12. IBP Storyellers Win

Good IBP/S&OP Is Not What You Think

Many years ago, I heard a consultant/coach named Dov Gordon say "you only find simplicity on the other side of complexity". It took me a while to unpick that, but crikey, he was right.

IBP/S&OP reviews usually are predictable affairs - predictable in content, and predictable in complexity. Lots of numbers and tables, meticulous analyses, detailed forecasts. The language of data and metrics is fundamental.

Yet doesn't it feel like sometimes, something is missing?

That might be because there's something missing. It's not better forecasting. It's not fancier software. It's not even executive sponsorship (though that certainly helps).

It's storytelling.

Yes. In my opinion, the most valuable IBP/S&OP leaders aren't forecasters or analysts. They're storytellers first, planners second.

The Business Babel Tower

Every company builds its own Tower of Babel. Each department speaks its own dialect: Sales talks pipeline, Operations talks efficiency, Finance talks margins.

Without translation, a business is just competing perspectives. No wonder executives check their phones during presentations - departments speak different languages about the same company.

The Storytelling Advantage

A mediocre IBP process reduces business stories to spreadsheet numbers. An excellent one does the opposite - weaving scattered data into a coherent narrative that answers not just "what's happening" but "why it matters" – or as I like to think of it: “so what, now what”.

If an executive is surprised by something that was evident in existing data, your IBP process has failed. The failure isn't in collecting information, but in translating it into meaningful insight.

The best IBP processes tell three essential stories:

• The "reality story" - an honest reflection of current performance

• The "future story" - where the business is heading

• The "options story" - what choices exist and their consequences

Great IBP/S&OP leaders highlight tensions between competing priorities, connect dots across departments, and visualise meaning rather than just metrics.

Glazed Eyes = Translation Failure

When your CEO's eyes glaze over during your MBR review, the storytelling deficiency in your process is showing. The true test is simple: Did your meeting change anyone's understanding? If not, your process is technically sound but narratively bankrupt.

The Last Word: From Information to Illumination

The most successful IBP processes don't just organise data - they illuminate the business. They transform isolated metrics into meaningful narratives that drive action.

Next time you prepare for your IBP review, ask yourself: "What's the story these numbers are telling?" Not just "Are these numbers accurate?"

My challenge: Spend half the time you'd normally spend perfecting your forecasts or completing that ppt slide deck into crafting your narrative instead. Make the numbers serve the story, not the other way around.

When business leaders truly understand their business - its dynamics, challenges, opportunities - everything else follows. And no one checks their phone when they're engaged in a compelling story.

Is your IBP process telling your business story, or just reporting statistics? Have you tried channelling your inner storyteller to break through the data fog? I'd love to hear your experience.

Want to learn more? Visit me at www.planninglab.co.nz

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