Why Duarte’s New Strategic Division Is Something To Keep An Eye on
In January of this year, I had the co-author of Illuminate, Patti Sanchez, on Leading Matters to discuss the book. Illuminate is an incredible framework that leaders can use to sharpen their storytelling abilities in a way that taps the full power of story to inspire and move others to action. I have used the book with my clients, recommend it often and have used it as a compliment to my offerings.Illuminate is a great resource that I am passionate about it.
Today I am even more excited about it because Duarte, the communication consultancy founded by Illuminate co-author Nancy Duarte, announced a new practice dedicated to helping leaders tap into the Illuminate framework. The creation of the practice, for me, confirms what I have believed for some time, story will be the single most powerful differentiator for the foreseeable future.
Story is the raw material of our passion, our recall ability, and our motivation. Today even as media options multiply in type and reach storytelling has remained stagnant, flat, one dimensional. The impact of a story that never matures has on an organization is both broad and profound. When story is lacking mission is unrealistic, brand is muted, customer service mediocre, product is isolated, and change of any sort difficult.
My practice focuses on story because there is natural drama inherent in absolutely every product or service, and it is the detail of that drama where we find the best way to serve our customers for the sake of fulfilling that dramatic narrative. If we find the story arc, and serve our marketplace from that perspective growth follows. Ironically the decision to surrender our company to its story is often met with skepticism and fear, in other words, the story of why such an approach is beneficial is difficult for many businesses to uncover. Duarte’s new strategic practice will propagate the Illuminate framework and help clients apply it to unlock the transformative power of story.
I know Duarte not because I have worked with them, I have not, but through the thoughts and words of their founder Nancy Duarte. Nancy’s work is not only engaging but practical. If you read her books or watch one of her speeches, you will not just be motivated you will come away from the experience with new ideas that can be easily applied. This has been true for me, and because it has been true, I continuously pay attention to what Duarte is doing. That is why I am excited about this new practice of theirs.
Keep an eye on Duarte’s new strategic division dedicated to helping clients develop transformative communication. The new effort is sure to produce some treasured studies of how a catalytic narrative is created, and the positive impact is has on an organization.
You can learn more about Duarte’s new division here, and be sure to listen to my interview with Patti from earlier this year.
