We use words to get things done. That's why we learned to speak in the first place—to act on the world, change it from what it is now to something that we need and want. Something better. Everything that happens in an organisation depends on this fact. Economies are built on it. The work of government is only possible because of it. For universities, this is how you get impact. The question for us now is how we can use words to get good things done. What would that look like in an organisation or partnership? It's not just about conveying information to people. It's about challenging what we mean, getting to grips with uncertainty (aka risk), and describing a future we want in rich enough terms that we know what we need to do to get there. Here are a few examples: > capturing in meaningful language the value you want to create and protect > describing scenarios in rich and relevant detail, with the advice of subject matter experts, so that a board and executive can make informed decisions > working with a board to state their appetite for risk in a way that helps everyone make decisions > describing strategic risks in terms that are definite, precise and genuinely inform decision makers > capturing subject matter expertise in words that are relevant and meaningful to those who need to know.