If Your Team Can't Tell Your Story, You're Dead in the Water

One story, told by everyone. That's a racing shell in swing.

The One Movie My Father and I Agree On

My father and I love each other deeply, but on movies, we rarely agree. Some of his favorites are the Ma & Pa Kettle pictures from his childhood — and I count the hours we spend watching them together as my greatest expression of love, because I suffer through every one. (I bought him the whole series. What can I say? I love the guy.)

But there's one movie we agree on completely: The Boys in the Boat.

When Everyone Rows as One, You Find Swing

The story is true, which makes it even better. A bunch of blue-collar guys grinding through the Depression, with almost nothing going for them, come together as the University of Washington's eight-man racing crew — and go on to beat the Nazis at the 1936 Olympics. Rowing may be the hardest team sport in the world. The heart of the film is watching them learn to trust each other until they reach that perfect moment of unity rowers call swing — everyone rowing effortlessly as one.

Same Story. Same Language. Or You're Dead in the Water.

I'm sharing it because there's a lesson here, and it's simple — it doesn't require you to do new work. It requires you to make sure everyone is doing the same work.

Can everyone in your organization tell the story of the unique value your business provides — and why it matters? Do they tell it the same way, in the same language? Because if they can't, your chances of winning anything just dropped.

You're dead in the water.

Are You a Rowboat or a Racing Shell?

If you're the owner and you're the only one who tells your company's story well, that's okay. But it's just you out there in a rowboat. You'll make progress. It'll be hard work.

When everyone on your team can tell the same story, the rowboat becomes a racing shell in swing — covering great distance, smoothly and efficiently, with far better results.

Everyone Builds the Story. Everyone Tells It.

One of my favorite recent assignments was Wellment Financial, because I got to do this work with everyone in the company. And when everyone works on the story, everyone can tell it — the same way, with the same conviction. Or as Josh Bretl, Wellment's president, puts it:

One Story Grows Three Things: Reach, Trust, and Revenue

Here's the business case, and it's bigger than most leaders realize. When everyone can articulate the same unique value your business provides, three things grow: your reach, your trust, and your revenue. Brand messages travel 561% further when your people share them than when the company does alone.

That's what makes you the Obvious Choice. Want to see the proof? Message me and I'll send you all the facts.

It doesn't require you to do new work. It requires you to make sure everyone is doing the same work.

One story, told by everyone. That's a racing shell in swing.

Want to know how much of your value the market can actually see? Take the Clarity Score™. Five questions. Only a few minutes. One number that shows you exactly where your story is breaking down, and what to fix first.

P.S. In defense of my dad's taste: his three favorite films of all time are The Sound of Music, Sergeant York, and No Time for Sergeants — and I love all three. It still amazes me that the man has a musical in his top three, because if I ever want to torture him, all I have to do is put on any other one.