Every company has a story to tell. A journey etched out from the very first idea that sparked its inception to the current moment. This narrative, or backstory, is as essential to your business as the vision that propels it toward the future. They aren’t just chapters in your company’s history but the fundamental essence of your corporate DNA.
Vision – it’s a powerful term that denotes a company’s desired future, its North Star. An idea paints the picture of the corporate ‘promised land.’ Most companies diligently work on crafting their vision, often outlining it in the grandest of terms. However, in this process, they often overlook the ground reality. They miss reflecting on where they are now and, most importantly, being brutally honest about it.
But here’s a fundamental truth – to get to where you want to be, you must start from where you are now. So you must remember your backstory.
Your current position is a cumulative result of everything the company has done until this very moment. It’s a melting pot of folklore and reality, reflecting people’s belief systems about your company and its actual track record. Everything you’ve done, every success, every mistake, limits or influences what your company can do in the future.
Here’s where many go wrong – introducing brand extensions incompatible with the company’s history. As a result, these novelties often don’t resonate with what customers believe about the company, or they’re simply outside the company’s feasible execution capacity.
Having an unrealistic understanding of your current capabilities, culture, and customers can severely handicap your attempts to achieve your organization’s vision. Therefore, only when your vision and backstory are aligned can you gain clarity about what it will take to move from your present situation toward your envisioned future.
Your backstory provides a realistic picture of what you can feasibly achieve. If your vision strays too far from your backstory, it may be a sign that it needs revision. An idea needs to be achievable; otherwise, it becomes a dream, an illusion. If your backstory renders your vision unachievable, redirecting your efforts might be the most sensible thing to do. Pursuing an unattainable idea can dampen your employees’ motivation and shatter your customer’s belief in your brand.
Aligning your vision with your backstory offers clarity. It provides a road map for a journey that respects your past and leads to a future where your vision becomes a reality. So, as you chart your corporate course, remember that your backstory and vision are your compass and North Star, crucial in navigating the corporate seas towards the horizon of success.