What would catch your attention more: an email about your boss
and her latest contribution to your company, or an email featuring
your boss and her recent climbing expedition up Mount Kilimanjaro,
complete with pictures and a video journal?
Obviously the former is more significant to the success of your
business, but let's be honest: the latter is inherently more
attention grabbing. It's also no less important.
Why? Because storytelling is authentic - human, even - and it
adds a sense of community to the workplace. The trick is learning
how to combine these two stories and make a lasting impression.
Storytelling gives company leaders an opportunity to share their
values - and consequently, the values of the organization - in a
clear and memorable way. In fact studies show that storytelling can "leverage
the knowledge of an organization…to build core capabilities."
If the goal is to empower employees to go out and spread the
message and mission of their organization, they are much more
likely to share the right message and mission if they have a
relatable story to tell.
Consider the boss who went on the climbing expedition. Perhaps
she was able to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro because her
company offers reimbursement for gym memberships, and she is in the
best shape of her life. She returns from her adventure feeling so
inspired that she creates a new company policy for a one-week paid
sabbatical given to employees who have been with the company for
five years. She hopes this contribution to the team will inspire
her employees to think about their own personal aspirations and
life goals.
Quite the captivating story, isn't it? Not only is the subject
matter interesting, it also reveals the values of the organization:
creativity, inspiration, entrepreneurial spirit and a sense of
adventure. Not to mention the emphasis placed on the happiness of
its employees.
As a general rule, workplace stories such as this one should
follow these four guidelines:
- Be relatable - Keep the tone light and
conversational.
- Be honest - Don't embellish or exaggerate, and
don't be afraid to admit failure.
- Be captivating -The more you share, the more
you'll keep the attention of those reading.
- Be aware - Know who your audience is and write
your story with them in mind.
There are obvious exceptions for using storytelling in the
workplace. Teaching a critical skill and sharing knowledge relevant
to a specific task are two examples that lend themselves to more
traditional methods of training and education.
That said, if you are ever in a position to share more about who
you are, what your vision is and why you do what you do, a personal
anecdote can make a lasting and favorable impression.
We just recommend you avoid starting with, "Once upon a
time…"