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Present the truth “naked and
cold” and people will probably reject it. Clothed in story, people will
embrace it. That is the power of storytelling, contends author Simmons. We have
all experienced it. Here is a book that will help us develop our capacity to
effectively use story to convey truth in the workplace.
Our corporate mission and vision
statements are a case in point. They are central to organizational life, yet the
vast majority gather dust in a frame on the wall, languishing in language that
fails to inspire. People need to “see” the vision, because it is “the
vision that gives our struggle meaning.”
The “Vision” story is one of
six types of stories leaders must know how to tell, according to Simmons. The
five others include: Who I Am; Why I am Here; Teaching; Values in Action; and I
Know What You are Thinking. Simmons’ story illustrations come straight
from her professional and personal experience.
Having difficulty gathering the
story material? Look for patterns, consequences, lessons, utility,
vulnerability, future experience, and the stories recalled and repeated from the
organization’s past. “Losers have loser stories. Winners have winner
stories...Practice...tell without preaching...Make your story bigger than the
injustice.”
How CultureConnects can help.
CultureConnects helps
leaders and their organization tell their stories. Sometimes we even help
discover those stories. Consider the case of an employment services provider
updating their print literature and website. We were “stuck” in the editing
phase. The words just didn’t work right, yet no one seemed to know why. CultureConnects
interviewed several employees, key referrers and clients. One employee,
explaining how they served clients, used the phrase, “We do whatever it
takes.” We discovered that it was not an empty cliche. In fact, successful
problem solving to satisfy customers had become part of their culture and a
powerful strategic capability—but was not mentioned anywhere in their previous
literature! With this new insight, the right words flowed. One clear sign of
success: employees and others began telling the stories we used in the
literature and website.
Find our how we can help your
organization. Contact
us.
To view other leadership tools, click here.
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