Poetry, an Action Priority Matrix, & Silent CEOs

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Read time: 3 min

At a glance:

  • QUOTE: The importance of rational and emotional thinking

  • IDEA: Is it really a tactical ask?

  • TOOL: Use this to prioritize projects and tasks

  • ARTICLE: CEOs are silent on societal issues... now what?

QUOTE

“Science describes accurately from outside, poetry describes accurately from inside. Science explicates, poetry implicates. Both celebrate what they describe.”

Ursula K. Le Guin


I think about this quote a lot. As a strategist, there is so much we do that's at the intersection of rational and emotional thinking. Too often, the rational proof points, features, and benefits are prioritized over the emotional part of the story.

This quote reminds us that both the rational and the emotional have a role to play and they are equally powerful.

IDEA

 
 

Throughout my career as a strategist, I can't count the number of times the client was asking for a tactic (eg. website, brochure, social post etc.) but after further inquiry, they realized help was needed further upstream -> Strategy.

There was not an established brand strategy to create any content or tactics that would move the needle.

Something to think about: what do you actually need? Do have a firm grasp of what problem you are solving for? Is the solution really a tactic? Or is there foundational brand strategy work that needs to first get established?

Some questions to ask:

  • What is the brand's positioning?

  • Is there a defined voice and tone?

  • Is it crystal clear across the organization?

  • Do we know the singular message for each tactic?

  • Do we know exactly the barrier we are trying to overcome for each tactic?

These questions can help to point you in either direction. Tactic or Strategy?

TOOL

When you are having a tough time deciding what projects or tasks to execute on:

 
 

There are usually more things to do than the time or resources required to do them. This matrix works really well when you are trying to decide what projects NEED to get done vs. those that SHOULD get done. With this matrix, you (and your team) can start to stratify and strategically prioritize what are the projects you need to plan out, which ones can be quick points on the board, which ones you may execute opportunistically and which ones to stay away from.

It's very simple, but a highly effective way to help any team figure out what to do when they have a laundry list of things to tackle.

ARTICLE

America's CEOs have gone silent on national tragedies

2 min read on Axios here​

Human rights issues, societal challenges, the recent death of Tyre Nichols - CEOs are quiet.

As brand builders, executive communications are very important. The take away is that the power of employees has somewhat diminished from 2020 and because of the economic recession, many companies have laid off their DE&I departments.

Two things that struck me:

  1. We need to redo DE&I in organizations, it can no longer be a side hustle, it needs to be embedded into the organization and its business (through product development and building a brand around all purpose driven efforts.)

  2. Companies don't have DE&I as part of their purpose, or their purpose is just a plaque on the wall, purely for decor. This makes it hard for leaders to take a stand.

I believe companies can and should speak out, especially those who seek to do good while doing well.

Ways I can help you:

  1. Subscribe to Healthy Brand Mondays: Leverage brand thinking to accelerate your growth

  2. Download free guides and tools: Learn from my years of experience as a brand strategist

  3. Work with me: Be a podcast guest or hire my services for your brand

Company as brand, Product as brandhowie chan