Strategic Storyboarding

Walt Disney is most often considered to be the modern day master of storyboarding. Plus, he is known for his willingness to put his money behind his ideas.

Did you know that at one point in his career, he was totally broke? While wondering what to do and where the next dollar was going to come from…a mouse ran across his apartment.

Well… you already know who that became!

Disney popularized the use of storyboarding as a tool to communicate with designers. He knew that he needed a tool to communicate quickly with multiple designers and get a snap shot overview of projects.

Every morning it is said that he came in and met with designers to review their storyboards.

Each board combined words and pictures for the projects—showing how films, cartoons developed from start to finish. In that quick interaction, Disney was able to get an overview—at a glance. This quick method allowed him to evaluate and refine ideas faster and more efficiently.

This was so effective, that outside the art studio, Disney used the same methods to plan future business. He used the storyboarding process in business planning. And the result of this creative collaborative approach is the incredibly profitable Disney locations.

While it’s inspiring to focus only on the amazing positive success of the multi-billion dollar empire that has emerged…it’s equally helpful to look at how Disney structured the inner blueprint for making his dreams come true.

I am especially touched by this quote from him:

“Somehow I can’t believe that there are any heights that can’t be scaled by a man when he knows the secrets of making dreams come true. They can be summarized in the four C’s. These are: confidence, courage, constancy and curiosity. The greatest of all is confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way implicitly and unquestionably.”

—Walt Disney

Let’s take a quick look at Disney’s “4 C's" and how you can use them as you storyboard innovation for your business:

Creativity: Create an outline of what you consider creative. It all starts with your own definition. Make a big wall or chart where to get all your ideas out. Explore how you define your dreams, where you want to go and how you want to get there.

This shows up in big ways and little ways. Do you make time for creative input? What are your creative choices each day? Do you approach business challenges with a creative attitude? Do you invest in creative daily practices?

Keep in mind: You are in charge. Use your preferences and passion to personalize solutions that are just right for you.

Choice: Start anywhere that you choose in the creative and strategic process. You can use anything you want. You can leave anything that doesn’t work for you.

Only you can make decisions and choices that reflect what’s important for you. Plus your choices today may be radically different than what you chose last year…or what you will choose next year.

Think of your business choice as a ground zero. If you had to make the choice to be in this business and do it this way…would you make the same choice today that you made when you started?

Get current. It’s your choice. What do you choose today?

Courage: It takes courage to start. Take a look at what’s really going on in your business strategy. Ask yourself, “Is this what I really want?”

Look at what you really want. And, then take some risks. Have the courage to try something new.

It takes courage to continue to listen inside—to your own priorities and values. You’ve already taken the first courageous step by reading this article...but there’s more. Now, take another step for courage. 

Make the time to bring a creative, strategic approach to your business decisions.

Communication: How you communicate with yourself is the core of knowing what you want. If you are honest with yourself, that’s the ground you stand on.

Of course, this shows up in how you communicate with other people. This absolutely makes the difference in how believable and credible you are—first to yourself and then with other people.

It’s been said that communication is a core survival skill. That’s certainly true in business communication—if you can get your ideas out in a storyboard, then other people can see where you want to go. They can help make it real.

When you plan and structure your ideas, projects and products in a visible sequence…people will understand both the big picture and the detail. That’s the beauty of using storyboards.

You’ll find that a storyboard adds tremendous momentum and speed. You’ll have a faster and easier tool to share your ideas, involve others and strengthen your strategy with diverse input.

Bring all these 4 C’s together, and you have an internal roadmap to do exactly what you want to do. With the 4 C blueprint and the storyboard process, you’ve got a winning formula to Make Your Dreams Come True.

To your strategic success!