Pulling your storytelling out of the weeds
Crisis breeds clarity. If there was ever a moment to rethink how we communicate, it’s now. And the hidden benefits are enormous.
I recently had a conversation with a newly appointed leader at a small organization. We covered everything from his new strategic vision, funding goals, and challenges related to communicating the value of his work. Then he shared a frustration with me: “Another organization in our orbit just launched their ‘we’re-going-to-end-poverty-with-coding-classes-2030-strategic-plan.’” He sighed. “I try really hard to stay out of the silver bullet business. I’ve been trying to sell the “this work is messy” narrative, but it's been challenging.”
He’s not the first leader I’ve encountered who resents these “attention-hungry” nonprofits, who seem to peddle simplistic narratives about their work in exchange for funding and attention. To many leaders, these moves lack integrity and feel disingenuous. These leaders believe that good work is complex work and complex work can’t possibly be reduced to a snappy slogan. They believe that good leaders put their heads down and focus on doing the work rather than performing the work. Simplicity (in messaging) must be snake oil. It signals a lack of depth, a shortcut that sacrifices nuance for attention.
But simple is not the same as simplistic. And resonant is not the same as reductive. Expecting the story you tell about your organization (which I’m going to refer to here on out as strategic brand communications) to convey complexity is like asking a knife to be a hammer—it’s the wrong tool for the job.
Not all messaging serves the same purpose. Different types of communications play different roles, and conflating them leads to confusion.
Research communications are for informing and deepening understanding. Think white papers, reports, and studies that provide in-depth knowledge.
Funding communications are for persuading and making a case. Think proposals, annual reports, and impact reports designed to secure financial support.
Campaign messaging is for changing minds and shifting perspectives. Think advocacy campaigns, movement-building efforts, and public awareness initiatives.
Strategic brand communications isn’t meant to do any of the above. Its purpose is to open the door to deeper engagement with your work. It sets the stage by creating the context, framing the conversation, and ultimately, sparking curiosity.
When done right, it subtly challenges the status quo and invites people to reconsider what’s possible. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provides a masterclass in using strategic brand communications to invite audiences to lean in and be curious. A recurring statement in their organizational storytelling is the following:
“We pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.”
This line perfectly encapsulates what strategic brand communications should do: it primes your mind by subtly questioning the status quo and in turn, inspiring curiosity.
For context, RWJF focuses on health in America. Too often, conversations on this topic fixate on the mechanics of the healthcare system or the intellectual theories behind what blocks access to health. An otherwise urgent conversation feels entirely dulled when it is mired in mind-numbing details about utilization rates, social determinants, and disparities.
Where most organizations get lost in policy jargon, RWJF takes a different approach. It reframes the conversation entirely, making it both stark and refreshing.The RWJF vision statement is a much needed antidote that yanks us out of the weeds and forces us to face a more human and essential question: shouldn't we all be afforded the opportunity to be and stay healthy? This simple provocation becomes a jumping off point for further curiosity about this organization—who are they? What do they do? What else do they have to say about the state of health in America?
Good communication shakes us loose from the status quo. It unearths the entrenched assumptions embedded in our psyches and holds them up to the light. And it inspires us to think about ideas and issues differently.
As a leader, if you continue to do what you’ve always done, it doesn’t feel like you’ve made a choice, just like the leader I spoke with, who resisted simplified narratives but found himself struggling to articulate his organization’s work in a compelling way. But every action is a choice. Choosing to lead your communications with complexity means you are choosing not to lead with simplicity, and this comes at a huge hidden cost.
Funders won’t know whether you are a unique and worthwhile bet. Press outlets won’t see why your work is relevant to the moment. Potential partners won’t know what you’re good at and whether they should work with you to amplify each other’s impact. The price you pay is funding, visibility, and partnership opportunities—left on the table.
Don’t buy into the false binary that communications must be either substantive or simple. The best messaging uses both, at the right time, in the right way, for the right audience. Because simple isn’t superficial. It’s powerful.
The current political climate is forcing nonprofits and philanthropies to rethink how they talk about their work. And the debate is brutal—stay silent or keep beating the drum? Soften the language or double down? I’m of the camp that you can adapt your words without compromising your principles, especially if it increases your chance of survival. I also believe crisis breeds clarity, and if there was ever a moment to rethink how we communicate, it’s now.
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If you had 10 seconds to explain why your work matters, what would you say? If you’re struggling with this, you’re not alone. Reach out to me here and lets get your storytelling sorted.