like to end up.
When your story works, it builds connections and earns trust. That’s how sustainable growth happens.
Don’t take my word for it though: look at how businesses are rehiring humans to help their stories stand out from the sea of slop lapping at our ankles.
Continue reading “Want to stand out? Stop banging on about what you do”
