How shining a light on your start can rally employees to grow your future
While company origin stories often play a central role in external brand-building, too often their employee potential gets underplayed or overlooked. More than a simple nostalgic look back, your company’s origin story is a strategic asset that has the power to align and inspire your people to accelerate a common path forward.
The best origin stories bring together founding values, current goals and forward-looking ambitions to unify the organization through a sense of shared identity. By bridging past, present and future, a compelling origin story provides a clear direction that motivates teams and sets the stage for lasting growth.
When do you need an origin story?
There are many situations where a corporate origin story can be invaluable. In critical moments of change, highlighting a company’s origins can help employees feel connected to the shift by rooting it in the core values that have guided the organization from the start. This creates a sense of continuity that encourages employees to see themselves as part of the evolution.
A compelling origin story can also be a powerful tool to attract top talent who align with the company’s future direction, especially when they see themselves reflected in the story. At milestone moments, origin stories help honor the past while focusing on what’s ahead for an organization, building a bridge from legacy to the company’s strategic vision of what’s to come.
What are the requirements for a good origin story?
A lot will be asked of this pivotal story. It must blend history with today’s realities and tomorrow’s goals, creating an emotional narrative that moves your people to action by inspiring – not prescribing – new behaviors.
This story has to speak to both the heart and the mind. It must make strategy understandable and actionable for every individual, so that the emotional connection translates into meaningful behaviors that drive the company forward.
The three key elements of an origin story
Powerful origin stories all have:
1. A story premise
The foundation of a strong origin story is a clear strategic point of view that speaks to everyone in the company. A well-defined story premise crystallizes the path forward, allowing each team member to see themselves in the story and understand their role in advancing it. This creates strategic clarity, enabling individuals to grasp the bigger picture while identifying personally meaningful ways to contribute.
2. Story lore
The most powerful storytelling taps into emotion. Story lore shows the premise in action, surfacing up real-world examples and anecdotes that stir employee emotion, expand pride and inspire new employee behaviors.
3. Story artifacts
Memorable ideas, visuals and assets reinforce the origin story, influencing perceptions and deepening engagement. Ideally, these artifacts are introduced as part of a coordinated storytelling campaign that spans all functions and unifies messaging across the company. Sharing these artifacts ignites the story, fostering shared passion, belonging and belief among employees.
An effective origin story combines both rational and emotional elements, creating a sense of shared identity that moves people toward the future together. Ready to explore how your company’s origin story can drive meaningful change? Reach out to us at info@cxocommunication.com and discover what’s possible.
Three successful origin stories
1. Apple
Story Premise
Apple is built by and for the innovators who think differently and change our world.
Story Lore
The Creation Anecdote: “The garage story”
College dropouts Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak wanted to change the way people used computers. Rather than the hulking mainframes common at the time, they dreamed of computers that were small and user-friendly enough for people to have them in their homes and offices. On a shoestring budget, they prototyped the Apple 1 in Jobs’ parents’ garage. The rest is innovation history.
Story Artifacts
2. Nike
Story Premise
Nike is about pushing limits and achieving greatness through innovation and action.
Story Lore
The Creation Anecdote: “The waffle story”
Track coach Bill Bowerman had a groundbreaking idea. He poured liquid rubber into his wife’s waffle iron, creating a running shoe with a unique sole with a raised, waffle-like pattern. This unconventional design offered superior traction and grip, revolutionizing athletic footwear and setting Nike on the path to its future success as a leading athletic brand known for embracing ingenuity and action.
Story Artifacts
3. Airbnb
Story Premise
Airbnb is about experiencing and enabling adventure and belonging in new ways.
Story Lore
The Creation Anecdote: “The two broke guys story”
Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia were broke and looking for ways to make the rent. They decided to rent out air mattresses in their San Francisco apartment to conference attendees because all the hotels were booked. They called their scrappy service “Air Bed and Breakfast.” Within a few short years, this small experiment became the massive hospitality disruptor Airbnb, a juggernaut built on an adventurous spirit and the passion to make everyone feel like they belong.
Story Artifacts
