As you may know, we find remarkable similarities between crafting a story and business strategy. We think that understanding the patterns leading a Character toward an objective can be very useful and insightful for those who build strategies every day to reach business goals. We believe “story-driven” thinking—the kind that is expressed through thoughtfully constructed stories—can be highly effective, leading to impactful results not only in communication but also in business design and strategy.
We’ve developed a specific methodology around this concept, which we call “Storytelling Thinking®” his name reflects how the mindset of a storyteller, writer, screenwriter, or author can be applied to anyone who navigates real-life goals and purposes. Our methodology has been legally registered, presented in several Universities, and adopted by numerous client brands and individuals. In this article, we’ll focus on conflict.
Conflicts as Opportunities for Change
Let’s talk about conflicts—but not in the sense of war (a word we dislike and wish didn’t exist). Instead, we refer to conflict as anything or anyone that stands in the way of achieving a goal. The word “conflict” originates from the Latin “confligere,” meaning “to clash, or strike one thing against another.” So, it does contain a “combat” aspect but also implies a meeting, an exchange.
Conflict is essential for anyone who tells stories. The storyteller’s mantra is: “Where there is no conflict, there is no action; and where there is no action, there is no story.” Without conflict, no character springs into action; they simply stand still and smile up at us from the page we’re writing on. A character becomes interesting when they have a goal. Sound familiar? A character, like anyone, takes action when they want to achieve a goal, and something—here’s the conflict—gets in the way.
A strong character must have a goal and recognize the conflict preventing its realization. There may be multiple goals, but one is the decisive one, just as there may be antagonists and obstacles, yet one is the primary conflict. Identifying this storyline allows us to better focus on what actions our character needs to take, build a more solid strategic sequence, and establish effective resilience strategies. With this understanding, revisit your favorite movie, and you’ll spot the various stages, uncovering the tricks screenwriters and directors use.
Fear or Hope?
Fear and hope clash when it’s time to make decisions. This applies to the protagonist of a story as well as to entrepreneurs and managers. If fear prevails, we stay fixed in our positions; if hope wins, we might underestimate what lies ahead. Balancing fear and hope benefits from analyzing the competitive landscape in which we operate.
Clearly understanding who the possible antagonists are—in other words, identifying competitors—enables us to design strategies that can lead to success. As in any well-crafted story, scenario analysis is the first task to tackle: identifying allies, sources of inspiration, and, of course, those we must win over. This must all be well-defined before we start writing our story. We need to assemble a blend of elements that will provide a complete picture of the conflict to overcome.
Of course, this can be done using many tools. We believe that working with the storytelling metaphor is interesting, easy to understand, highly engaging, and intriguing.
And naturally, we believe that a bold story can not only change reality but create it. We design everything necessary to reach our goal, envisioning how to navigate both the fictional and real worlds, transforming step by step what’s on paper into events, realities, and tangible achievements.
