Kids love stories. A good story keeps them engaged. They become invested in the characters, the story line sparks their imagination, they want to know the ending. And the magic of a good story doesn’t stop at childhood.
Stories are how we best communicate and share meaning. We learn the stories of our ancestors, our parents, our culture. Stories ground us and can make us feel part of something bigger than ourselves.
It stands to reason then, that the best way to engage people in business, to get their buy-in, is to create a compelling story. One that gives hope, meaning, context and makes people feel like they belong.
How does your company communicate a business decision or strategy to employees? More often than not, the leadership team gets together, shares ideas and come up with a collective strategy, a way to move forward. They might then gather the troops together to share their vision and strategy in a beautifully presented PowerPoint presentation. They may even do so with great enthusiasm and positivity in an effort to get everyone onboard with the facts and figures and objectives and the plan to reach them. But once the presentation is done and dusted, they may not have succeeded at the most important part – to engage the imagination, passion, spark and commitment of the whole team. The answer? Plug into the incredible potential of storytelling.
With a little effort, you can have the corporate version of having the team huddled around the campfire listening with baited breath as the story unfolds.
Foster the art of storytelling to truly engage your team
Strategic storytelling allows you to present facts and logic while enabling people to understand your ideas and goals emotionally. Building a story around strategies connects people on a much deeper level than simply presenting numbers on a PowerPoint slide. Stories are more relevant and relatable. When people can relate and put themselves in the narrative, place themselves in the narrative, the strategy becomes relevant to them and they become committed to it. Suddenly the strategy becomes meaningful as people are more likely to be invested in the strategy if it is presented as a story they are part of.
Research has extensively explored story structures, and many variations exist. Here is a great structure that I like to use. This framework is widely used by filmmakers, authors, and storytellers. It is based on the premise that every story has the following components in this order:
- Premise – This is an overview of the situation; the background or the setting to put the story into context.
- Core Conflict – This is clarification of what the problem is; characters struggle with this core conflict, either with themselves or with others.
- Tension – Or the climax. This is the point where the story reaches a crucial moment.
- Turning Point – A decision is made and the characters in the story explore the consequences of the climax.
- Resolution – The story’s final problem is solved. The listener has a sense of completion.
Using the storytelling technique at work
When crafting your story, simplicity is key. Overloading a story with information can overwhelm and confuse your audience. A straightforward story is easier for your team to understand, connect with, and support.
Start by identifying the most crucial objectives your business needs to achieve and weave those into your story. Prioritise the elements you include and eliminate any unnecessary details. If a piece of information doesn’t contribute to the story or advance your strategy, leave it out to keep the narrative clear and focused.
Concentrate on the essential details and maintain focus on your primary objectives to keep your story impactful and engaging.
Here are a few tips on how to create a compelling story;
1. Make it specific – be sure to cover the who, what, where, when and how. Be clear about what you want to achieve and how you are going to get there.
2. Make it achievable – nothing is more off-putting than unrealistic goals. Dangling carrots too high does not help engage staff, it does the opposite. Those strategies communicated by a compelling story with goals that are realistic to achieve are much more likely to inspire and engage.
3. Make it relatable – you want people to really feel what you are relaying to them. If they connect to what is being told on an emotional level, they will be much more likely to succeed. Use storytelling to bring to life your vision and how you will all feel when you collectively reach your goals.
4. Highlight the purpose of the work – even insurance companies can create a compelling tale that engages the heart and minds of employees by telling the stories of the people they have helped in hard times.
5. Bring your story to life – use descriptive language, bright imagery, humour, vulnerability, talk about examples, make your communication human-centric so people can relate on an emotional level.
Does your business harness the power of storytelling? I’d love to know. Could your leadership team benefit from one of my tailored workshops? Please get in touch today.