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> **Step 1 — Define a strategic Narrative**
> [](https://substack.com/redirect/482e2367-1599-453c-9f19-143bd9300664?j=eyJ1IjoiMm5udmwzIn0.437zjHHVMdVbzo_zKQIPOUwdpykWlG5CluMeGyzO674)
> The biggest benefit of NCTs is that they provide more connective tissue between your strategy and the goals necessary to achieve that strategy.
> Defining the Narrative is often the hardest part — because it forces teams to justify their work. But, this step is also the most important part. If it’s not clear what your strategy is, it doesn’t matter what your goals are.
> If it’s not clear what your strategy is, it doesn’t matter what your goals are.
> The Narrative is a 1-3 sentence qualitative description of what the team wants to achieve and why it matters to the business. The Narrative’s purpose is to tie the team’s immediate work to the company’s long-term strategy. A well-structured narrative will provide the strategic context and guardrails that allow individuals to make better decisions. You can do this by including the following:
> • Detail on why the initiative is a priority
> • Recent learnings relevant to the initiative
> • Past efforts or problems with similar initiatives
> • How the initiative fits into the broader product vision
How to Set and Achieve Ambitious Goals
Ravi Mehta
Here’s what you need to look for in a North Star Metric: As close as possible to the core value experience ... Aggregate number, not a rate or ratio—We’re looking for a number that will sum up the value across the entire market and potentially grow up-and-to-right over time... Simple and memorable—No North Star Metric is perfect. Some messages sent via WhatsApp may be spam, some items purchased on eBay may not be fully satisfactory to the buyer. That’s fine as long as the number is still generally indicative of total value.
Evidence-Guided
Itamar Gilad
But the truth is that many companies, especially large complex companies, don’t really have strategies. At the core, strategy is about focus, and most complex organizations don’t focus their resources. Instead, they pursue multiple goals at once, not concentrating enough resources to achieve a breakthrough in any of them.”
Good Strategy/Bad Strategy
Richard Rumelt
...catch up on these, and many more highlights
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