Storytelling the language of leaders
New Collection
2
Hello! Creating emotional connection with employees has never been more important for organizations as it is today. Every enterprise, leader, or professional has a story to tell, experiences to share. These are lessons learned, life episodes, notions of the world that transform people so that they continue transforming. We have seen in our research, here at LAB SSJ, that storytelling is increasingly explored in organizations as a powerful communication tool that is able to build trust, inspire, motivate, engage, and mobilize. With this in mind, in this second volume of the new Pocket Learning Collection, we have gathered the fundamentals of narrative, several methods for telling a good story, and how to bring all this to the corporate environment, focusing on storytelling as a skill for any leader.
Have fun!
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Storytelling is one of the oldest and most efficient communication tools. Even in our current context with technology abounding, people still connect through stories in order to share experiences, learn, deepen their world vision, feed their creativity, search for meaning, produce analogies, generate identity, and so on. Stories have existed in all times, places and societies. Being a natural mechanism that helps the human brain to receive, interpret, process, understand, and relate information, good stories are effective instruments of persuasion. Telling stories is like drawing images in someone’s head, driving their imagination. This allows each person to appropriate what is narrated as if it were their own, recognizable, authentic.
By the interest, attention and trust that it produces in the audience, storytelling is an important tool to influence, to transfer new knowledge, as well as to gain cooperation and engagement. In this sense, the application of storytelling has been gaining more space in organizations.
What the
research says
Dalkir & Wiselman, 2004
skill is a precursor for the “Storytelling development of logical thinking
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O’Neill, Peare & Pick, 2004
is a learning tool that links “Storytelling content and experience
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Mello, 2001
generates detailed and comprehensive “ Storytelling mental images in the minds of listeners
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Janner, 1997
creates context and relevance that “Storytelling allows people to understand and create meaning Howard, 1991
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of the content they heard
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is effective for communicating tacit “ Storytelling knowledge - values, beliefs, attitudes, or cultural norms
The power of
stories
According to cognitive scientist Roger C. Schank, “Humans are not ideally set up to understand logic; they are ideally set up to understand stories.” The difference between giving an example and telling a story is that the latter adds sensory details that mobilize the audience and give life to the spoken word. We’re used to this since childhood, when we heard fairy tales, myths, and the personal stories of adults. More than entertaining or fun, this helps children to develop some notions of the world, shaping their values as individuals, and training the brain to learn and better remember information and knowledge. However, more than just putting across information, storytelling is a powerful
tool because it produces meaning. In the world of business, one can use it to develop markets, build brands, lead organizations, and connect people. Leaders tell stories about the founders, turning points, challenges, and best practices, among other narratives. But it’s not about exercising power from the top down, through dominating monologue. The great strength of storytelling comes from its inspiring effect, which allows people to interpret the story based on their own experiences. In this sense, how the narrative is made takes on special importance.
Transmit wisdom, experience, information and facts.
Shape beliefs and values.
Connect people with the deepest aspects of our humanity.
Are the basis of knowledge construction, the foundation of memory and learning.
Generate empathy, providing different perspectives to see other times and worlds.
Model the effective use of language.
Unite the past, present and future by teaching us to use past experience in order to anticipate the possible future consequences of our actions today.
So,
how is it possible to compose a good story?
The structure behind stories Every narrative has a structure that drives and organizes the facts. This construction is what gives meaning to what one wishes to tell. Therefore, one must know how to combine several factors to structure a story well. Among them, organizing the sequence of events (chronologically or not), describing places, people and reactions, as well as transmitting a message of value, moral, or virtue.
status quo
To make sense, every story should basically have a beginning, a middle and an end.
dilemma
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rise
p sur
resolution
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trigger
twist
turning point
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Beginning:the opening sequence of a story usually introduces characters, scenarios and environments as a backdrop. Generally, stories have a starting point, the trigger, which can be a conflict, problem, doubt, idea or unexpected event.
Middle: development of the story will reveal events, situations and actions that are related. The actions of the characters are intertwined; there are obstacles, and the events unfold until they reach the highest point of the story (climax). At that moment, everything becomes clear: problems are solved, relationships are restored, people are reunited, a new scenario is presented.se apresenta.
End: in order for the story to remain in the memory of those who have just heard it, the conclusion must show what the consequence, resolution, or lesson learned were. The ending or outcome brings the story to a close.
rative Elements of the Nar Time Space
Plot Characters
Narrator
y events occur. It ma Interval in which the l ica log ho yc ps e, be chronological tim . time, or a flashback to locate the action Allows the listener easily. and imagine it more per told. It is the story That which is being le, dd mi a g, beginnin se. It must have a d. en an and ts rticipate in the even Individuals who pa er. ell ryt sto by the and who are cited n the story, which ca The one who tells . e’s els e or someon his/her own story
in organizations
An effective corporate narrative has the same characteristics of any good story: a rich scenario, a compelling plot, dramatic tension, well-described characters, an appropriate pace. As a resource of tremendous impact, organizational storytelling produces an integral perspective on the organization and its goals, which is essential to generate identity and purpose among employees. In addition to favoring the understanding of complex issues, making sense of projects that must be fulfilled, it helps translate strategy into action. This allows professionals have
a clearer idea about their goals and the company’s goals. The organizational narrative, however, is not restricted to traditional channels of communication: verbal and written. In a way, storytelling at companies can be manifested in several ways: through strategic decisions, values, business practices, approach, stakeholders, etc. According to the definition by David M. Boje, an expert on the subject, organizational storytelling is a collective system in which the use of stories is an essential part of the construction of common sense and a medium that allows employees to add individual
experiences to the corporate memory — not only in the role of receptors, but also as protagonists of this story.
communication and engagement, able to convey an inspirational and consistent message about the business.
In this sense, organizational storytelling has both an individual and collective function. It serves not only to make individuals feel that they are part of a culture that they believe in and that they can make important contributions to, but also as an active tool for
Through stories, lessons from the past make more sense and possibilities for the future become clearer. Thus, expanding the application of storytelling in organizations is increasingly essential to stimulate the professionals’ repertoire about the business.
Application at companies Below, examples of how to utilize storytelling in everyday life:
Knowledge management
Organizational culture
Identifying and exchanging knowledge.
Communication
Risk management Managing uncertainty and developing a future vision among professionals.
Balancing quantitative information with qualitative evidence, based on real examples.
Exploring values, creating a collective vision and inspiring people toward change when necessary.
Teams, networks and communities Creating strong connections, integrating new professionals in the environment and sharing common goals.
Case Study:
Transparency in times of crisis One of the most widely known and successful cases of crisis management occurred in October 1982, when the Johnson & Johnson-brand pain reliever Tylenol — the market leader in the U.S. at the time — was tampered with cyanide after reaching the store shelves, ultimately causing the deaths of seven people. As soon as the Tylenol-related fatalities were reported in the press, J&J translated its strategy into public actions. Following its principles of protecting human life, the company organized a task force to take the product out of circulation across the nation, assuming losses estimated at more than $100 million.
James Burke, CEO at the time, became totally involved in the case. He took out ads in the name of the company urging consumers not to take Tylenol until the situation was clarified. He went directly to the mass media to speak transparently to consumers and the medical community. The message contained clear guidance on how to act at that delicate moment, while offering people a comforting feeling knowing that the pharmaceutical giant prioritized the health of everyone. “I think the answer comes down to the
value system. What’s right works. The cynics will tell you it doesn’t, but they’re wrong,” said Burke. Even knowing that it was not responsible for the Tylenol tampering, Johnson & Johnson assumed the responsibility to ensure public safety and trust with the consumer. The success of this case is due to the company’s transparent positioning and quick actions taken publically. The strategic maneuver did not harm the brand when Tylenol returned to store shelves in the U.S. (in more tamper-resistant packaging).
The language of leadership When stories are told well, people learn without feeling they’re being taught, being patronized, or hearing a sermon. So, when leaders share their stories, emphasizing values, lessons learned and goals achieved, the team can better assimilate the message.
In general, people learn better by example than by instruction. Therefore, stories told by leaders should be real, consistent, and coherent with their behavior in everyday life. Leaders are observed all the time by their teams. Because they are evident, their non-verbal attitudes are also important, making the person inseparable from the message itself. To meet the essential role of disseminating the vision, direction and purpose of the business, storytelling is one of the best ways that leaders have at their disposal to imprint meaning to new perspectives, to influence, to inspire and to motivate people. After all, when leaders mobilize heads and hearts, they can keep the focus on the common goal.
Case Study:
Message by example Sir Ernest Shackleton, the famous explorer who survived a shipwreck in Antarctica in 1915, is considered one of the greatest leaders in history. His actions and strategies established a style of leadership still studied today.
Shackleton knew like nobody else how to employ symbolic gestures with clear messages to mobilize the expedition. At the time when the ship was smashed to pieces by the force of ice and crew morale was devastated, the explorer made a simple speech, with the appropriate tone and with the right words. Speaking with conviction, he offered a sense of control to the crew. In order to communicate to the men that only those things essential to survival should be maintained, Shackleton
threw away his most valuable objects: his gold cigarette case and watch, among other valuables. Vis-à-vis this vivid and memorable demonstration, all agreed to discard everything that was superfluous under those circumstances. Thus, he established a focus to abandon everything that could hinder the goal of getting out of that place alive. Shackleton’s amazing prowess was always to adapt his speech according to each moment, so things would make sense for the group and everyone remained together. With his consistency, he not only overcame all adversities, but also made all 27 of his crew members — scientists, officers and sailors — survive after 15 months in extreme conditions.
Source: “Leading at the Edge”, Dennis N. T. Perkins, Margareth P. Holtman, Paul R. Kessler & Catherine McCarthy. Amacom, 2000.
Lost on the icy continent, facing great dangers and with no supplies, he kept his crew united, maintained morale, and increasingly improved his rescue plans until he took everyone to safety.
How to use
Storytelling Where to start? What perspectives, attitudes and commitments are needed to give life to a story in the organization? Although there is no single way to tell a story, there are directions that can help:
Select a story. What kind of story is it? Autobiographical, about someone important, a family situation, a famous person, a period in history, a discovery, etc. Map out the story. How to tell the story? From the present to the past, or from the past to the present, a specific period? It’s necessary to identify the key elements, and organize them into a beginning, a middle, and an end. Grab the listener’s attention immediately and keep it until the end. It’s necessary to find the right time to tell the story. Some stories start with a question, others with a statistic or commentary. The important thing is to tell the story within a context to make sense as the facts are revealed.
Tell the story from a unique point of view. Exposing facts is not enough; it’s important to persuade others to see something new from a different perspective. All elements of the story should contribute to this viewpoint. Use vivid language. Be clear, specific, and use examples to help your listeners understand the story and activate their own imagination. Using accessible and expressive language is the safest way to present a story. Exploit emotion. Every good story needs to generate an emotional connection between the storyteller and listener. Words, images and sounds help create this bond. Moreover, it’s important to note how the story is received by people during the presentation.
Use your own voice. A good story is told by someone who is involved, not by an impartial or distant voice. Authenticity and credibility are essential. Be brief. Longer doesn’t mean better. The important thing is to tell a story that people will remember. To create the desired effect, suffice it to select the key facts that can arouse interest and ensure an attractive ending. This also allows listeners to fill in the blanks with their imagination and reflection. Keep up a good rhythm. Rhythm is the heart of all stories. If the story doesn’t move forward, it may bore listeners and divert their attention. If the story goes too fast,
there’s a risk some people will be left behind. Establishing the right pace depends on the type of story and the reactions of the listener. Telling a story of courage with a timid and hesitant voice turns into a very unconvincing message. Speed of speech, silence, and other techniques should be used for the impact you want to make. If the idea is to provoke reflection, it’s okay to tell it more slowly. If it’s an amazing experience, you can go faster. If people have certain expectations, creating suspense can help maintain attention, and so on. Source: “Tell a story, become a lifelong learner”, Microsoft, 2010.
In other words ... •
Produce meaning, not just content.
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Add value, because pure information is not enough.
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Sensitize people’s emotional intelligence.
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Establish trust.
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People learn and live through stories, metaphors, and connection. This is the kind of animal we are. Dogs sniff one another. Humans tell stories.
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Larry Prusak, researcher and director of the Institute for Knowledge Management (IKM)
Bibliography BIRKINSHAW, J.; BOUQUET, C.; BARSOUX, J. The 5 myths of Innovation. MIT, 2011. DENNING, S. The Secret Language of Leadership: How leaders inspire action through narrative. Jossey-Bass, 2007. DENNING, S. The Springboard: How storytelling ignites action in knowledge-era organizations. Butterworth Heinemann, 2001. MARZEC, M. Telling the corporate story, vision into action. Journal of Business Strategy, vol. 28, no 1, p. 26-36, 2007. SIEGEL, D. & PEARCE, M. D. Mindsight at Work: An interpersonal neurobiology lens on leadership. NeuroLeadership Journal, 2009. SIMMONS, A. The Story Factor: Inspiration, influence, and persuasion through the art of storytelling. Perseus, 2006. SOLE, D. & WILSON, D. Storytelling in organizations: the power and traps of using stories to share knowledge in organizations. Harvard Business School, 2002. WITT, C. & FETHERLING, D. Real leaders don’t do power point. Crown Business, 2009.
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