If you’re a leader, you’re the narrator.
You create alignment, engagement, and action by telling four core stories about your organization. 1
Who
we are
2
Vision
3
Values
Change & learning
1 Who We Are stories mobilize your people around your identity and culture.
Remind people “what it means to be us,” and create passion to move forward!
For example:
Notice that the story
doesn’t have to be long
or a literary masterpiece.
Make it short, and packed
with meaning.
The year was 1876, America’s centennial. It was also the year
that Thomas Alva Edison opened a laboratory in Menlo Park, New
Jersey. Out of that laboratory was to come perhaps the greatest
invention of the age - a successful incandescent electric lamp. (A
light bulb!) After a merger in 1892, he called his new organization
General Electric. Today, that same spirit of innovation and
discovery is still a part of everything we do.
–From GE’s website - www.GE.com
2
“Origin” stories are especially
powerful. They contain your
DNA; who you were “from
the beginning.” Think about
YOUR organization, or team,
or project, or career. How did
it begin?
Look at the last sentence.
The story makes an explicit
connection and says to the
listener, “here’s how this
affects who we are today.”
Vision stories paint a vivid picture of the future that you desire. When you present
the vision as a story, it comes to life and invites people to engage.
For example:
This story of vision
isn’t even about the
organization! The teller
uses a metaphor of
another place to illustrate
an opportunity that his
organization should
seize.
In June of last year, a health worker in a tiny town in Zambia
went to the website of the Centers for Disease Control and got an
answer to a question about the treatment of malaria. Remember
that this was in Zambia, one of the poorest countries in the world.
But the most striking thing about this picture, at least for us,
is that our company, World Bank, isn’t in it! Despite our knowhow on all kinds of poverty-related issues, that knowledge isn’t
available to the millions of people who could use it. Imagine if it
were. Think what an organization we could become.
–From Stephen Denning’s classic book
on org narrative, “The Springboard”
Notice how all of these
examples are very
specific and follow a
pattern: What happened,
who was involved, and a
result or outcome.
Again - at the end, see
how the teller makes
explicit connections and
tells the audience how to
interpret the story.
Adapted from Circle of the 9 Muses: A Storytelling Field Guide for Innovators and Meaning Makers
Copyright © 2015, David Hutchens
www.DavidHutchens.com • Twitter: @DavidBHutchens • Email: [email protected]
4
3 Stories of Values in action. So your company values excellence and quality? That’s
fine. But to keep the words from ringing hollow, tie those values to credible
stories. When brought to life with stories, your values become a differentiator.
The best stories are the
ones that deviate from
the “normal” world
and depict something
unexpected.
How did the teller know
this story? Part of your
role as a leader is finding
the great stories that are
already happening in your
organization... and then
telling them.
For example:
On December 8, 2012, a customer service rep at Zappos took a call that clocked
in at a record-setting 10 hours and 29 minutes! The customer called to order
a pair of Ugg boots, but in the conversation the service rep discovered that
the customer was about to relocate to the Las Vegas area where Zappos is
located. They spent 10 hours exploring neighborhoods and other details of life
in Vegas. At the end of the call, the customer purchased the pair of Ugg boots.
“Sometimes people just need to call and talk,” said the sales rep. “We don’t
judge. We just want to help.” Zappos doesn’t view the incident as bad news.
They confirm that the employee was following protocol, and that this is just
another experience in being dedicated to customers.
Make a list of the items
in your company’s
statement of values.
What are some stories
that bring each to life in
dramatic ways?
4 Stories of Change & Learning are an often-neglected category of organizational
story. It’s a risk to appear vulnerable. But if you wish to create a culture of
learning and continual improvement, share these stories with a spirit of
transparency, humility, and authenticity.
For example:
Change stories have a very
specific outline:
-The action we took
-The suboptimal outcome
-Why we received that poor
outcome
-How we will update our
thinking to receive a better
outcome next time
Before we introduced New Coke, we tested it endlessly with focus groups. Consumers were
unanimous: New Coke tasted better. So why did it fail in the marketplace? Because we never
asked the crucial question: What if we got rid of Coca-Cola and replaced it with New Coke?
That would have revealed the deep, emotional connection people have about our brand. We
thought they wanted better flavor. We discovered they want to maintain their emotional
connection to our brand! It was a mistake that taught us not ignore the incredible brand
loyalty we have cultivated for more than 100 years.
–An executive at The Coca-Cola Company
Okay, here are Two More Cores...
Why I’m
Here
I know what
you’re thinking
Let people know why you are personally
bought in to the work, so that your passion
can help to awaken their passion.
•
Was there a moment when you knew you wanted to be a part of this
organization/project/team? When did you choose this job? What was
going on when you chose it?
•
What do you get out of this work besides money? Why do you go the
extra mile?
•
Do you perhaps have some painful experience from your past that
informs the work you do now? Are there personal reasons you feel
urgency? What happened that brought you here?
Give voice to the secret suspicions
or reluctance to change that your
audience holds.
•
What are the points of pain or resistance among your audience? (If you
don’t know, how can you find out?)
•
When was a time you (or someone else) felt the same way? What
happened to move you/them to a different position? How did you get
from “there” to “here”?
You live in a world of stories.
Some people say “I can’t think of any stories.” We say, just look around you.
This worksheet will help you brainstorm the stories you didn’t know you knew.
Think of a time you acted on your
Think of a time you did something
that demonstrates your origin or
values.
who you are.
• How I/we got started
• What it looks like when I/we are at
our best
T he b
roader organizatio
n
• What it looks like when we are living
what is most important to us.
• If possible, link to your organization’s
statement of value
am or departmen
My te
t
Me, my leadership
Tell a story that illustrates the future you want; make your vision
real!
• A time that someone embodied/
achieved what you aspire to
• A time that you displayed the
remarkable thing that must now
become the new normal
Think of a time you made a successful change or demonstrated
brave learning.
• A time I / we changed thoughts, beliefs, behaviors to accomplish something that was hard.
• A dumb thing I/we did... and what
we are doing different now
Adapted from Circle of the 9 Muses: A Storytelling Field Guide for Innovators and Meaning Makers
Copyright © 2015, David Hutchens
www.DavidHutchens.com • Twitter: @DavidBHutchens • Email: [email protected]
Now it’s time to tell your story.
Pick just one of the stories you brainstormed on the other side. Ready to bring it to life?
1
Find the “fast template” below
that best matches your story.
These will give you ideas for structuring your story.
2
Working individually, write out
your story in the space below.
Who we are: origin story
“It all began when...”
Who, what, when, where...
“And the part of
that story that
lives to this day
is...”
Who we are: culture story
“A time that I/we did
something really unique was...”
Who, what, when, where...
Values in action
Name the value: Show how it
“One thing I/
came to life:
we care about “For example,
is...”
one time...”
“That shows
what is special
about our culture,
which is...”
Tie back to the
value again.
“That’s what I
mean by value
X.”
Don’t try to write
a masterpiece. Use
simple language.
Try to write it the
way you would
actually SAY it.
Remember to say
what happened.
“There was a time
when...” Consider
who, what, when,
where, why, how.
Vision
Tell about a time someone
(maybe you!) embodied or
accomplished the thing you
aspire to.
“Just imagine if
we could also...”
“Future story”
Shorter is
often better –
especially for oral
presentation. Try
to make it fit this
space!
Describe the future you want... But use present tense,
as if it has already happened!
How
customers
/ others
see us
The
rewards
we are
enjoying
was “But I/ we
“I/we had a “Ithard
problem...” because...” succeeded
by...”
How
we are
different
today
“I’m living
in a world
where...”
What I am
(or we are)
doing
Change story
Learning story
“I/we tried
something
that didn’t
work...”
“I / we
expected
these
results...”
“So I/we had to
change thoughts /
behaviors by...”
“But
“The
instead
reason we
got these got those
results...” results is...”
“So what
I / we
learned is...”
Don’t forget
the explicit
“connection” at
the end! “The
thing this story
says about me/
us is...”