From Opera to OKR: How Storytelling Builds Better Strategy with Mat Lawrence

What do scenic design, customer experience and OKRs have in common? According to Mat Lawrence, everything.

In this episode, Tim sits down with Mat—COO at Shippit and former head of props at Opera Australia—to talk about how storytelling transforms leadership, decision-making and alignment inside fast-growing teams.

Mat shares how he went from building physical props for live shows to building teams at Atlassian and now Shippit, and how the same creative problem-solving applies across every space.

You’ll hear how Shippit navigated the chaos of early lockdowns, why most goal-setting feels uninspired, and how rewriting OKRs as short stories changed how teams connected to their work.

This one’s for anyone who wants to lead with clarity, purpose and a little creativity.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Strategy Candy Podcast

00:59 Meet Today's Guest: Matt's Fascinating Career Journey

01:43 From Opera to Tech: Matt's Career Pivot

02:28 Challenges and Innovations in the Opera Industry

04:41 Transition to Atlassian and Agile Development

10:56 The Power of Storytelling in Goal Setting

15:05 Connecting Teams Through Purpose and Story

16:53 Innovative Approaches to OKRs and Team Collaboration

22:19 Building on Ideas: The 'Yes And' Principle

22:56 Applying Improv Principles to Business Culture

23:33 Creating a Safe Space for Failure

24:41 Storytelling in Business Presentations

27:04 Empowering Teams with the 'Why'

29:09 Adapting Leadership During Crisis

36:46 Transparency and Openness in Leadership

38:37 Prioritizing and Filling Capability Gaps

40:55 The Importance of Flow Time

43:40 Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts

Guest Bio

Mat Lawrence was the Chief Operating Officer at Shippit, a logistics tech platform helping retailers deliver better customer experiences. With a background in scenic design and a decade spent building animatronics and props for live theatre, Mat brings a unique blend of creativity, operational excellence, and people-first leadership to the table.

Before Shippit, he led teams at Atlassian through a period of massive growth, helping shape their global ways of working. These days, Mat’s on a mission to scale high-performing, purpose-driven teams—and maybe write a few OKR stories along the way.

OKR Quickstart Guide & Resources HERE

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