The value of storytelling - Distinct...• Made to Stick: why some ideas survive and others die,...
Transcript of The value of storytelling - Distinct...• Made to Stick: why some ideas survive and others die,...
Briefing Note 1
Created on: 20 June, 2011
The value of
storytelling
“Stories are fundamental to the way
we learn and to the way we
communicate. They are the most
efficient way of storing, retrieving,
and conveying information. Because
hearing a story requires active
participation by the listener, stories
are the most profoundly social form
of human interaction and
communication.”
Terrence L. Cargiulo,
Organisational Development
consultant.
What this is
Have you ever noticed how the
atmosphere in a room changes as
someone embarks on a story that clearly
means something to them? The people
listening relax and engage. The person
speaking becomes fluent and animated.
In this briefing note hear about the value
of storytelling as a tool for embedding the
distinctive identity or strategic direction
of your institution.
Why it's useful
Everyone has stories about their
institution. Some illustrate the things that
irritate us about the place we work or
study – and perhaps these are the ones
that get noticed the most. But there are
many other stories that could be told
about the things that we love about our
working life, and about the things that
happen that remind us why we do the job
we do.
People love stories. A story sticks in the
mind more easily than facts and figures.
What better way to communicate to any
audience what it is about your institution
that makes it special?
What you need to know
We all know someone who is really good
at telling jokes – they use the right words
(not too many, not too few) – and they
have a sense of timing which gives the
story a rhythm and draws you to the
punchline. But if the story is something
that happened to you, or one which you
heard about and touched you, then the
chances are your own conviction will
make you a good storyteller, too.
This enables you to engage your audience
and, hopefully, convince them of your
beliefs. When, for example, your aim is to
embed the distinctive identity or strategic
direction of your institution, storytelling
can be the perfect tool.
One of the main differences between a
good stand-up comedian and you and me
is that the stand-up notices the things
that go on and makes a note of them to
use later. But that is something anyone
can do, if they learn how to do it.
Making it work for you
• Take a few moments to think of
something that has happened to
you or to someone you work
with, that reminded you why
you’re here (in this particular job,
in this particular institution).
• Without being too mechanistic
about it, try to understand why it
resonates with you: What are the
key points - about the people
Briefing Note 2
Created on: 20 June, 2011
involved, about the circumstances
– and what is incidental? What is
the emotional content – how did
the people in the story react to
the situation? This gives colour to
the mental picture you are
creating.
• These are the things that you
need to relay to listeners, if you
are going to evoke in them the
same response that the original
incident evoked in you. This
approach also allows you to
condense the story into
something you can tell quickly if
you only have a few moments to
relay it.
• Practice telling it. See how it
sounds. See how other people
react to it.
• Change it. You can tell the same
story in different ways, depending
on who you are telling it to, and
the circumstances in which you
are telling it.
• Gather more stories. Notice and
take note of things that happen in
your working life.
When you want to explain to someone
why your institution is the one to choose
– to study at, to invest in, to work for, to
partner with – a story can say it all.
Where to find out more
Papers
There are a huge range of academic
papers on storytelling in organisations.
Here are just a few:
• Bate, P. (2004) The role of stories
and storytelling in organizational
change efforts: The anthropology
of an intervention within a UK
hospital, Intervention Research 1
(1) 27-42
• Denning, S. (2004) Telling Tales,
Harvard Business Review, 82 (5)
122-129
• Mittins, M., Abratt, R., Christie,
P.(2011) Storytelling in
Reputation Management: the
Case of Nashua Mobile South
Africa, Management Decision 49
(3)
• Baker, W., Boyle, C. (2009) The
timeless power of storytelling,
Journal of Sponsorship 3 (1) 79-87
• Boyce, M. E. (1996)
Organizational story and
storytelling: a critical review,
Journal of Organizational Change
Management 9 (5) 5-26
Books
• Made to Stick: why some ideas
survive and others die, Chip Heath
& Dan Heath, Random House,
2007
• Switch: How to change things
when change is hard, Chip Heath
& Dan Heath, Random House,
2010
• The leader's guide to storytelling:
mastering the art and discipline of
business narrative, Stephen
Denning Jossey-Bass, 2005
Internet
• GovLeaders.org is a free on-line
resource designed to help
government managers cultivate a
more effective and motivated
public sector workforce
http://govleaders.org/storytelling
.htm
Briefing Note 3
Created on: 20 June, 2011
• ‘Get Storied’ is a consultancy that
has made a business out of
encouraging and teaching
businesses how to use
storytelling. Read their business
case for storytelling:
http://www.getstoried.com/2010
/01/27/the-business-case-for-
storytelling/
External expertise
• Rob Woods, Woods Training
www.woodsconsultancy.co.uk/co
urses.html, contributor to the
CASE Online training series:
www.case.org/Conferences_and_
Training/Online_Speaker_Series_-
_Storytelling.html (accessed
January 2011)
• Tony Quinlan, Narrate
http://narrate.typepad.com/abou
t.html, contributor to CASE
Europe’s communications
seminar:
http://www.case.org/Conference
s_and_Training/Strategic_Internal
_Communications_.html
(accessed March 2011)
In-house expertise
• Consider who in your institution
might have these skills. For
example, a lecturer in journalism,
creative writing or theatre
studies.
Find out more
www.distinct.ac.uk has a growing
resource section.
Get involved
If you have a case study, report, or
other resource you would like to share
with colleagues in the sector we would
love to hear from you. Please contact
us at:
Guest author
Rob Woods, Woods Training Ltd. Training
and consultancy for fundraising teams
www.woodsconsultancy.co.uk/
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content please contact the project
team.
© 2011 Distinct in Higher Education