Funny thing, stories.  We all intuitively know what they are and what makes them good because humans naturally communicate ‘in story’ almost without realising.  And yet when it comes to storytelling in business, it can be much trickier to encourage and support people to do it. This doesn’t surprise me.  I’ve recently delivered a storytelling workshop at a business event where lots of experienced communicators are wrestling with this very problem.

I’m a huge fan of storytelling because when it’s done well, it has phenomenal impact on giving people the understanding and context they need. It provides the emotional colouring-in and depth that can rapidly cut the time and effort it takes to take people from good to great performance.  Quite simply, stories can move us so much more effectively than logical, rational information. The challenge is how to get the stories out of the business and shared across the organisation for the benefit of customers and employees alike.

1)Storytelling is more than the corporate narrative

Companies spend time and money creating and honing their corporate story to reflect their values, vision and strategy.  It’s a valuable and important investment because it gives every stakeholder the opportunity to buy into the corporate narrative – but this shouldn’t be where the story ends.  For many organisations, the next challenge is to make the corporate narrative as meaningful and relevant as possible for employees and help them see an everyday connection with it. In this way, the corporate narrative doesn’t run the risk of being a series of statements and values that don’t ‘live’ in the business.

This is where leaders and especially line managers can make a real difference to how stories are created and told within organisations.  The right stories can effectively do the ‘heavy-lifting’ for managers:  helping people find purpose, meaning and relevance in what they do and why.  Because stories resonate and stick with us for a long time, they are often much more effective in taking people to action.  If you’ve ever listened to a key-note from an engaging speaker, chances are it’ll be the story he or she tells that you remember – and not much else. 

Next steps: Think about where your current focus is going when it comes to communication: the corporate narrative or the real life experiences and stories of your employees and customers? Is the balance where it should be?

2)Asking for stories is a big ask

One of the biggest challenges raised in the workshop is encouraging stories from the business in the first place. It’s a tough ask for people out there so it’s often met with resounding silence.  When communication professionals ask for stories to share across the organisation, people often aren’t sure what kind of stories to tell, how to tell them, and what might be appropriate.  Asking people to use stories more in the way they communicate is even harder, if it’s not a natural style, yet it’s so critical for engagement. In my experience, individuals often value guidance around exactly what we mean by stories and how to find sources of inspiration that can feed the stories they need to tell for the outcome they want. 

Next steps:  If you are serious about making storytelling part of your culture, it’s vital that you know how to tease stories out of the business. Think about how often you stop to take a few minutes to really listen to people and hear their stories.  Be curious and ask for more details, helping to reveal the story from them.  For example, what was their first impression of the customer, how did they know they’d exceeded their expectations, what inspired them to keep going? Don’t forget to tell them why this is a story the business needs to hear – for example it might be a story that really shows one of your corporate values in action.

3) Stories take time and practice

Some lucky people are natural storytellers – they seem to have a tale up their sleeves and always find the right thing to say.  Many more people have to work at it! There are lots of ways to do this but one of the most effective is to encourage people to listen out for stories from colleagues, friends and managers.  Suggest they keep a bank of stories that resonate with them which they can refer to for insight and inspiration.  It’s important to think about which story would fit well with what they’re trying to communicate and not just tell a story for story’s sake.  Remind them that the best stories are often passed on from person to person, no doubt with some personal embellishment added in!  It’s fine to borrow stories – just so long as it still feels authentic.  No-one will believe a story that doesn’t seem to fit with who you really are. 

Next steps:

Stories breed stories…. We’ve all been reminded of a similar experience once someone starts telling us their story.  Start by reflecting on your own communication style and thinking of ways you can lift it with relevant stories.  For example, one of the workshop delegates was determined to encourage the CEO to start his next presentation with a story about a customer, instead of immediately focusing on financial performance. 

Above all, it’s important to concentrate on the outcome.  Stories are a great technique to engage hearts and minds, making a message memorable.  The ultimate outcome is that people perform at their best in the way you need to make something happen.  Which reminds me, do you know the story about ……..