Storytelling for better Problem-Definitions Flashcards
One of the biggest obstacles to effective decision-making is failure to define the problem well. Invoking the power of narrative and a simple story structure can help ensure that teams are solving the right problem.
How does the structure of the storytelling framwork look like?
Storytelling makes it possible to structure this complexity by summarizing the problem in the form of a single overarching question — a quest — that will lead to the solution.
An effective quest has just three elements:
(1) A hero — the main protagonist.
Depending on the challenge, it could be a single person, a team, an ad hoc project group, a unit, or even the whole organization.
(2) A treasure — the hero’s aspiration.
This captures the one overriding goal, be it transforming the company, expanding into new markets, upgrading a team, or changing careers.
(3) A dragon — the chief obstacle.
This is the complication preventing the hero from getting the treasure. A compelling dragon creates a strong hook and a shared understanding of the challenge to be faced.
Pulled together, these three elements define the quest, which takes the form, How may [the hero] get [the treasure], given [the dragon]? A quest works best with one hero, one treasure, and one dragon — otherwise, it’s more than one story
How does an example for the car park problem look like?
How can we as an organization provide adequate parking for our people, given our limited funding?
Which dos and donts should be considered?
The Do’s and Don’ts of Framing
The quest is a classic storytelling technique to help structure a problem. Executives typically make several mistakes as they construct their own quests. Here are five things to keep in mind.
(1) Remember the dragon. The hero and treasure establish the protagonist and the goal. But one key ingredient is missing: tension. To identify the chief barrier to a goal, introduce the dragon with “However …” or “But … .”
(2) Don’t use “and.” Each part should have one element, and only one. If there are more, they should either be reconciled under an umbrella term or divided into separate challenges. If there are several potential dragons, choose the one that creates the most relevant tension.
(3) Exclude unnecessary details. A snappy frame is more useful than a detailed one. Include only what is needed to tell a coherent story, excluding everything else.
(4) Be consistent. Use the same terms when moving from the individual elements to the overall quest.
(5) Synonyms and ambiguous phrasing only cause confusion. The quest should be self-contained and easily understandable, even by a novice.
Don’t aim for perfection. The first attempt at framing is just a communication tool. There is no such thing as the “right” frame — just a better one. Chances are that sharing the frame with others will reveal new angles and false assumptions that help improve it.
