1. GEORGE C. MARSHALL CENTER
College of International Security Studies
Garmisch – Partenkirchen, Germany
LTC ULRICH M. JANSSEN
Email: ulrich.janssen@marshallcenter.org
LinkedIn: Ulrich Janßen
Twitter: @UliJanOgau
Phone: +49-8821-750-2658

2. Lieutenant Colonel Ulrich (“Uli”) M. JANSSEN (DEU Army)
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Operating Environment
 53 winters
 1 daughter (23)
 Engaged
 Rhineland  Oberammergau
Education
 Hamburg University, Masters in Economics
 Graduate of George C. Marshall European
Center for Security Studies, PASS 08-7
 Information Operations Post-Graduate
Course in GBR
 Strategic Communications Master Class,
University of Cambridge
> 32 years of military service
 Command functions
 Staff functions
 Training & Education
Next to Military
 Sports
 Reading
 Good food, red wine
Last appointments:
 5 years Arms Control & Verification
 CFE-Treaty, Vienna Document, Dayton Peace
Agreement
 4 years JFC Brunssum
 J5/9 Joint Plans - Force Planning
 J2/CI - INFOSEC
 2 years structure / PE review
 4 years Joint Info Ops Branch
 Concept Development, Plans, Requirements,
Education, Training & Exercise
 1993-2007 supporting speaker
 various courses
 Mar 2008 Course Director / Instructor
 CD EW, INFO OPS, PSYOPS, STRATCOM
 Instructor OPC, EW, PAO, CIMIC, CM, Orientation
Courses
 Lecturer BDCOL, DEU General Staff College, UK NDA
/ Cranfield University, AUT NDA, SWE NDC, BGR
NDA, George C. Marshall Center
 International conferences
 June 2013  George C. Marshall Center

3. Introduction to Narratives as Influence Factor
NARRATIVES

4. Workshop Agenda & Aim
Introduction to Narratives as Influence Factor
 What‟s a narrative?
 The power of a good story
 War, image and legitimacy
 Narratives in modern context
 Constructing a narrative
 Narratives in the military context
Practical exercise
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5. What’s a Narrative
Dictionary
1. a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether
true or fictitious.
2. a book, literary work, etc., containing such a story.
3. the art, technique, or process of narrating stories.
 “Somerset Maugham was a master of narrative.”
Wikipedia
A narrative is a constructive format (…) that describes a sequence of
non-fictional or fictional events.
The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to tell", and is related to
the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled“
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6. Narratives and Stories
Wikipedia
The word "story" may be used as a synonym of "narrative".
It can also be used to refer to the sequence of events described in a
(larger) narrative.
 The history of NATO … an (institutional) narrative
 The story of my life … my (individual) narrative
 What had happened to them … Their narrative
A narrative might be told by a character within a larger narrative.
 What a story tells … how a story is told
– Robinson Crusoe, Perry Rhodan, Mr. Bean
 Never underestimate the power of a good story!
Heath Brothers: Made to Stick
 Stories make people act!
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7. …worth more than 1000 words
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War
Image
Legitimacy

8. …telling a story
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9. …telling a story
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10. The power of a good story
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UNCLASSIFIED
“For to win one hundred
victories in one hundred
battles is not the acme of
skill. To subdue the
enemy without fighting is
the acme of skill.”

11. Narratives in modern context
 Narrating stories / listening takes time
 A picture is worth more than thousand words
 Facts & figures speak for themselves
 KISS
 Commanders, Planners, Units crash too often.
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UNCLASSIFIED

12. The brutal simplicity of thought
 Six fundamental principles for SUCCESs-ful
messaging
 Simple
 Unexpected
 Concrete
 Credible
 Emotional
 Stories
 Building a better airline,
not just a bigger one.
 Communication demands
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 Fit the purpose (vision / end-state)
 Help … to crash less often
 By better considering people’s perceptions, motivations and behaviour
They’ve got the watches, we’ve got the time!
You’re out – we’re in!

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14. CAPABILITIES
DO
Motivation… based on perceived legitimacy
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UNDERSTANDING
WILL
Information
Knowledge
Attitudes
Values
Norms
Beliefs
Culture
Traditions
Action
Behaviour
Adapted from Jeff French: Strategic Social Marketing
Tools
Means
Technology
Organization
Social consequences
Otherinfluencingfactors

15. Perception of Legitimacy
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16. 1-Jul-13 16

17. Legitimacy
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18. Story Story Story
Archetypes Forms
Standard patterns on which
stories may be based, defining
typical characters, actions,
sequences
Standard characters expected
in stories, with given motives
and in particular situations
Constructing a narrative
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19. Constructing a narrative
(1) Rich Pictures
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20. 1-Jul-13 20
Constructing a narrative
(2) Mindmap: “Ensuring C5”

21. Master Narrative / Branding Model
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© Braithwaite Communications

22. An example
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23. Individual,
Group, National
Narratives
Guidance,
Strategy &
Plans
Coalition
Narrative
Mandate
Coalition building
Developing a coalition narrative
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24. Narrative Applications… fit the purpose
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29th Organisational Development World Congress, Pretoria, 2009

25. Building narratives in the military context
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Grand Strategy
Institutional (NATO’s) Narrative
Theatre 2 Narrative
support
support
inform
inform
StoriesMotive
Motive
action/events
actions/events
Stories
Stakeholder & Audience Analysis
Theatre
Strategies
Theatre 1 Narrative
C2(t)
© MNIOE 2013

26. Stakeholder Analysis
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8 different stakeholder groups:
1. Dormant stakeholders (Power,
no legitimacy and no urgency)
2. Discretionary stakeholders
(Legitimacy, but no power and
no urgency)
3. Demanding stakeholders
(Urgency, but no legitimacy and
no power)
4. Dominant stakeholders (Power
and legitimacy, but no urgency)
5. Dangerous stakeholders (Power
and urgency, but no legitimacy)
6. Dependent stakeholders
(Legitimacy and urgency, but no
power)
7. Definite stakeholders (Power,
legitimacy and urgency)
8. Nonstakeholders (No power, no
legitimacy and no urgency)http://dev.change-management-toolbook.com/mod/book/view.php?id=74
http://dev.change-management-toolbook.com/mod/book/print.php?id=74&chapterid=68

27. Ingredients of the NATO Narrative
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Our history
Common values
and beliefs
Our vision, mission,
aims, objectives
Policy
Doctrine
Plans
Concepts
Organization
Responsibilities

28. NATO’s Narrative
The Washington Treaty
“Keep the Germans down, the Americans in, and the Russians
out.” (Lord Ismay, 4 Apr 1949)
 Collective Defence
 Shared responsibility for security
 Burden sharing
 Strengthen the transatlantic link
Strategic Concept 2010
 Active Engagement, Modern Defence
NATO Summit, Chicago, May 2012
5 declarations
 Partnership
 Smart Defence & Development of Defence Capabilities
 Countering Terrorism
 Commitment in AFG post 2014
Mission specific
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29. Narrative Arc … to be consistent
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Prof Steven R. Corman
CSC – Center for Strategic Communication

30. 1-Jul-13 30
What’s the story?
Conflict Desire Satisfaction

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32. 1-Jul-13 32
Hamas party rally in Gaza City Mahmud Hams, AFP/Getty, 2005

33. Narrative Building Elements
Guiding Strategy and Vision
 Common values and beliefs … coalition building
 Projection of your story into the future … trajectory
Meme … a sticky message
 Prioritize, remember, agree
 story-telling enablers to make people care and motivate to act
Stories that link the strategic vision to a particular
audience (stakeholders)
 A common issue… common desire
 Joint activities … stories
 „official‟ story, „core‟ story (Adam & Eve) vs. „individual‟ stories
 “Using the local narrative rather than countering it!”
(Tony Quinlan, Founder & CEO Narrate Ltd, UK)
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34. Telling our story  listening to their stories
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Taken from: Steven R. Corman: Narrating the Exit from Afghanistan

36. Final Reading Recommendations
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37. Introduction to Narratives as Influence Factor
NARRATIVES

38. Table Discussions / Practical Exercise
Common to all: The situation
 Re-deployment of NATO forces from AFG
 Enduring commitment to AFG security beyond
2014
 Pick-up points
– Strategic Concept 2010 “Active Engagement, Modern Defence”
– Chicago Summit 2012 Declaration on enduring commitment in AFG post
2014
Different: The Perspectives / Audiences
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39. Table Discussions
Audiences
 Table 1: The people in European troop contributing nations
 Table 2: The Afghan Government and Key Afghan Leaders
 Table 3: Taleban Senior Leaders
 Table 4: Local Afghan populace
Mission/task: Discuss narrative building elements
Backbrief @ time (3-5 mins per table) on
 Audience(s) / stakeholders
 Your group‟s sticky core message
 Key themes
 Supporting story lines (bullets, rich picture, mindmap)
 Activities / events supporting the narrative
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40. 1-Jul-13 40
“If you don’t
engage with others,
others will not
engage with you.”
Maria-Rosa Moroso, Information Analyst, NCIA