By Eric Wamanji
Let me start with something simple: If a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound? And now, if an organisation does exceptional work, but no one understands it, does the organisation truly exist?
Here is the unseen truth: We have two worlds- the physical world and the virtual world. The latter being a creature of narratives and media. Yet, if you don’t exist in the media, you basically don’t exist. Communication has become an existential issue.
Indeed, fortunes rise or fall at the behest of the virtual world. Trust. Investment. Reputation- all depend on meaning created through narratives. Remember Steve Jobs and the legend of Apple? And here in Kenya, who remembers the way Michael Joseph carried the stories and meanings of Safaricom? Today, those two organisations are giants on their own right. So, stories matter. Stories are easily the currencies of the post-modern world where an epic battle for meaning play out every day.
It’s surprising how many organisations miss this nuance. See, mediocrity treats communication as a liability. Greatness understands communication as a strategic asset. It’s not for vanity that leading companies across the world invest billions of dollars every year on branding. Billions of dollars, friends! They must either be mad, or they know what they are doing, right?
I’m always proud of organisations that are progressive. They’ve strongly rejected the mediocre sensibilities and afforded the communication discipline its rightful place in their corporate architecture. Because communication builds brands. Great brands attract support. They’re profitable.
And yes, it’s not lost on us that exceptional work alone is not enough. Here’s the uncomfortable truth- work is not objective. It does not speak for itself. It never has. Meaning of work is shaped, framed and contested through discourses which dictate interpretation.
It explains why work only matters when it’s translated into something of meaning to stakeholders. The stakeholder must see themselves in the mix and the value of work to them. Perception is created, its neither a right nor self-evident. This means, every story, every social media post, every image, must be intentional. For us, in strategic communication, every narrative that advances an organisation’s interests, matter.
Organisations don’t win because they only have the best assets or produce outstanding products and services. Organisations win because they, yes, deliver on their promise but also when they shape their narratives.
So let me leave you with this truism that fortune does not favour the busiest organisation; Fortune favours the organisations that both doing meaningful work and tell their story with clarity, consistency and conviction.
This is an abridged version of my speech at an event in Nairobi.