206. Crafting Narratives That Motivate: What’s Your Strategy Story?

206. Crafting Narratives That Motivate: What’s Your Strategy Story?

Great strategy starts with a question—and a story worth believing in.


A good strategy isn’t just built—it’s told. For Martin Reeves, chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute and author of The Imagination Machine and Like: The Button That Changed the World, strategy and imagination are both deeply communicative processes, rooted in storytelling, curiosity, and the courage to reframe assumptions.

“A strategy is really just a special kind of story,” Reeves explains. “It begins with the present and aspires to a different future—it’s fiction made actionable.” To bring that fiction to life, leaders must involve their teams in a co-creative journey and use thoughtful questions to shape not just ideas, but belief and action.

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Reeves joins Matt Abrahams to explore how communication fuels strategic thinking, innovation, and organizational reinvention. He outlines his six-step framework for imagination—from embracing anomalies to codifying and continuing ideas—and underscores the role of reframing, deep listening, and even levity in solving complex problems. Together, they unpack how a single “like” button changed our digital behaviors—and what it teaches us about influence and attention today.

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Chapters:

  • (00:00) - Introduction
  • (02:28) - Using Story in Strategy
  • (05:09) - Questions as a Communication Technology
  • (06:24) - The Six Steps to Harnessing Imagination
  • (10:45) - The “7 Cs” of Imagination and Communication
  • (12:17) - Reframing as a Creative Tool
  • (14:20) - The Like Button: Origin and Evolution
  • (16:23) - Brain Chemistry Behind Digital Liking
  • (18:21) - The Final Three Questions
  • (24:16) - Conclusion

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2. Communicating Our Multiple Selves: How to Effectively Manage Your Reputation

2. Communicating Our Multiple Selves: How to Effectively Manage Your Reputation

How others perceive us in person and via social media can impact our careers and social standing. But we can build the reputation we want through conscious communication. On this podcast episode, strategic communication lecturers Matt Abrahams and Allison Kluger share techniques on effectively improving and managing your reputation.Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn,  Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn   ********This episode is sponsored by Grammarly. Let Grammarly take the busywork off your plate so you can focus on high-impact work. Download Grammarly for free today

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1. Speaking Without a Net: How to Master Impromptu Communication

Most professional communication is spontaneous in nature: it’s providing feedback in the moment, answering questions, introducing people. On this podcast episode, Strategic Communication lecturer Matt Abrahams speaks with Stanford lecturers Adam Tobin and Dan Klein on how to become more comfortable and confident in in-the-moment speaking situations. Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn,  Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn   ********This episode is sponsored by Grammarly. Let Grammarly take the busywork off your plate so you can focus on high-impact work. Download Grammarly for free today

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Introducing Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast

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Join Matt Abrahams, lecturer in strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business, as he sits down with experts from across the world to discuss public speaking anxiety, speaking off the cuff, nailing a Q&A, and more.Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn,  Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

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