How to Tell Your Organization’s Story

While collecting organization stories for my book, two stood out — one for all the right reasons, and the other for all the wrong ones.

Fortunately, this “tale of two tales” has a happy ending. And it offers some important takeaways for anyone charged with creating or revamping their organization’s story.

The right way

Let’s start with the right way. Legendary farm equipment maker John Deere has a legacy spanning almost 200 years. Here’s their story:

In 1837 our founder, John Deere, was a typical blacksmith turning out hayforks, horseshoes, and other essentials for life on the prairie. 

Then one day, a broken steel sawmill blade gave him an opportunity. He knew that days in the field were difficult for farmers near his home in Grand Detour, Illinois, because they had to interrupt their work to clean the sticky prairie soil off of their cast-iron plows. He also knew that the soil would slide easily off of a highly polished steel moldboard. Steel was scarce in the area, so Deere fashioned a moldboard out of the second-hand blade.

Now, 175 years later, the company that grew out of the success of this innovative plow continues to manufacture advanced equipment to help those who work with the land accomplish their tasks better and faster.

This story follows a simple trajectory common to many “origin” stories. It:

• Introduces the founder (the character);
• Identifies a problem (sticky prairie soil that interrupts the work);
• Offers a solution (a polished steel moldboard); 
• Traces the organization’s success (its growth and expansion); and
• Delivers a value statement (helping farmers work better and faster).

It also hooks us with a small moment that leads to something big.

The wrong way

Popular restaurant chain Panera, on the other hand, took a … different approach. Here’s a highly condensed version of the story they told back when I was writing the book:

The Panera Bread legacy began in 1981 as Au Bon Pain Co., Inc. ... [it] became the dominant operator within the bakery-cafe category … between 1993 and 1997 average unit volumes increased by 75% … In May 1999, all of Au Bon Pain Co., Inc.’s business units were sold, with the exception of Panera Bread, and the company was renamed Panera Bread … the company’s stock has grown exponentially, and today it has a market capitalization of $4.5 billion … 

No character, no problem, no value proposition. Most of all, no humanity.

Now in fairness, it’s possible the company’s website at the time was targeted toward potential franchisees instead of customers. So perhaps their goal was to position the company as a wise investment.

A redemption story

But subsequent to the book’s publication, I was happy to discover that Panera completely revamped their story:

Our first bakery-cafe opened in 1987, founded with a secret sourdough starter and the belief that the best part of bread is sharing it. That vision led to the invention of the Fast Casual category with Panera at the forefront, centered around our delicious menu of chef-curated recipes that are crafted with care by our team members. 

We make food that we are proud to serve our own families … Each recipe is filled with ingredients we feel good about and none of those we don’t because we are committed to serving our guests food that feels good in the moment and long after. 

While our company is now more than 2,200 bakery-cafes strong, our values and belief in the lasting power of a great meal remain as strong as ever. Nothing beats breaking bread together.

This new version delivers a full-blown narrative, from its founding to its present-day success — all guided by the conviction that “nothing beats breaking bread together.”

I especially love the emotionally charged language: “chef-curated,” “crafted with care,” and “food that feels good in the moment and long after.” It subtly makes the case that Panera is the wholesome solution to the unstated problem of typical fast food.

Now maybe your organization doesn’t have a long history or a colorful founder or a solid track record just yet. That’s OK. Just focus on three core elements: problem, solution, value proposition.

That’s truly the heart of any great organization story.