Now | New | Next is a framework for how to think about you, your company, or your team. It is a temporal approach that looks at the world through the lens of narrative and its ability to shape actions and intentions across personal development, a roadmap go-to-market strategy, and or a way to optimize team dynamics for enhanced performance.  It is a way to frame how to speak to multiple stakeholders with the same, but nuanced story. 

The application is horizontal.  The implications can be either vertical or horizontal.  We like to think of Now | New | Next as a means to an end for achieving alignment throughout the organization and as a mechanism for identifying and building fit at an individual level.  We will talk more about the idea of how alignment + fit = harmony in a future post.

The definitions we provide for Now | New | Next are as follows:

Now: Represent a thematic element for the moment, with hints of the past.  This section will provide tips, tricks, and announcements to inspire turning your narrative into a habit.

New: Represent critical thinking, developments, and thought-provoking leadership that map to intentions. A forward-looking sentiment that will speak to your intended actions for the next six to 12 months.

Next: Represent bold moonshots, movements, trends, transformational insights, and stories to be told to stretch your thinking and inspire leaps in your imagination for what is possible.  Something we call Futurescaping.

The Payoff 

Every blog is an investment in time.  Time spent reading, absorbing, and hopefully incorporating into your life in some small way.  We believe that everyone has a prevailing narrative.  Some understand it.  Many do not.  

We also believe that everyone has narrative equity.  Like personal finance or R&D investments or marketing spends, your equity is built or borrowed over time - pending your life stage.  How you use your narrative equity comes down to its capital value.  Like a currency, you can spend it or share it.  

And, most importantly, when thinking about your narrative equity - we live in an era where understanding your capacity is critical.  Because, to quote Rishad Tobaccowala, “The Future Does Not Fit in the Containers of the Past.”

To put that in context, your resume is a container of your past.  That is your prevailing narrative. The question to ask yourself is - what are you investing today to build your future narrative?  And, that is where we will begin the journey for Now | New | Next. 

By Tobin Trevarthen

Keywords: Business Strategy, Culture, Future of Work